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Primary education

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Original poster

Reception report underestimating ability

56 replies

Owletterocks · 04/07/2017 23:22

I hope I don't come across as a pushy parent, I promise I am not. Dd's reception report said that he was expected in numbers which I would be happy about but it goes on to say he can count to 20 reliably and add and subtract single digit numbers. The thing is, he can do much more than that, he counted to 347 the other day (unprompted as there were 1000 stickers in a book and he wanted to check!) he can count to 100 in 2's 5's 10's and even 9's, again unprompted and usually on the way to school as a way to pass the time. He can add double digits so 22+25 etc in his head. I wasn't going to say anything as I suppose it doesn't really matter but it's just annoying me that I feel that they have assessed him so far behind what he can actually do. I am also worried that he will get bored in year one because he can do more than the teacher will think due to his reception levels. Just after some advice really, do I say nothing and just see how he goes in year one or bring it to their attention that his level was underestimated? If I do that will I be the annoying, pushy parent?

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mrz · 05/07/2017 05:39

"What children can do in assessment conditions in a class room is totally different to what they can do with their mum at home." In reception there are no assessment conditions. Children are continually assessed in their normal daily interactions, during play and activities.

NinahH · 05/07/2017 05:57

It's good practice to ask parents to contribute examples of home learning to the child's learning journal. Maybe it would have been useful to the teacher to know he could count 300+ stickers! what is he like at representing number, if his fms and writing are a development point maybe this relates. I've not worked at a school that makes you report exclusively from the non statutory development matters, thankfully. I'm sure his Maths abilities will be picked up later on; you can always query with his teacher if not. Well done to ds for a sound Reception year. I teach in EYFS and have never seen it as ticking boxes. I particularly like that we are asked to report on characteristics of effective learning, seems a good approach to me!

mrz · 05/07/2017 06:06

Agree if he's accurately counting large numbers of objects at home tell the teacher because he might not be doing this independently in school. Make sure the teacher knows he is actually counting objects not just saying numbers.

shouldwestayorshouldwego · 05/07/2017 06:25

I can't remember about reception but certainly further up the school if they can't do one thing/area on the tick list then we have been told that they won't get exceeding. Due to a disability dd finds spelling exceptionally difficult. She could write the most wonderful stories with impeccable punctuation and grammar but with poor spelling she won't tick the box. It could be just one area which he either can't do or hasn't demonstrated that he can do. The best thing though is to ask his teacher as they are the ones who know why they ticked that box.

Faithless12 · 05/07/2017 06:28

@Mrz or in the case of my DS he was reading long chapter books before the end of reception. I have to be careful what I read in front of him as he reads over my shoulder. However was not allowed to progress up the levels as they wanted him to read all of the books in a level.
We moved school and he was free reading within a week of Year 1.

mrz · 05/07/2017 06:38

That's poor practice.books should reflect the child's current ability. It's convenient to just hand out the next book but not helpful.

Original poster

Owletterocks · 05/07/2017 07:07

Thanks for the replies.
Irvine, thanks for those links, I will take a look. Mrsz he was counting stickers in a book so not reciting numbers but I understand what you mean. He seems to understand large numbers as well so can tell me one more or less or even a few more or less. I don't really know, I am not a teacher but he has me hounded with 'what's this plus this etc' and I just ask him what he thinks and he gets it right.
I am not going to say anything now, they only have a few weeks left and it won't change what they do, I just thought it might help if the teacher knew this when he starts year one. thanks for the teachers insight too. Hopefully we will have a teacher meeting early in year one so I can discuss it then.

OP posts:

MagicalMrsMistoffelees · 05/07/2017 07:29

They are taught single letter sounds, digraphs and trigraphs and how to blend them together as well as a range of tricky words (non phonetic words) and most can quickly use these to read simple sentences and more."

What! I really hope that's not true of any other reception class.

Are you objecting to children learning the sounds of the letters of the alphabet? Digraphs? Trigraphs? Is it blending sounds together that you hope isn't happening in any other Reception class? Or is it calling tricky words non phonetic? Perhaps you hope children aren't able to quickly read simple sentences quickly?

Don't be so condescending and obtuse. I've seen many of your posts and you really do love to jump in and claim superiority as the most knowing of all teachers.

mrz · 05/07/2017 07:31

No I'm objecting to poor phonics instruction

Naty1 · 05/07/2017 15:17

I think you can spend a lot of time documenting but really it doesnt mean a lot.
Ive found they take loads of photos (not even necessarily including the child in them.
Much more sensible would be to have an actual tick chart. (When they start and when they end) which also involves the parents.
Ie can they do laces/buttons/zips. Always/sometimes.
Did they know letter names/sounds/di/trigraphs.
No idea what dd can count to but i think to say about reciting is ridiculous if assuming the child can count say to 5 as the principle is the same.
Dd almost never chooses to write/draw. I dont either. But does that mean i can't...?

user789653241 · 05/07/2017 18:29

But your info is wrong, Magical, re: tricky words. There's bunch of comments from popular/respected MN teachers on this thread.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/primary/2971407-How-do-you-teach-a-child-to-read

ShinyTamatoa · 05/07/2017 18:45

It will get noticed in year 1 where it is slightly more structured. Ds had the same in reception because he was shy and never showed in school what I knew he was capable of.

GreenTulips · 05/07/2017 19:03

There more to maths than counting - but it depends on the child on the day - maybe your child was off?

Maybe his friend did lol the talking and DS didn't get a look in?

Maybe they teach to the curriculum ticking boxes rather than stretching the children

I don't know if the best mathematician could count in reception - neither do I care - it's snapshot that's al

BubblesBuddy · 05/07/2017 19:46

The best news is that his progress will be phenomenal next year if his base point is lower. That will make better reading for you.

Original poster

Owletterocks · 05/07/2017 21:19

That was a bit snippy bubbles, his report was lovely, I was just puzzled about the maths section. I think my questions have been answered now anyway. I asked on here as I know in the grand scheme of things it doesn't really matter but I just wondered if it would be helpful if his new teacher knew what he was capable of.

OP posts:

BubblesBuddy · 05/07/2017 21:44

I didn't mean what I posted in any pointed way! However schools can underestimate achieving in YR so there is plenty of progress over the next few years. If all the children over achieve in YR the school will get criticised by Ofsted for coasting because progress in later years will be harder to attain. That's why I said you will get better reports in later years.

Original poster

Owletterocks · 05/07/2017 22:02

Sorry, I thought you were implying I was disappointed with his report. I really wasn't it was lovely. He just seems to love numbers and seems to have a talent for it. I suppose I think it's a bit of a shame that school haven't noticed this but maybe they have. I will just carry on being led by him. This morning for example he wanted to work out how many days he has off school in the summer so worked out 7x6 in his head (it did take a bit of time), I just think that's pretty good for a 5 year old and very different to what his report says. Every day on the way to school he is wanting to calculate something! I know it doesn't mean he will be a leading mathematician or anything but if he has an interest and enjoys it, why wouldn't I encourage it.

OP posts:

user789653241 · 05/07/2017 22:20

Op, he sounds like my ds when he was that age. All he wanted to talk about was numbers.
Now he is older and calmed down a lot since he discovered other interests, but still, very good with numbers.
Does he do musical instruments? Music is another thing that seems to go with maths ability.

ceeveebee · 05/07/2017 22:51

I know nothing about phonics teaching but our reception have also been given lots of "tricky words" to memorise. Didn't realise this was bad practice. DS is doing well on it though, he couldn't read a word when he started and he's on stage 6/orange which is good for his age I think?

ceeveebee · 05/07/2017 22:51

Sorry just realised that's nothing at all to do with your thread....

GreenTulips · 05/07/2017 23:01

It's not bad practice! Some words de-code others you have to learn!

Orange is brilliant - most will be on pink red or blue

mrz · 06/07/2017 05:46

"It's not bad practice! Some words de-code others you have to learn!" Absolute rubbish! If they can't be decoded they are words.
Even Letters and Sounds explains how to read tricky words ...it's poor practice if a teacher doesn't know how to teach these words and insists they need to be learnt as wholes.

Reception report underestimating ability

mrz · 06/07/2017 05:52

It's also poor practice to teach sounds in isolation as suggested earlier. Children should be taught to blend and segment from the earliest possible stage of learning. With programmes such as Jolly Phonics it will be after the first five Sounds have been taught. For those using programmes such as Sounds Write and Sound Reading System this will be from the very first lesson.

youarenotkiddingme · 06/07/2017 06:33

My friend teaches infants and said with the new system children who can exceed often don't get to show their abilities because ks1 works with numbers to 20.
She said the focus now is n mastering skills within the criteria set by presenting different problems and ways for them to use the numbers rather than increasing the numbers used.

The theory is is that children can do sums to solve any problem using numbers to 20 they'll be able to transfer the skills and knowledge to any number.

So it sounds like your ds is great with large numbers but perhaps doesn't exceed the skills expected but can achieve the skills expected with what he can do with number?

mrz · 06/07/2017 06:39

"because ks1 works with numbers to 20" no year 1 works with numbers to a hundred and beyond

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