Any experience of Literacy Gaps in Year 1?

[NavyGold]

My DD had an awful educational experience in her first year of school and as a result, has huge gaps in her literacy. I moved her to her new school a month before the end of reception and when she moved to Year 1, her teacher was able to identify just how bad things were.
In the first few weeks of Year 1, she literally wouldn't do anything because her confidence was so low (I think partly from the realisation that her class can do things that she cannot do), but once she started gaining confidence around October, she has improved rapidly. She can spell some high frequency words independently, her letter formation is getting better (although still very early reception level) and most importantly, she's enjoying learning again.

Meanwhile, I'm in a constant state of anxiety. I feel terrible about the start she had to her education and although I took the necessary steps to rectify it when it became apparent what was happening, Im terrified that she'll now be struggling forever
I know that kids all have different ability levels but I'm 90% sure that had she actually had the start to school that she was supposed to have (she was in a PYP school with no proper framework beyond enquiry based learning), she wouldn't be at the bottom of the class like she is now.

Does anybody have any experience of children that started off very low in Year 1 or developed gaps in their literacy and then went on to improve in line with expected Year 1 levels?
Right now she's categorised as "developing" in all areas. Her teacher is confident that by the end of the year she'll be out of the developing phase some areas but the gulf between her and the other kids in her class is so huge, I can't help but worry. I'm not saying that I want her to be top of the class by summer but I suppose I need some reassurance that she's not going to be bottom of the class forever either

A friend moved from a country which has a later school age, and her son hadn't started school yet. In the UK, because of his age, he had to join the middle of Y1, despite not even knowing his alphabet. It was a tough few months but a term into Y2 he's almost caught up, and is at the lower end of the expected range. By end of year he's expected to fully perform at his ability level. So it takes a while but it's very possible to catch up. I was surprised that he didn't get much 1-2-1 help either, teachers said there's so much consolidating the basics in Y1 he'd be able to pick it up - seems to have worked.

At that age I am.sure she will catch up! Some people skip reception and put heir kids into year 1, children yhay have come from other countries usually haven't started so early etc. Honestly I really wouldn't worry about a year 1 child unless the teacher was specifically worried.

I'd take it easy so your child doesn't pick up on your worry, read with them often, play still! Are they enjoying school and happy? That will probably make the biggest difference as to them settling in.

The teacher has already said she will catch up even within this year in some areas. If it's nothing to do with matutal ability im sure she will get there - many "click with reading later than others even if they didn't have a difficult reception and by year 3 you don't know who took longer to learn/started later on the whole.

She could pick up on your anxiety though (I've done that with my eldest!)

Hi op, please try not to worry, you've done the hardest thing and that was to remove dd from the previous school a month before leaving reception. That must have been tough.

My own dd is in year 2 in a school that has gone downhill ( teen ds used to attend same school ) and I know that the difference in ability in her class is vast.
Dd has told me that several children are still reading reception age books whilst others are free readers.

At this age they are not all going to be on an even level, far from it.
What I would do if I was you would be to buy some year 1 workbooks from the likes of Wilko's/WH Smith and go through them at her own pace, they often come with star stickers for good work, not necessarily the right answers but for trying.
Emphasis on trying her best rather than getting it right. She will soon catch up.

Have you got a copy of the end of year one expectations? If not I would ask her teacher for a copy.

This will not have a long term impact on your dd, she has got off to a bad start but you recognised that and did something about it so well done! Try not to be so hard on yourself

Just to add- my dd and many of her friends love doing workbooks, it's not really seen as school work as they're often disguised as fun tasks to complete.

I would disagree on workbooks and suggest you do lots of reading with her, and drawing/writing alongside her.

My DS is year one and although Year R was fine, he is very young and has been developing skills slowly. His writing on the classroom wall was a long way behind some of the others when we went to a Christmas fair at the beginning of December. Yesterday he wrote several long sentences (an extra letter to Santa...) all very legible and with reasonable spelling.

Try not to compare.

By ‘reading with her’, I mean reading to her really. She’ll get much more out of that than endlessly ploughing through Biff and Chipor whatever you get sent home (although she needs to practise reading at her level too)

Reading for pleasure with her really is the most important thing you can do. Share lots and lots of lovely picture books with her- she'll be getting lots of exposure to vocabulary and grammar. Keep it fun- don't pressure her to write just give her opportunities if she's willing eg write a shopping list. Don't panic about spelling. Encourage correct letter formation but don't do endless worksheets. And keep reading for pleasure to her. As much reading together as you can happily fit in. Don't worry too much about school reading scheme books other than a read of whatever is sent home. How is her phonics?

I was a TA in Y1 last year, and we had three children arrive speaking no English in October/November, and one arrive the previous May with no English (so just before the end of Reception). All four of them passed their phonics check at the end of Y1. The girl who arrived in May finished the year in the top groups for everything. The others were all middle groups, writing coherent sentences independently, at the same standard as the other children for maths.

Children have amazing capacity for learning, and if her new school's good, she'll catch up.

Thank you all so much for your replies.
Her experience is very similar to yours @MiaowTheCat . Although she wasn't being bullied, she wasn't doing too well socially either for various reasons and absolutely was doing fuck all for the best part of a year in the name of "learning through play" which I know has its place but in this particular school was basically an excuse for doing nothing resembling teaching. It makes my blood boil just thinking about it even now. Looking through her school books from the start of the year until now her writing was basically just scribble and I'm please at the improvement she's made from then til now. Her teacher and TA are worth their weight in gold with the effort they've put in with her and she's getting lots of support and doing lots of reading for fun at home too.
Phonics wise she's doing well. She's stopped rushing through things and is spending more time focusing on the sounds in each word.
On paper I know all sounds ok and she's catching up but I just feel she was robbed of her start in education because of substandard "teaching" previously.
It's nice to see so may reassuring posts though. I'm glad that she's regained her confidence and is enjoying the process of learning which is obviously a huge part of it.

My eldest started school in grade 2 (Australia, so age 7) with very much lower than expected literacy skills. He’s finished grade 5 with naplan scores in the top triangle bits, meaning in national testing he’s in top 5%, and easily near top in everything but the language he started in grade 3, while the bulk of the class started in prep/first year.

My daughter has serious literacy delays and a dyslexia diagnosis. Unlike her brother she will likely never catch up. But she will learn, eventually, and she will be supported at school where she needs to be.

You have not failed your child forever. The fact that you have acted and continue to monitor means that you haven’t failed her at all. Enjoy reading together and playing games with words, and unless the teacher suggests it leave the school to help her catch up.