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Reception report

6 replies

Erica33 · 16/07/2017 09:08

Hi, my ds is summer born and has just had his first report having completed the first year of reception. I'm a bit worried about the scores he's been given on the profile; he's only meeting expectations (2) on 8 things but is 'emerging' on another 9, including speaking, which we've always thought he was good at. To me, it suggests he's not doing very well at all. At the two parents' evenings we've been to the teacher was quite positive about him and didn't say she had any major concerns. It seems hard that he's being assessed against kids who are almost 6 when he's not yet 5 (birthday is at the end of the month). Does anyone with any experience of the reception assessment have any advice? What would you suggest I could do to help him catch up? Thanks

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brilliotic · 16/07/2017 14:22

There is the EYFS assessment framework, if you google for it you'll find what kind of expectations your child has been assessed against. That may help you understand the 'speaking' result. Though it is also possible that the teacher made a mistake. Mistakes do happen. It is not very important however! No one will ever ask 'did he achieve expected at EYFS?' ...

To me, it suggests he's not doing very well at all.
Well, he has indeed not achieved GLD ('good level of development' I think it is) - that is defined as at least ten 'expected', some of which have to be specific ones. So he has not achieved the level of development the government 'expects' by end of reception. However: He is in good company. There is very good reason to argue that it is the expectations that are too high, rather than your son who is not doing well enough.

If you are into statistics, look up the documents at this [https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/early-years-foundation-stage-profile-results-2015-to-2016 link]: It is an analysis of the EYFS outcomes last year. It shows that only 62% of all boys - not even two out of three - achieved a GLD.
And only 59% of summer-borns achieved a GLD. Assuming that the girls/boys ratio of achieving GLD is the same within the summer-born children as overall, it is likely that only about 1/2 of summer-born boys achieved a GLD. Add to that the fact that 'summer-born' technically includes 5 months of births, April-August (nearly half the year!), and it is likely that the majority of those summer-born boys who DID achieve GLD, are the 'older' ones - April/May birthdays, rather than July/August birthdays.

The fact that one out of two summer born boys did not achieve 'GLD' doesn't imply that half of all summer born boys are behind where they should be, but that they are being measured against unrealistic expectations.

BTW this is a significant improvement compared to earlier years, where far fewer than half of all summer born boys achieved GLD.

That is probably why your DS' teacher is not concerned. Your DS' only 'problem' is most likely that he is still very young, and as a boy a bit slower in developing than girls (on average). There is nothing you can do about that! And there is nothing 'wrong' with him.

What would you suggest I could do to help him catch up?
Well there is nothing you can do to make him grow older faster than his classmates!
At this stage and age, so much of it all is about 'development' rather than any particular 'teaching'. It happens all by itself (as in, there is nothing particular you need to do about it).
Although, what happens sometimes is that children learn at age 4 that they are not 'as good' as their friends, that learning is hard, that reading is 'not for them', that school is essentially pointless as it goes over their heads, that their parents are disappointed in them, ... and that is awful baggage to carry around, and might stop a child from catching up once their level of development would generally allow them to.

So in sum, I would be very careful with any attempts of pushing your DS. What he may need most of all right now could be a 'break' from constantly feeling 'sub-par' (in some schools/some reception classes, there is a lot of comparing going on...). However if he is happy and willing, you could simply make sure he has plenty of opportunities to enjoy stories with you, you can keep up a little routine of daily short bursts of reading practice, you can incorporate numbers into your everyday activities. Perhaps suggest for him to write a postcard to his friend from holidays? Things like that.

SuperRainbows · 16/07/2017 14:34

I would put his report in a dark place and forget all about it.

I hate what has happened to education in this country.

I hate the way reports such as the one you have received make parents feel.

Our system puts ridiculous expecrations on young dcs.

In most of the rest of the world, your ds would be in a nursery/kindergarten environment, developing at his own pace and not being measured and tested at 4!

Enjoy your summer with your ds. Read to him every day. Visit museums, farms, libraries, the beach and anywhere else to broaden his horizons and stimulate his curiosity.

Don't let the system grind you down.

mrz · 16/07/2017 14:43

A child is considered to have met a Good Level of Development if they've achieved expected in PSE, Physical Development and Communication and language (3 prime areas) and Literacy and Maths.

brilliotic · 16/07/2017 14:48

A child is considered to have met a Good Level of Development if they've achieved expected in PSE, Physical Development and Communication and language (3 prime areas) and Literacy and Maths.

Oh, indeed, I see that now. So that is 12 specific ELGs, out of 17, is that right? Is it possible that that has changed since about three years ago? I'm wondering why I remembered it wrongly.

Ginmummy1 · 17/07/2017 12:13

You can easily find the EYFS targets online, which you might find useful in comparing the teacher assessment with your own assessment of where he is against each category. It is quite possible that, for some of the categories, the teacher has not seen your son fulfil that criterion, which could explain the ‘working towards’ grade. It’s also worth bearing in mind that these are the expectations at 60 months, and your son is not quite 60 months old.

Regarding speech, is your son particularly shy? Perhaps he hasn’t opened up to the teacher – although that would be a concern after a whole year.

Did the report contain any written comments? Did they highlight particular areas of concern? The flavour of the comments would be a good guide. I’d probably try to catch a word with the teacher this week, to check whether there are any specific concerns, and to ask whether there is anything you could usefully do with him in the summer.

Emmastone123 · 17/07/2017 12:17

I've been a nursery teacher, a reception teacher and now a Year 1 teacher (state and independent). Take it from me - don't worry about it.

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