Dd behind at school

[creamycrackers]

My dd started year 3 in sept. She is currently working towards yr 2 levels. Should I worry or is it normal for that at the beginning of yr 3?

You should make an appointment with her teacher and the Head of KS1.

If she is that far behind, you should have already been informed about this and you should ask them how they are helping her to progress at school and what you can do to support them.

Depends where she was at the end of Yr 2!

Yes, you should worry.

She's over a year behind. School will be concerned and will have her on various interventions.

School will (presumably) be doing everything they can for her.

The question is, do you want to do more with her at home or not?

But, being a year behind at the start of Y3 is significant (even if the new curriculum is harder)

How's her reading, writing, and maths?

You should have a chat with the teacher, but remember progress doesn't just go in a nice straight line, along with everyone else in the class.

What you should be asking yourself, and her teacher, is where was she a term ago and has she made good progress in some areas.

My eldest was behind the rest of his class until he got into year 4. Then he was average. By year 6 he was at the top. Now he is in year 11 and is in all top sets. He just took a bit longer to grasp the basics.

His year 2 teacher told me that he would always struggle and would never be the brightest. (Fuck you year 2 teacher)

I now home educate my youngest 3 because I was so sick of the constant comparison to the average.

Not in England but can I ask what age children in Year2 and 3 are ? Is it age 6/7?

6/7 for year 2 and 7/8 for year 3.

OK thanks Ewe.

She was working below yr 2 levels at the end of year 2, the school changed their levels this year, so not sure if she has stayed on the same levels IYSWIM?

Reading, writing and maths all working towards yr 2 levels. I knew my Ds was behind because they used something called P scales but everything seems to of changed.

salty would the interventions be group work? that was mentioned at the parents evening. They kept telling me how confident and well mannered she is.

happy that is nice to hear, I'm glad your Ds is doing well.

I am doing quite a bit already at home. I have mentioned several times to GP's and CT's that I'm sure she is struggling with her memory, I thought it was just me until she started to get older because every time I mentioned it I used to get a raised eyebrow and she seems fine to me remark.

Firstly I would not worry about it and certainly don't let her get a whiff of any concern. The levels have changed this year and schools are setting their own, so no comparisons can be made. Children progress at different speeds (perhaps someone ought to let the Dept of Education know this simple fact!).

If she is regarded as needing some extra help then the school is obliged to communicate with you about what they are doing to give her the help she needs. Talk to the teacher initially and, if they do have a plan for her, then talk to the special needs co-ordinator and ask to be kept informed about what is going on.

How did you know that she was functioning below expected levels?

I have a DD with an academic MA who could not read when she was 9. Panic not!

Thanks blossom. We got a progress book with her work in but some of the info wasn't filled in. Then on the parents evening the CT mentioned the rest. It was only afterwards I sat thinking about it and rummaged out her end of yr2 report. I was just wondering, what with all the changes, if I should indeed be worried or like you have said worry not because of the changes.

What is she behind with? Maths? English?

That is crazy that they are using P scales yet they have not communicated to you that they are assessing her below national curriculum levels. P scales are mostly used for pupils with additional needs, for whom the national curriculum expectations are not appropriate. The idea of a child being on P scales but the parents not being informed about the education plan for that child is ludicrous in my opinion, and I think you should kick up a massive stink if your DD does not already have an individual education plan.

Levels were scrapped in 2014 so your child's school should have been using an alternative assessment method in Y1 and Y3.
In Y2 her achievement against the National Curriculum standards should have been reported to you (a written report) stating whether she was working towards the expected standard, working at the expected standard or working at greater depth within the expected standard.

P levels should only be used for children identified as having SEN

When they tell you at parents evening she is confident and well mannered you should be REALLY concerned. That is code for 'I haven't got anything good to say about her academic work'