'Not achieving potential'

[CarolineKent]

Hiya
DC's (age 6 - Yr 1) school report says dc is bright and capable, but not acheiving full potential. Part of this is lack of focus/attention (we know about this).

So, what can we do? What can the school do? At parent's eve at the beginning of the year we raised the fact that unless pushed, DC will coast. Seems like DC has coasted throughout this yr. Despite being bright, is 'only' achieving average for age group.

What should the teacher do - they just acknowledged it in the report, but had no plan to tackle. Worried that DC will drift, like parents did....class is state school, 30 children, very mixed ability...

Help!

Oh go on - someone help?

My ds is like this. Also 6. Got A* for everything on his report - effort 2 or 3. I think part of it is he thinks school is for playing. Don't think school is to blame in his case - it's his personality. We are going to send him to Kip McGrath tutors after the holidays for this reason.

tbh, I wouldn't do very much at this age.
he will still be maturing, boys take longer to 'match' the way schools begin education.
The only way might be for the school to give him something that really is a challenge.

I'm not sure how a tutor will improve effort? Wouldn't extra tuition just make the school work even more within reach and therefore less in-school effort / concentration required?

DS's yr 1 report highlighted the fact that he is not fulfilling the potential of his intelligence because of lack of confidence - he doesn't like to attempt things he thinks he won't be able to do. I have no idea what to do about it (have already tried loads of ongoing praise etc) so I am planning to take the 'monitoring' approach - sit back and watch for a while.

Is your ds young for his year?

Leave DC - only 6 - it's when they are 14 you have to panic. It might be DC is genius and bored to bits but hey not many 6 year olds are renowned for their superb powers of concentration.

I was just about to say not to worry about it at 6. My DS is 14 and still getting same in his reports. Then read Carnoodleus's post and realised that whilst you shouldn't be worrying, I should now be panicking!!!