Reception aged ds unlikely to be at expected level in writing

[foxtong]

My ds is really struggling with writing in reception and it looks unlikely that he will be at the expected level at the end of the year. I'm not convinced he will be in his reading either as it still seems very slow and plodding to me and he is still sounding out letters in ccvc words for instance.......but his writing is the most worrying. His teacher gave him him some letter tracing sheets to work on but he is fine with that- but any kind of writing independently is a struggle- he does not have the interest or attention span to concentrate and does not seem fully in control of forming all of the letter shapes although he knows them all.

I'm at a loss as to what to do and have arranged to go in and speak to the teacher next week with a view to finding out what support they can out in place for him in the transition to y1 and what else we can do at home. He is a sept baby so the oldest in his class yet I think his writing is probably amongst the weakest. I am a secondary head of English and I know how much poor literacy can impact upon students progress later on so I'm really concerned for him.

He is bright and has a fantastic vocabulary. He has thousands of books and loves being read to. It's hard not to compare
Him to his older brother who is in y3 and who has just sailed through and picked everything up without breaking a sweat. This feels very different and I'm desperate to know how I can help him.

Do any primary teachers have any advice? What kinds of questions should I be asking at school in terms of support they can offer?

Honestly I think you need to worry less. He’s only 5 and you have given the reasons in your op of why he isn’t at this expected level ie he isn’t yet interested and lacks attention span. I would just continue reading with him and getting him to form words where he can. You being ‘desperate’ to help him may be quite off-putting for him, especially as he gets older and may make him feel like a failure.

I now and I'm really conscious of that too, I really don't want him to pick up on me being worried.

I should also add something fairly significant which I somehow forfeit about in my op; which is that he failed the eye screening test and has been wearing glasses for the last three weeks- he is obviously adjusting to these and this must have been a factor in his writing.

I'm not a teacher, I can only speak from what we've seen through our children's school lives.

The goalposts have shifted massively for YRs in the last 10 years or so. When today's Y9s were in YR some of them (mainly boys) spent most of the year outside on scooters and did very little desk work at all. Teachers reassured us that was fine, they were just too little to sit at desks yet and they'd catch up at a rate of knots when they were ready, in Y1 or maybe Y2. Today's Y7s had a bit more pressure to achieve things in YR but my daughter's teachers still reassured me that she was still teeny and had years ahead to catch up with writing. There was a massive change by the time my now-Y5 started school. YR expectations had done a huge shift and suddenly all children would be expected to write a whole sentence by the end of YR. My younger child's work was much more advanced than my daughter's, and "problem handwriting" in his year group was far, far better than my daughter's "acceptable" handwriting just 2 years earlier. This wasn't a change of teachers, it was the same teachers who were looking increasingly harried and worried that their Y1s (5 year olds!) had too much writing to do and not enough time to play with water and sand.

I know your son has to live in today's world, not 10 years ago, but 4 year olds really haven't changed that much, and I can't help thinking that maybe some of them aren't quite ready to sit at desks and write sentences yet. It sounds like he has all the right building blocks in place and say he's bright. However it must be very difficult to distinguish those who do need extra help from those who just need time. I've certainly worried a lot about my own.

Attache is spot on. I was an early years teacher for 30 years and the expectations are getting ridiculous. There is no long term advantage in achieving these levels earlier and earlier. Bear in mind that in Europe and Scandinavia children don't start formal schooling until 6 and 7 respectively and they are not behind us by the time they leave school.

My son was exactly the same when he was in Reception. He's now 18 and predicted 3 A's in his A levels. Honestly try not to worry - there is so much pressure on young children these days, it's just wrong!

He is very young. Just give him time. Children are pushed too much too early these days. All children develop at a different rate. Please don't worry and plead dont let him see you are concerned. Read lots of stories with him, play word games, let him draw and play with lego etc to develop his fine motor skills. Make learning fun and try not to make it a battle.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachmentdata/file/360534/ELG10__Writing.pdf

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/eyfs-profile-exemplication-materials

@Norestformrz that document is interesting, but looking at that his handwriting isn't as clear as any of those, though spelling wise he is probably the same once the words can be deciphered!

I'd take a photo but I'm not at home at the minute

Keep reading to him and don't worry about the writing. Any other opportunities to develop his fine motor skills will help him when he's ready for writing: Lego, threading beads, Hama beads, drawing.

My DS got below expected in reading, writing and maths in reception last year. Already his reading has improved hugely and I think the rest will follow. His writing is still pretty poor at the moment though. I really would try not to worry. I know it's hard but they're so young and things just click at different times. Top think is to make sure he doesn't pick up on any worries or negativity

How is his drawing? Does he draw?

Maybe do some fine motor with him at home? I'm a ta in ks1 and we find some children who struggle with letter formation have weak muscles in their hands and after doing fine motor it has massively improved.

He likes to draw yes but it is fairly basic still

Just don't worry. There much too much pressure on the littlies these days. My dgs is in year 1 and it's beyond ridiculous what they're supposed to do. Apparently the schools with better results are rewarded by more funding! But all the kids get there in the end.

The expectations for reception are ridiculous, and I say that as a secondary school teacher with teenage children. This actually makes me quite angry on the little dcs’ behalf. They should be out on their scooters, as a pp has said, and not be force fed stuff they will pick up easily in one or two years time...

My child is a year older but I have had very similar concerns. We are in Scotland though and I think the goalposts are different. I have spoken to both the first year and the second year teachers and they have both stated that all the evidence is there that my child will catch up in her own time. The vocabulary is there and he interest in reading and language is there so writing will follow eventually.

My child was developing a real anxiety about writing though and has had to have interventions to aid her self-esteem. Hopefully you have great, supportive teachers of early years and they can help him find his groove in his own time

He's not interested, he can't see properly and he's only 5.

Sounding out words is absolutely fine.

Something like a 1/4-1/3 of children don't meet the expected levels anyway.

I was a reception teacher and we used to provide lots of fun ways for the children to write. There were post it notes available & coloured paper and clip boards would be in the role play with different types of paper (lined, squared or dotty). Outside there were blackboards and whiteboards for them to use. We also used to take children who were struggling to use the adventure play area & get them hanging & climbing as it helped strengthen shoulders & hands. Fine motor activities were always available too plus painting & block play/Lego.
The opportunity to mark make and write were available to choose at all times in lots of fun ways. Your son sounds like my boys at a similar age, they much preferred writing as part of play than sat at a desk!

DS was really "behind" in YR. reading, writing, maths. youngest in class but still. Y1 still struggled but he gradually improved towards end of Y1. Y2 suddenly things clicked for him and did really well on his SATS. Now Y4 and described as "very bright" and is working at greater depth.

Don't write him off yet, he'll be fine, especially now he can see

I'm finding the same with my DS, who is a summer born yr 1 now. I really object to the pressures on them, the spellings list he's expected to do is just ridiculous and I think half the problem with his writing being unintelligible is that they expect them to write joined up at their age, which is really daft in my opinion. I wouldn't worry too much, they're so young still.

Does he hold his pencil in a correct, mature grip yet, and is his letter formation correct (not just the completed letter shapes) - does he have the right starting place, strokes in the right direction, correct amount of pressure on the paper?

If he is left-handed, is this being taken into account?

I'm sure you'll have thought of encouraging a variety of fine motor activities to develop the small muscles in his hands (Google for ideas) - but also encourage gross motor skill activities to develop shoulder girdle stability, e.g. play activities that involve weight-bearing through his arms. Practise writing and drawing on a vertical surface (chalkboard or easel). See whether using a sloped surface to write on is easier.

Make sure he wears his glasses and that the lenses are clean. Having them should make a positive difference, even if the correction is not huge, as it will take less effort for him to read and write, so he should find it easier to concentrate for longer.

My son is in reception but not yet 5.
I think his reading is atrocious compared to his older (yr 4) brother who was reading well by this point.
He is still decoding cvc words and he's been given a huge list of high frequency words to learn that he doesn't yet know. He still gets d and b mixed up. Writing not very good either. And to be honest, he really isn't interested- the books he brings home are so dull. He would rather look at Mog or the Large family books any day..

I'm not overly worried- he is bright and like yours, loves stories too. He is great socially, loves his friends, and great self care skills, good at swimming and other physical stuff...

I'm not convinced this reading scheme suits him- it shouldn't be one size fits all. My mum taught early years in the 70s and 80s and did her degree in teaching children to read- she is appalled by what reception children have to do today..

Before half term, I requested a pile of books to be sent home- he sat with me and read one religiously after breakfast everyday.
I've asked for 2 each weekend from now on and we will continue this. He is so much more receptive first thing than after school when he is exhausted. Unfortunately weekday mornings in term time are mad busy..

I know I'm not exactly giving you any advice here as I'm sort of stuck in a similar position. Just wanted you to know you are not alone.

As others have said don’t panic.
I work in year 1 and the thing that frustrates us the most is reception teachers exaggerating the results of the children so we can’t plan properly.
This years children were very low against the markers and yet most have flourished given time. Some with bloom next year instead.
Keep up with colouring and pencil grip even if the writing is not as you think it should be. It really will come eventually.

If you want to go for it Twinkl is your friend for fun letter formation sheets. 👍