First, I have no desire to teacher-bash. I was a primary school teacher for many years, and, knowing how devastating parental criticism can be, I try to be as supportive as possible to DC's teachers.
DC is in Year 1 of a renowned two form entry prep school. Since schools closed down, they have put lessons on to a learning platform for us to access: three lessons a day including teacher videos are uploaded as well as 'extras'. This provides a good structure and I am aware that it is more than most state schools provide (although I know of one nearby state school that is doing almost as much). We receive brief teacher feedback for all work that DC completes and uploads. Our school has given us a 25% fee reduction, which I am not quibbling at, although some parents in DC's class have.
The planning, preparation & delivery of the lessons is done between the two parallel teachers, so sometimes one teacher uploads the lesson for a particular curricular area and sometimes the other one does. DC is in the higher ability group. Sometimes the work has been 'about right' and sometimes it has been very easy and completed within two minutes. But my real concern is that for one of the subjects, sometimes one of the teachers has set work way beyond the level of even a very able Year 1 child. I know this because the National Curriculum programmes of study are freely available to view online, as well as it being pretty obvious anyway. The school claims to teach to the National Curriculum and beyond. But the work set required cognitive skills which are not sufficiently developed in six year olds, however able they are. There is no doubt in my mind that the work was definitely inappropriate. (I would give more details as to how, but it would be too outing, even if I haven't already done so.)
This teacher is not DC's teacher but teaches the parallel class, so in the normal course of events I wouldn't even consider having a conversation with her about it. The first time it happened I emailed DC's teacher, who agreed with me but pointed out that as lessons were on line we all had to be patient etc etc.
I did speak to another parent about this, who also found the work too hard for her child. But I am the only parent-teacher in the class and I can see that the work is wrong for the group.
One lesson last week it happened again. Definitely no foundations had been laid for the activity which was provided, and neither would I expect them to be, as it related to a Year 4+ programme of study. The work only vaguely matches the learning objective, goes well beyond it, and has evidently either been cobbled together by the teacher, or relates to when she taught an older year group. It surprises me because the teachers are timetabled to go into school every few days at the present time and so can surely access relevant teaching materials & worksheets. I contacted DC's teacher again, but no reply this time.
I could prepare better work myself for DC, but I am trying to do my own work so don't have the time. Furthermore, I am paying for this.
I am aware that I am not seeing the full picture of what the teachers are doing in the background. I don't want to do anything that would damage my relationship with any of the teachers at DC's school. But I am confident this is a valid issue and it hasn't been resolved. So frankly the situation is damaging my relationship with them. So rather than an 'AIBU' this is more of a 'What would you do?' Thanks for reading.