How behind is my daughter? Year one.

[Failingyearone]

She’s in year one, but she is an older one. Six soon. She’s reading blue band fairly capably and I think she’s doing ok ish in maths. I’d say she is probably average to slightly below average ability overall but she has had - as they all have - pandemic disruption, periods of isolation and she wouldn’t do much with me at home so I think she is more behind than she might have been.

She wrote this independently- froo is through 🙄 and the last sentence says ‘He sinks in the water.’
Oh and scwishee is squishy. Apparently in the story the bus arrives in a sparkly present? I have read the book but cannot remember it.

Her brother is much more able than her and I know they all have their ‘ceiling’ but I am concerned that she is going to fall further behind.

I teach Y1 and that's very good.

My Y1 DS’s writing is about the same. Spelling wise it’s absolutely normal, his teacher confirmed to me at parents evening that all they’re looking for is phonetically plausible at this stage, she’s using some of her digraphs like oo and ee - it’s fine.

At this stage in Yr1 my DD was still on Pink level books.
But still passed the Phonics screening in the summer term.

Teacher here - for Autumn Y1 this is fab. Her spelling is phonetically accurate suggesting she understands and is applying it well. We don’t expect perfect spelling in Y1 when they don’t know the rules. This work tells me it’s very independent and I don’t think you should worry unless her teacher pulls you aside and tells you they have concerns. I know you say she’s nearly 6 but in terms of school years that doesn’t matter. She’s working with the same level of education as everyone else in her class.

That is absolutely fine - in fact I would think pretty advanced given the problems you’ve described with her eyesight.

Don’t worry about the spelling. They tend to spell phonetically as they emerge from the phonics teaching, and then it starts to correct in years 2 and 3 as they start matching what they read do how they write. It’s a gradual process but nothing unusual.

It’s a lovely piece of writing with a lively imagination.

Don’t worry, OP. Just focus on getting her eyesight looked after!

I would say that is fine for year1. Dd is just 6 and writes well but phonetically if she doesn’t know the spelling, teachers encourage it. She is on yellow book band but can free read independently longer chapters, school insists on not moving her up). Ds is in yr2 and he is behind his sister in most areas. I try not to compare they are very different and with different strengths. Don’t stress.

Her handwriting is good. Even where she's wrong on spellings, they're sensible errors - froo and through sound the same if you can't pronounce your th sounds. Can't remember how she wrote squishy but again, it's logical. It's wrong but it's readable. And lovely imagination.

I love her handwriting. It's very neat, I think.

My DS is Yr1 and turns 6 in Feb. This looks very similar to his work in terms of letter formation, spelling etc and I consider him to be very average academically, so far at least.

Dc2 was behind in Y1. He would never have been able to write like this.

She is writing phonetically, which is what they are taught. It’s understandable. I think she is doing well.

What I would say though, is if you have any worries, go and have a quick chat with her teacher. Just explain you’d like to know how she is doing. Or some explanations in how they are approaching spellings etc….

I have a year one child as well.

This looks lovely to me. Proper use of capital letters and full stops, finger spaces, all written nicely on the lines.

Which bits are you particularly worried about?

Her work is well within normal range.

She's fine - please do not worry about her. It is very important that you do not start worrying about these things as they will rub off on her. Children develop at their own rate - there is no hurry at all. Sometimes they race ahead and then slow down; sometimes it is the other way around. This is why the national curriculum is such nonsense - it can set false expectations and make children worry.

Just read to her and make it fun - and praise every effort she makes to write, regarding it as an achievement even if it is not perfect - remember the paintings when they were a bit younger - you would never say that the painting was "wrong". It is a bit the same with writing - every time they try and do it that is an achievement in itself.

Don't forget that if she lived in Europe she would not even start any formal learning till she was 6.

Seems really normal for year 1. Very similar to DS.

It's absolutely fine. My DS has relatively mild ADHD and she's writing better than he could by Y4 frankly, and he still can't write independently in Y6 so I think you don't really have anything to worry about.

She's absolutely fine.

Don't worry about the spelling at all. She has strongly grasped that letter combinations represent the sounds in words she says aloud or hears in her head. That is the absolute foundation stone of literacy and she will build on it and get it right at her own speed.

Read to her a lot; while she's sitting on your knee encourage her to read to you , and encourage all casual opportunities for reading and writing. Tell her what you need to buy and let her write the shopping list. Let her write down the menu for family meals on her chalkboard, ( ours LOVED this) ; leave little written messages for her (around the house, in her pocket or schoolbag) Encourage relatives to post letters to her , give her post cards and stamps so she can reply. Let her type stories on your keyboard.

Same as my DD who is 6 (very early September birthday) in Year 1.
Her teacher says she's doing incredibly well.

They're still so young - I really wouldn't worry.

I think your daughter's writing is brilliant. My son is 6 in Feb and his writing is terrible. He's likely to be dyspraxic but after seeing occupational health and talking to his teachers they're not worried and he'll eventually get neater. Luckily he's doing well with reading and maths!

Have they done the practice phonics screening yet?

Dd got 38 out of 40, but still gets mixed up on words like through, there/their/they're, once...

I'd say she's where she should be, it's similar to what my dc were doing at that age, including one who had had a disrupted reception year due to covid (Feb, March, May & June birthdays)

By the way the title of your thread betrays a degree of concern that is unfounded - you ask how behind she is, assuming that she is behind.

For everyone's sake it might be good to chill out over this - there are years of this to come and you can't be worrying for all that time!

She will be who she is ... academic, practical, musical, sporty, slow academically - none of it matters as long as she knows that you are pleased with her efforts.

I always told mine that I did not mind what they did or how they compared with anyone else as long as they were happy and doing their best (as much of the time as they can - I don't think I do my best all the time!!).

Relax!!

Primary teacher here. Looks absolutely fine for Term 1 of Year 1. Lots of phonetically plausible spellings. Please don't make her feel that you think she's failing!

My 20 odd year old son’s writing isn’t a huge amount neater. I’m not even joking.

I think you’re putting too much pressure on her and you certainly shouldn’t be comparing her with her ‘more able’ brother. She’s five not 12.

It's good work. There's no failing in y1. She's consistently and accurately using capital letters and full stops. She's using phonics even if the spellings aren't correct. She can independently wrote sentences that makes sense and on topic.

What more do you want?

I would say fine, I work in year 1 in a prep and the majority of the children's writing is similar, using phonics and punctuation