Children who’ve flourished in lockdown

[SparkleM]

I have a sinking feeling about sending son back to school in September - not because of fears around Coronavirus but because he’s come in so much during lockdown. He’s really thrived since having one to one attention and being taught at an appropriate level (he’s way behind the rest of the class). Instead of using energy to challenge the school re support (or lack of) it’s felt really positive to see him develop and throw our energy into that. Obviously he’s missing friends but his confidence in his own ability has improved massively.

This isn’t a teacher knocking thread - the school system seems to fail children who are very behind because of the pressure to get the majority over the line. School has provided the same workload for the whole class through lockdown - which is way above his level of current understanding I work so not able to full-time home school. I know it doesn’t work like this but I wish I could part-time home school - carry on with some of the one-to-one daytime support. We do what we can in evenings but in term time it’s hard after a school day when he’s tired to do more learning.

I am worrying about September and what it may mean for children who were really struggling academically anyway.

Is this the experience of others who have children that really struggle in school?

(Ps I know children who’ve really struggled in lockdown and really need the structure and routine of school so appreciate not everyone’s experience of lockdown schooling has been positive)

I’m assuming, OP, that you don’t want to or can’t change school. Our experience is of a massive academy (3 and a half class intake) and the differentiation they can do (pre COVID) was amazing because they would mix and match between classes in the same year group.

Good luck whatever you decide to do.

DD 8 has flourished. Her maths has improved massively with an hour a day and we have deep dived into science which she loves. I've only managed because I've been working my 3 months notice so have not been putting effort in at work.

I wanted to see if I can get a more indepth idea of what they plan to do each month and try to cover it more indepth at home, but I'll be starting a new job so not sure how possible that will be , or whether than would be too much to expect from a school.

Definitely worth asking about flexi-schooling. I thought the head would say no but he has agreed to DD doing 2 days a week at home from September!

Thanks for your comments. DerlurkingAJ I’ve tried with school. They seem to have the mindset that providing differentiation of workload means stigmatising children and singling them out from their peers. For me the stigmatising comes from not having your needs met and from failing to understand what your peers seem to take in their stride. I’ve liked lockdown as I’ve not needed to channel my energies into trying to change the school. I can just focus on what works. Will definitely look at flexi-schooling as this feels like a good balance.

If he is too tired in the evening perhaps do some one on one work in morning before school? We do reading with my son after breakfast because evenings I’m too tired to do it sometimes. And if I’m not tired we do reading a second time in evening 😀

I would definitely look at other schools. Like a previous poster ours is a 3 form entry and the kids were streamed initially and re-streamed every 6 weeks. Work is pitched at the level in the groups and they can progress.

I was a bit dubious at first but it meets the needs of all the kids and absolutely no stigma as they're all progressing well and allows for the surges that you'd expect in kids. All the work coming home had three levels of difficulty.

I feel the same! My two both have dyslexia and dyscalculia. At home they have been able to work at their own pace and their own level without feeling 'I'm the slowest. I'm the dumbest.' I can see great gains in their maths, reading and writing. I've tailored the set work for DD in primary, and DS in secondary has ploughed through pretty much all of his set work through sheer determination and grit. His form teacher took the pressure off us early on when I explained the volume of work was just too overwhelming and he was happy for me and DS to make a judgement call on what was do-able. I think removing that awful pressure meant DS then felt more able to tackle it. Regular, positive encouragement from teachers has kept him (and me) going. I was so proud when he was singled out for a maths prize (maths!!!!) at the end of term. It has been a struggle for me as I also work full time and I couldn't keep this up in the long term. I know my effectiveness at work has taken a nose dive, but I made a conscious decision to focus on the kids education. For us it has really really paid off and they have made progress I don't think they could have in the busy, noisy, faster moving school environment. Key to all of this has been the excellent quality online teaching and encouraging messages from teachers.

My son has done much better for it, my sanity however is a different matter.

I’m hugely lucky that I can do my work essentially when I want so my son has had near enough full attention in the day. Its been really good for his attachment to me and he is forming a nice (and healthy) bond with my boyfriend.

School is a huge struggle for my son, I often have to carry him in and he’ll sometimes cry for an hour after I’ve gone. It didn’t happen at pre-school, which is at his primary school. He was definitely academically ready, I thought he was emotionally ready as he did so well at pre-school. He has spent the last three weeks doing three days a week at school and he has generally gone into school voluntarily without tears.

The school is sound fairly inflexible, the needs of all children should be met, not just the averages and the noisy ones. Is there an IEP in place or similar? It is fairly common to have KS1 children who are on part time timetables, so it wouldn’t be unusual if it was decided it was suitable for your little one.

It is fairly common to have KS1 children who are on part time timetables

For children of CSA part time timetables (which are not the same thing as flexi schooling) are illegal whether or not parents agree, unless it is a short term measure aimed at reintegration.

Just on the point about SATs, would previous posters say 106-108 scorers are middling? Or do you mean those hovering around 100?

You will really struggle to find a school willing to flexi-school. Perhaps look into whether there are any forest schools in your area that offer sessions for home Ed kids. DC2 is 9 and has 2 days a week at a forest school 9.30-3.30) and loves it. Can you work part time?