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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

If your y1 is flying what additional work/ resources do you use!

58 replies

Notthinkingclearly · 04/01/2016 16:42

My dd is 6 and had a great first year and was in top group for all areas. This year she seems to be really dropping behind. Having to have extra help with maths etc. I help out in classroom once a week so can't help notice that the children in the top group all have parents as teachers. I listen to my dd read every night but must admit I don't do anything else. If your 6 year is excelling do you do extra work at home? Any extra resources that anyone can recommend- books or ipad apps? I am willing to put a bit of extra work in but don't know where to start. I am guessing it can be a 10 minute routine if you know what to cover. I just feel like I have let my dd down just because I am not a teacher.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

user789653241 · 04/01/2016 17:03

www.khanacademy.org/

www.readtheory.org/

Do one of each everyday makes big difference, IME.

Kelsoooo · 04/01/2016 17:06

I don't do any extra work per say.

Other than listening to her read.

But we immerse her in her subjects. So if she's doing about castles - we'll go visit warwick castle. Then if she wants to buy something from the shop I tell her how much she can spend and she needs to work out if she can afford it.

We get her to read our text messages as they come in sometimes, so if my mum texts her I'll open the phone and ask her to read it to me, and then reply for me.

Things that make her feel like she's not studying...but it's increasing her application of the skills which then spill over into her education.

And if day trips aren't possible, we'll youtube a video about it for example. So when they were do volcanoes, we watched a few videos online about them.

When they were doing geography of the UK we visited Wales for the day (I'm aware that's not necessarily everyones cup of tea, an 8 hour round trip, but we're weird)

And my DD is excelling in all areas, so (probably by luck) something is working.

NewLife4Me · 04/01/2016 17:07

Have you considered one of the more fun type of workbook?
I know some are quite dry but some equate to more puzzle type of thing or word games, but still come in the same book iyswim.
We got ours from The Works and it had Maths English and Science for the relevant Key Stage.
Will see if I can find a link and post for you

user789653241 · 04/01/2016 17:10

As for letting down your dd because you are not a teacher... my ds has a mother who's first language isn't even English! You are better off than me!!!

Mandzi34 · 04/01/2016 17:13

I'm quite similar to Kelsoo in that I listen to them read/read to them. I take an interest in the homework, practice spellings/maths on the way to school. We went to Warwick when DS was studying Shakespeare etc. I also give DD questions based on what she's already covered in maths, just to consolidate her knowledge. She has an older brother and I'll often try and involve her in conversations I have with him regarding his school work.

Hillfog · 04/01/2016 17:19

My yr 1 DD has the subtitles on the TV then reads along with the programme. Sounds odd but I swear it's helped her reading!
We also visit the library every week.

user789653241 · 04/01/2016 17:30

Hillfog, it isn't odd for us. We've been doing it since my ds was a baby.(He was able reader before reception.)

Greenleave · 04/01/2016 17:54

If it was maths then it was mostly times table. My daughter although hated clocks(she now loves it). Everyday I asked her to do simple thing write down what time did she wake up? What time did she go to school, in digital, in clock and also in Latin letters then after few weeks I asked her to write down if she wakes up 30, 15 mins earlier/later then what should be the time. For money then I tried her to work out about the "savings" we would have and maximum of stuffs she could buy with certain amount then change from cashier.

My daughter hated reading when she was in reception, she was a free reader beg of yr2. During yr 1 I sat with her 10 mins aday for her to read to me and the otherway round. She reads 7 Harry porters books by end of year2 and loved it so much that she could even remember most spells(she is now reading Chronicle or Narnia and nearly finish the 7th book. I would only say being patient and work with them

BackforGood · 04/01/2016 18:54

Well, when mine were in Yr1, and I was teaching, I certainly didn't do anything with them (in terms of school work) at home. We'd always read to them / with them / let them read to us so I never considered that school work, just a pleasurable thing to do. The best thing you can do for/with any child is talk to them and listen to them.

Original poster

Notthinkingclearly · 05/01/2016 10:50

Thanks for replies. I think I am just comparing her to those who are obviously coached alot at school. I do spend time getting her to write thank you notes etc but I really do feel making her do any formal learning will exhaust her after school. I heard one parent say "look those are like the maths we were doing last night on ipad together" at a parents open morning. Which made me feel a bit neglectful. Parents are very acedemic so maybe not fair to compare.

OP posts:

user789653241 · 05/01/2016 11:32

It's up to you what you do with your child, but if she is needing extra help with maths at school, it's not so difficult to catch up while she is still young.
And it will boost her confidence if she did.
My ds was a good reader(decoder), but completely clueless with comprehension when he was in YR1. We started doing 5 minutes comp. work everyday since end of YR1, and now in YR3, he can easily answer questions YR5,6 level.
For maths, I really recommend Khan Academy, it has tutorial videos for every skill, so you can watch and practice until you get it, and start from as easy as 1 + 1. You can proceed with your own pace, and it's free.
I think children exceeding in my ds's class have very involved parents, not necessarily pushy or coating at home.

user789653241 · 05/01/2016 11:34

coaching!

Artandco · 05/01/2016 13:13

Ds is 5 (year 1). And fairly bright.

We mainly do the same as above. Encouraging interests mainly but also a little extra every night.

From school every night he has a new book to read and 10 mins maths. Ontop we get him to write a diary daily or a short story (10-15 mins). It's really brought his style of writing, imagination and handwriting on.

At the weekends we usually try and go somewhere like a museum/ exhibition/ show/ national trust etc. When there we get him to read through descriptions and explain stuff and then he writes about it when he gets home also. It helps that he genuinely likes writing though. We try and link this into what he's doing at school where possible to help him remember stuff. Ie castle visits when that's the school project, farm/ zoo when their topic is animals

DataColour · 08/01/2016 10:49

I have a 5yr old summer born in Y1. She reads to us everyday and we read to her. She does her homework once a week with involves some maths and phonics.
Once a week or so she does a couple of pages of a phonics or maths workbook too.
She wouldn't want to do anything daily though.

There are some very competitive kids in her class...I know a couple of them attend Kumon classes for literacy and maths, so sometimes I feel a bit neglectful but I think Kumon is a step too far.
DD is near the top of her class, and as she is a Aug born, I think that's pretty alright.

MadAboutMathsMum · 08/01/2016 21:36

My DS2 flies at maths, but it natural ability rather than any coaching. He is in yr2 but working at yr6 level. Occasionally he goes through phases of doing online maths - which he is supposed to 3 times a week for homework, but equally if he wants to do programming or something instead I let him. I work full time so we don't have much time in the evenings for homework etc. although I try and make reading together a priority.

Inkymess · 08/01/2016 23:35

My DD is in top sets so we do nothing academic except reading with her - 10-20 mins a night. Rainbows, gym, swimming, martial arts, drama and football each night instead 😉 lots more important skills ...

Havingafieldday · 09/01/2016 11:25

I do nothing with mine and he's absolutely flying. I do his homework and reading with him and read to him and that's it. He has older siblings who he learns from but I don't do extra work with any of my kids until year 4, until then, unless they are struggling I just let them be.

user789653241 · 09/01/2016 11:40

OP clearly said her dd is dropping behind and having extra help at school, so the comment like " dc is flying and we don't do nothing" is not really helping?

IamMissRabbit · 09/01/2016 11:48

I'm watching this thread with interest as I'd like to do more to help all my DCs but particularly my DS in Y4 who has recently been moved out of the top set at maths which he's devastated about.
Irvine- the websites you posted earlier look good but seem to be based on the US education system, do you or anyone else know similar ones that are UK based?

user789653241 · 09/01/2016 11:56

IamMissRabbit, we use IXL as well, since it follows UK NC. But it's paying site, so I didn't list it.

uk.ixl.com/math/year-4

MadAboutMathsMum · 09/01/2016 12:20

I answered OPs question if they are flying what are you doing?

mrsplum2015 · 09/01/2016 12:20

My older 2 dc have both done exceedingly well in year 1. Youngest not there yet. But we didn't help at all other than the school required reading.. I don't have the time or inclination and tbh think their progress has been down to natural brightness and good teachers.

MadAboutMathsMum · 09/01/2016 12:24

Sorry managed to delete half answer before posting.
I think sometimes doing too much work is counter productive and makes a child think there is a problem which in turn makes an issue.
I'm sure if I continually pushed DS he would be even better at maths but if I initiate him having to work he resents it. He learns better when he is happy and wanting to do itm

ZenNudist · 09/01/2016 12:42

Watching with interest. Ds1 is 5 and in reception. Don't have time in the week to do activities or extra homework. Like the website ideas on here.

user789653241 · 09/01/2016 12:54

MadAboutMathsMum, I don't make my ds do extra work at home. It's his choice. He is similar to your ds, working way ahead, but he doesn't get real help at school. He does maths, coding, science whatever he wants to do. And I don't(can't) teach him. Only thing I made sure we worked in the past was reading comprehension, but he still enjoy doing it.

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