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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

Reception class son not meeting targets

80 replies

mrgrouper · 07/07/2016 17:02

My son is 4 and has an August birthday so is one of the youngest in his class.
I try to help him with his reading but he absolutely hates anything to do with school work.
I spoke to the teacher today who said he had not met his year targets. I am really worried about him and feel I am failing as a mum. It is difficult because he just is not interested at all.

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HildurOdegard · 07/07/2016 17:03

Please don't! Mine got a dreadful Xmas report - I just rolled my eyes. He's a baby - so what? He only got into it all in the last six weeks of p1 and I figured he had years to figure it out.

Original poster

mrgrouper · 07/07/2016 17:06

He said to me yesterday he had made up a story, so I asked him to tell it to me. He said it is called "the boy who hates his reading book".

OP posts:

JennyOnAPlate · 07/07/2016 17:06

Reception and an August birthday you say? Don't worry at all. Seriously. He will get there.

Original poster

mrgrouper · 07/07/2016 17:08

Thank you for your lovely messages.

OP posts:

JammyGeorge · 07/07/2016 17:27

I know it's hard but try not to worry.

DS1 was not interested in school work at all and didn't meet his levels. He started year 1 refusing to open a book and unable to read.

He's now reading fluently on I think OLT 6 now, he's still a little behind his classmates and I continue to worry about him but the progress they make in year 1 is amazing.

meowli · 07/07/2016 17:35

Just think - there could be children in your son's year who are going to be 6 in a couple of months time. Huge difference at this age! Please don't get stressed about it. He will get there. I can't tell you how much I despise the obsession with targets and testing when they're teeny. Madness.

Sounds like he's got a wry sense of humour with his story title. Did he tell you the story? I'd encourage him to make up stories, even if they are about hating school work. It's all creative! To be honest, some of the school reading scheme books for this age group are dire. I sometimes lost the will to live, when reading them with the dc. Maybe look for something different in the library, or even comics. I remember one lovely teacher, when I was worried about ds1's lack of interest (to put it mildly) in books, telling me comics were fine, cornflake packets were fine, factual books fine, as long as they were reading something!

Fairuza · 07/07/2016 17:40

Generally, most of the Autumn born children reach the goals in Reception, and lots of the Summer born ones don't.

In order to reach the target overall, they have to meet in it all areas including writing - so lots of young children (particularly boys and left handers) don't reach the target because they can't hold and control a pencil well enough yet.

I'd get the teacher to tell you exactly which areas he has and hasn't got - if he's not meeting the targets in personal, social and emotional development, or communication and language, that's a concern. If he's got all the basics but isn't quite there in reading and writing, don't panic - he's probably just not developmentally ready yet.

GherkinsOnToast · 07/07/2016 17:41

Please don't worry - my DD didn't meet any of her reception goals at the end of yr 1. We spoke to the teacher and she was very reassuring as DD is a 31st Aug baby. By the first term of yr 2 with the right teacher and encouragement she was up to speed and was top of her class for reading and comprehension by the end of her year. Some kids just start up slightly slower than others then have a huge breakthrough. As long as the school have no concerns, just go with it.

DD started reading things when we stopped the pressure and when we went out to dinner on night she ran out of patience waiting for us to tell her what was on the menu so started sounding out the words.

mary21 · 07/07/2016 19:10

I would back off over the summer. Do lots of physical things, park etc. Play with Lego , painting on big paper. These things will all help fine motor skills for writing. Read to him daily. Books he enjoys, fun books. Put no pressure on him to read. Get out nd about lots. Look at cars, types makes. Cook with him, measure out ingredients. Good for maths but take the maths out of it.
Above all have fun and by September he will be 5. Those that start. Early aren't always top of the class age 7 and certainly not by age 11.

Wheresthattomoibabber · 07/07/2016 19:32

The two reception teachers at the school I work in were practically in tears at all the kids they had to say weren't meeting targets. They kept saying "but he's so amazing at xyz"

Indiaplain · 07/07/2016 19:40

Oh my ds is august born and I'm sure he has not met his targets! He will be finishing reception too. I'm trying not to worry. I also agree with whoever said the reading books at this age are dire.. They are so uninspiring! My advice is to keep reading to him so he develops a love of books, and reading should follow. My 4 yr old is currently enjoying fantastic Mr fox.

Lweji · 07/07/2016 19:41

He's 4! In most countries he'd not be expected to be reading at all until 6.
DS certainly didn't and he's got good grades at school.
Ignore those who put pressure on him and let him know it's not a problem.

Mov1ngOn · 07/07/2016 19:44

I so hate these targets and what it's doing to children/parents.

I heard of school mums spending summer doing workbooks as they were so worried. It's govt arbitrary targets. Nothing to do with education and just so wrong!

HelsBels3000 · 07/07/2016 19:45

Stupid bloody 'targets' ignore them - they are abolishing them next year. No baseline assessments for Reception class.

BertPuttocks · 07/07/2016 19:46

Your DS is about the same age that my DD was when she started Reception.

He's still very young.

I love the sound of his story though. :o

Mov1ngOn · 07/07/2016 20:23

Oh are they hels? My second is going into reception in September...

fryingtoday · 07/07/2016 20:32

I think reception is all about socialisation. Most countries they don't even start school until 7. So chill, and enjoy this wonderful time.

Mov1ngOn · 07/07/2016 21:09

Its mad isn't it. My daughter's 7, reads fluently, recently sat sats, can write a poem of "one noun, 2 verbs, 3adverbs..." Knows a lot of maths and has learnt tons and school... Yet in another country they'd be just starting.

Despite all that of so homeschool if my daughter wanted to.

neolara · 07/07/2016 21:17

My July born dd knew 5 letter sounds at the end of Reception. She spent most of the year sucking her thumb and quite a lot of it asleep in the classroom. She has just finished year 7 and won the prize for highest academic attainment in the year (200+ pupils). I'm not saying this to show off. I just really, really want you to know that low academic attainment at the end of Reception particularly for Summer born, does not necessarily mean a school career of academic failure. Please don't be upset about your ds. It's really not worth it. For my dd things only started to even out around year 2 /3. Until then she was pretty much in all the bottom groups.

sotiredtoday · 07/07/2016 21:40

It's not a big deal.

But don't leave it and hope it will pass, put the fun back into learning. I would suggest getting the phonics app reading eggs or similar. I have been using Nessy phonics (which is for dyslexics originally but really great for all children). It will teach him what he needs to know with fun challenges and music. He will cover and assimilate what he needs do and start to enjoy it.

Lweji · 07/07/2016 21:43

Do let it pass.

Reading is very much about the brain clicking. Some evidence suggests pushing reading too early can actually be damaging, IIRC.

Have a great Summer holiday and let your boy relax.

Paramiribella · 07/07/2016 21:47

Another one here. Dd (who isn't summer born) failed to meet any of her targets in reception. Honestly the teachers were acting like she was a lost cause. Fast forward and she's just finished yr 4 exceeding all targets. She just took a while to get there. Please don't be like me and waste time worrying. He'll be fine.

sirfredfredgeorge · 07/07/2016 22:24

There are loads of EYFS targets, which has he not yet reached (remembering he hasn't yet reached the end of the EYFS either)

If you want to judge yourself, the materials of the sort of things to see expectation can be found here:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/eyfs-profile-exemplication-materials

It's not a PASS/FAIL scenario, it's a measure of how he's progressing and where he might need more help, it might help point to needs a child might have, or it might just indicate he's very young.

Notcontent · 07/07/2016 22:30

Don't worry. My dd couldn't read at all by the end of reception and seemed to be average or below average at everything until about year 3. Aged 10 she is now one of the top students in her year. She just wasn't ready to learn at 4 or 5 or even 6, and once she was ready I gave her a bit of extra help at home and that's all it took.

crazybat · 07/07/2016 22:46

First of all cracking up at your sons humour

Secondly I have a very similar child who hates school. Everything is stupid. He refuses to take part in things and his attitude has got him behind. He's mid year baby so can't even blame that.

However 1 year on he's now end of year one. He can read! (Not amazingly) but it's coming on. He's taking an interest and it's all about confidence.

His teacher does him wonders and I'm so thrilled he keeps her for next year too. Please do not despair.

My son is under the senco is it worth having a word?

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