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Concerns for Y3 child, teachers not doing enough?

4 replies

gremLynn · 22/09/2021 10:32

Posting on behalf of a friend who is looking for advice.
Her DD has always been a little behind at school. Over lockdown my friend was amazing at homeschooling, more so with phonics and reading than with maths, but managed to help her DD grasp things she had been struggling with. When returning to school in March after lockdown, when she was in Y2, friend found out that there was an after school session to help children with maths, but her DD wasn't invited. She questioned the school, as she knows her DD is one of those who struggle in her year, and that there were much 'brighter' children going to the sessions. She was then told that basically the sessions were for children who had 'fallen behind' since their last assessment, so these could be children that were actually very able, but were not up to were the staff expected them to be in Y2 because of lockdown. My friends DD was not invited because she hadn't 'declined'..! This is a child who now in Y3 can still not add 5+2 without her fingers, writes numbers back to front, and sometimes actually has to ask which sign is an add sign.
Since starting Y3 the class teacher has been off for 6 days in total, and on the days when she has been in, the class have been stood at the door at 3pm for a 3:20 finish. My friend was really hoping that this would be the year her struggles were acknowledged, and a full year with no lockdowns might really help. Her concerns now are that a supply teacher is not going to be able to have much input, and this will be another wash out year and she will go into Y4 still not knowing the basics.
She writes her numbers back to front, she goes to bits looking at symbols and doesn't know what each one means. I've mfcussed here on her maths sbut she does also struggle with phonics and reading, so when my friend sent her to an external tutor (a group session) she couldn't even read the maths questions so she had no chance.
The school told her to keep an eye on it over lockdown, which she did, however now they are back to school it should be down to school and they are doing nothing.
Just for clarity, the school is a three form entry with full classes. She has voiced her concerns to the head of year a couple of times, and is now considering pushing and pushing because she doesn't want to let her DD down.
Moving schools is not an option as her DD is so happy there, has friends, very confident and enthusiastic, but just isn't learning and is not receiving any help tailored to her.
Posting really for any advice on how she should approach this, and if any teachers can advise whether she is expecting too much.
TIA, sorry it's long!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
gremLynn · 22/09/2021 18:54

Just bumping

OP posts:
KatherineOfGaunt · 22/09/2021 18:59

What have the school said since lockdowns have finished? Did she have an end-of-year report? What was said at the last parents evening? Have the school investigated dyslexia/dyscalculia? Has your friend spoken to the class teacher and/or SENCo to ask about interventions to help?

cansu · 22/09/2021 19:19

The fact that she wasn't invited to this group is not really an issue. It may well not have been at a suitable level for her.

Maths and Literacy are taught in the morning so the time they are lined up is irrelevant really.

If she believes that the class are missing 20 mins a day of their lessons in the pm due to this lining up she needs to raise this with the school.

If she thinks her dd needs some small group tutoring, she should write to the head and ask if the school can provide any intervention or catch up.

SionnachRua · 22/09/2021 19:21

Agreed that not being invited to the group is neither here nor there. There's a big difference between the pace of work set for able kids who've missed out and kids who are struggling with basics - that group need to be able to race through concepts as much as possible.

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