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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Told off for spelling in reception?

13 replies

madpulse29 · 10/07/2019 20:41

Ds has come home today upset because he didn’t spell one of his words correctly.In the entire year they have hardly done any writing and we have never been asked to revise spellings.He writes at home well and enjoyed it before,this has completely put him off he thinks he’s useless now.

Is this normal in reception?

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Pipandmum · 10/07/2019 20:44

Was he actually told off? That seems unlikely! But he has to learn that he will always be getting things wrong - you learn from your mistakes!
I was told my daughter needed remedial lessons for her spelling in reception. I said other than her name what do you expect her to spell at 4? Her spelling is still poor in her teens!

Original poster

madpulse29 · 10/07/2019 20:47

Yes he was told off for it!The teacher said he needs to get it right.

I think it’s harsh but at least would be prepared for this if there had been a spelling test or even some form of homework related to writing.They very rarely write but it seems now should be forming full sentences and spelling correctly,

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Original poster

madpulse29 · 10/07/2019 20:48

The most galling thing about this is that the teacher herself cannot spell!Yes I have received notes from her with poor spelling,very frustrating!

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timeandtimeagain42 · 10/07/2019 20:55

Possibly a "word of the week" type spelling that they've done to death and she was banging her head against a brick wall??
But no, children in reception are generally expected to get a few common words right EG and, the, is and attempt to sound the rest out.

Onatreebyariver · 10/07/2019 20:57

It sounds like your son is an able child. It’s certainly not unreasonable for the teacher to expect him to try and get spelling correct for simple words that she knows are within his capabilities.

Aim high. It’s not a bad thing.

Laquila · 10/07/2019 21:24

When you say they very rarely write, do you mean for homework? I’d be surprised if they weren’t doing some letter formation in class at the very least.

My son’s reception class has been doing spellings for the past two terms - they have a set of four words to learn each week and they are rated on a Friday, but they don’t seem to make a big deal of it.

Have you asked the teacher about it?

Laquila · 10/07/2019 21:24

rated = tested

RiftGibbon · 10/07/2019 21:25

Given the amount of adults who seem to be incapable of spelling or using grammar (and punctuation) correctly, I think the school are right to have this on their EYFS syllabus.
However... if spellings are not being communicated to parents/carers to allow them to practice them with children, and no homework is set, it is unreasonable to tell the child/ren off for getting things wrong.
I'd be asking to speak to the teacher. Not to complain, but to find out what their SPAG curriculum is for reception.

Original poster

madpulse29 · 10/07/2019 22:09

We are fully behind the literacy but totally puzzled that the children have been working at word level for a long time.Never had spellings to learn,nothing apart from a reading book.

The class were paired with year 1 for this activity who ds said did the best work.The plan for Reception is on the school website and doesn’t mention spelling or grammar. It’s on the Year 1 plan. I need to speak to the teacher to find out if we should be doing additional work at home.

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Maldives2006 · 11/07/2019 10:27

Speak to the teacher generally about your son about how your son had reported being told off for not spelling a word correctly and obviously as he’s only 4/5 years old you know it’s a miscommunication.

He’s only 4/5 years old please don’t stress about doing extra work at home apart from reading practice, multi sensory play, Lego pencil control and some letter practice (if he wants too),

BarbariansMum · 11/07/2019 15:14

Being told that you need to get something right isn't quite the same as being told off though, is it? I'm not saying that he wasn't told off but then again it's easy to hear a negative critique as a telling off even when it isn't.

NoLeopard · 11/07/2019 18:38

He will only be 'told off' if it's something the teacher knows he is capable of. E.g. 'the', 'mum', 'back' etc not something like 'chrysanthemum'! Also he isn't completely put off - it only happened today, he'll have forgotten by now.

WhyAmIPayingFees · 14/07/2019 12:24

Be grateful that your child is working on spelling. One teacher told us at a R parents’ evening that she was worried that our son kept asking how to spell words and was not keen on getting dirty. We moved school where there was an emphasis on spelling and he also became happy getting dirty.

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