Leap from reception to mixed year 1/2 class

[Unhappyyear1]

My child is really struggling with the leap from reception to structured classroom activities. She has no free choice and time to do colouring or creative stuff and is struggling with the sit at desk expectation all-day.

I think it's made worse as teacher is very strict. She won't consider zones in classroom like other classes have.

She sees them as a year 2 class and seems to have forgotten they are 5!

Homework is spelling exercise six words (look cover write X5 each work) and a literacy exercise.

This is in top of daily reading.

Any suggestions on how to make this easier for my child.

Bump

Sorry OP, but I think she just needs to get used to it. I think many children feel the same.
Homework doesn't seem too much either. Is it compulsory?

Tbh just daily reading is proving too much at mo so homework is done if we can get her to do it. She's so so tired.
She's absolutely hating school at the moment. It's so out if character. She's gone from a warm kind nuturing teacher to one who quite frankly scares me!

We have a similar situation at our school ( maybe it's the same school?!). Every year, several of the year ones struggle with the class move and I have sometimes seen children who used to enjoy school in reception, crying and not wanting to let go of their parent before school. Ours is made worse by the fact that they split the year ones, with the majority going into the next class with the year twos, but about 6 kept in the reception year classroom, in order to keep KS1 class size under 30.

Can't offer much help apart from to say that she will start to enjoy it more as she gets used to it. My 3 DCs enjoyed year 2 more than year 1 in the mixed age class. Don't get too het up about homework. DS used to do it and then forget to hand it in and no one ever chased him up for it. It seems like the written homework is optional anyway. The daily reading, even for just a few minutes a day, seems to considered more important, so try to hear her read just a little and then write in the reading record that you've done so.

I really don't believe they work all day with no creativity or play, sorry!

Very common.
Usually by half term they have "got it" a bit more and are more settled. Focus on lots of space to play at the weekends and talk to the teacher about how you can do the home work when she is tired etc.

Tried to talk to teacher first thing.

Was told it's a year 2 class too. She'll need to cope.

She is five I reminded her. She doesn't need to cope and neither do the other children. They need adjustments to help them adapt.

I'm going to talk to the head. We have a good relationship and I think she'll be surprised.

I want to know what expectations of the year 1 class are and differences in homework. The year 2s in the class have had the benefit of last year in the pure year 1 class. They have had their transition managed but the year 1s have been put into this mixed class straight from reception..

I don't think home work is OTT compared to my ds's school.
It was not compulsory, so children didn't get into trouble for not completing. And the teacher told us to stop doing it if the child get distressed. But he had:

-Reading everyday for 20 mins
-10 spelling
-1 worksheet a week, either maths or literacy
-online reading comprehension
-online maths
-occasional research/craft instead of worksheet

in YR1.

Structured lessons are expected from yr1. It's totally different from free play based learning in reception. Tbh, I don't think there aren't huge difference in how it works in yr1 and yr2, imo.
It is a big jump, but children get used to it. And there are still fun element of learning in later years, not just work work work.

It is a big jump from reception to year 1. It is still really early days though. My children go to school where the classes are mixed year groups and it does work.
I'd definitely say ease up on the homework, it doesn't matter if you don't do it in year 1. Also I found reading a real battle at the beginning of year 1 because we let it slip over the summer but within a month or so we were back on track.
Those school reading books are a bit boring too. Can you read other things together and document that? A magazine or instructions for an activity?
Then just do the reading book a few times a week?

The things you can trivially change, change - so completely stop the homework.

And yes, talk to the head about the teachers disregard for the failure to cope with the current transition. "She needs to cope", is not a suitable complete response from the teacher, as others have said the transition is real, and she does need to cope on some level.

However the way to get her to cope is not to say "she needs to" but provide strategies and methods that enable her to learn to, the teacher needs to teach coping. Talk to the teacher again, every time she says, "she needs to", just ask "what are you doing to help her, and how can we help with that?" just like you would if the teacher was discussing an academic subject.

Bump

My dd has no homework in year one and quite right too. The only requirement is for reading.

My ds struggled with the transition - he doesn't like sitting down for long periods and is easily distracted. He's better now but still has his moments in year 3.

My son is in year one and when I ask him about his day, he replied " it was boring, I was sitting down all day"..... It is a big jump...hope he will enjoy it soon

Thank you. Tears again today. Never had to deal with school refusing before. Heartbreaking.

She's 5 do not that turn into a school refusal issue. Meet with head of year or deputy head if class teacher is unhelpful. I'd have had a meeting today I would not be waiting for it to magically get better.

Thank you. I'm not being unreasonable am I? I'll make an appt for an informal chat.

Yes don't try to nab the teacher you need to make an appointment with head of year. If you call now perhaps they will see you today