Year 1 child behind due to lockdowns

[Rocketearth]

Has your Year 1 DC been identified as behind in where they should be due to the schools being shut due to the lockdowns?

Homeschooling was horrendous both times and DS(6) rarely engaged, and was very emotionally distressed due to the social isolation (only child). The last few weeks of the last lockdown he got better though.

I was at home 1-1 all the time with him and it was just awful; another school mum who was in the same situation said that actually they should be ahead of most of the class because they were probably in the minority who had a SAHP with them all the time and able to give them their full attention. Her child is very compliant from what I can gather, mine suffered terribly with the isolation and he rebelled at most of the set work from the school. It makes me feel like crap to think some people might have the same opinion. We value education very highly in this house, DH works in education too, and yet our child’s distress was horrendous to watch and no wonder he couldn’t engage. School Senco and his teacher said to back off during the last lockdown and we saw an improvement.

We’ve just had Parents evening via Zoom and DS’ teacher said he is, overall, doing well and very enthusiastic and will give anything a go but he is behind on the following which we all need to work on:

Diagraphs - needs to improve recall etc

Maths - counting back in 10’s from 100, and when counting the switch to the next set of 10’s I.e from 19 to 20, 29 to 30 etc.

Writing - needs to develop confidence to write more

The teacher has given us strategies to work on at home and he has intervention groups and 1-1 in class, but it’s this attitude that he should be ahead because I’m a SAHP that makes me feel like crap.

I don't think you should worry at all OP, Very few people have the time or energy to concern themselves with how other people's children are doing (and those which do aren't worth bothering with). In any case there's huge variation naturally in Y1 which all evens out over time. Some kids will already be reading very fluently, some will still be struggling to blend at all. By Y2/Y3 you often can't tell who was ahead/behind a few years ago.

I think that lockdown was really tough for only children and children with a socially extrovert personality. I know it's hard, but try not to compare your son to other children (or yourself to other parents). He has loads of time to catch up.

OP don't worry about what other people think. In any case most people have the common sense to realise that everyone's situation is different and while some kids benefited from the quiet home environment, lots of kids struggled to focus at home during lockdown and refused to do work for their parents which they would have got on with at school.

In the early primary school years there are huge gaps in children just being ready to learn. Lots of well educated families who prioritise education have kids who struggle to pick up reading or numbers early on. It doesn't mean they've just been dumped in front of screens at home. That's without the added difficulty of a lockdown.

I dont have a Y1 child, but was a SAHM during lockdown 1. I think, as a household, we had it easier than many as DH's job was secure and we had no childcare issues. That is a completly different issue to getting kids to engage with the online learning. If you can find a way to get your child to engage with the gaps identified by school, go for it. If it is going to distress him again, go play catch, watch the ducks, cook biscuits, climb trees, or anything else that will engage him.

None of the issues the teacher mentioned seem particularly worrying in a Y1 child. And as far as home learning, some DC took to it better than others, but either way it is over now and the differences will gradually disappear.

Do the work the teacher has suggested, and make sure your DS gets lots of time with other DC all summer. And don't give a thought to anyone else's opinion about home schooling, it is not relevant to your DS.

I do sort of agree sahp should mean kids did ok in lockdown.
But it can be hard to get them to do the work. Plus we had to make sure older dc was doing the work so dc2 basically wasnt doing it.

Dc1 didnt meet maths expectations in yr 1.
I did a lot of work with them at home in yr 2 and they have been fine since.
Dc2 is 5.5yo and similar to yours struggles crossing to the next 10.
The maths i yr 1 is a big step up from reception.
Could you try something like
Mathletics or mathseeds etc?

My year 1 ds is also behind due to lockdown. He just would not engage at home and whilst I was at home fully, I had a newborn baby to look after and a year 3/4 child to set work for too! I tried so hard to cajole him to do the work but he was not interested. He is also summer born and needed that school routine and structure after missing lots of reception too, so it is not just about having a parent free at home to teach- for us it has been a maturity and ready-to-learn problem.
I feel very worried about it but I am hoping to reinforce year 1 work over the summer so that he can enter year 2 hopefully with a bit more confidence and maturity behind him.

Primary school teacher here (Although Reception not Y1)

I really wouldn't worry, we are concentrating on their mental well-being and know that the gap will close eventually for them.

Aslong as they are happy it's my main concern x

I've taught year 1 for five years and nothing you've described sounds concerning, especially in the context of on/off lock downs. Just keep in mind that teachers will always suggest things to work on even if a child is totalling excelling. The areas you've mentioned will continue to be covered in year 2 so please don't worry. They're still so little in year 1.

Everyone’s lockdown experience was totally unique. So, so many variables which at times were pretty much out of our control. Some children found it a huge, interesting novelty and others were put off from online learning right from the start. I know children of teachers who really struggled just because they weren’t in a school environment. Your son’s current academic ability is not a reflection of you as a parent, just his current standing after a very unusual time. You sound like a really supportive parent, he will progress in his own time with you helping him along the way

OP please don't worry, you did your best and he will catch up. He's still very young. My GS is also behind and is not as engaged with his schoolwork as others in the class but we are confident he will be ok. He's happy, sociable and enjoys school.

@researchinglockdown

Please stop spamming all the old threads and start your own! It will also be more prominent that way.

[quote Legomania]@researchinglockdown

Please stop spamming all the old threads and start your own! It will also be more prominent that way.[/quote]
Good spot!