Primary school is rubbish but son loves it, how can I support his learning?

[BigWhiteRabbit]

Exactly as the title says. I don't really want to move him as he's happy there socially and I like the school community. However, I'm worried about the impact of poor leadership, high staff turn over, supply staff and inexperienced staff on his academic education. What can I do to ensure he isn't missing out? Thanks

My mum was a primary school teacher for 40 years. She always said that the most important thing a parent could do, is to read with him. Have books around the house and have bed time stories. Also teach social skills and life skills, shoe laces, zips etc.

How old is he? Is he meeting age related expectations? Plenty of reading to him and getting him to read himself. Download TT rockstars and practice that. It depends how bad the school is but I would be reluctant to move if he is happy and not academically struggling. You could get some CGP workbooks to do at home too.

Thanks.

He's 4, still in reception and we've already moved school due to a house move hence reluctance to move again. I've no idea what age related expectations are though I'd say he seems bright. How can I get a sense of what he should be able to do?

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1024319/Early_years_foundation_stage_profile_handbook_2022.pdf

“The EYFS profile must be completed for each child and submitted to the LA no later than 30 June”

“Literacy
Comprehension ELG
Children at the expected level of development will:

• Demonstrate understanding of what has been read to them by retelling stories and narratives using their own words and recently introduced vocabulary;
• Anticipate – where appropriate – key events in stories;
• Use and understand recently introduced vocabulary during discussions about

stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems and during role-play. Word Reading ELG Children at the expected level of development will:

• Say a sound for each letter in the alphabet and at least 10 digraphs;
• Read words consistent with their phonic knowledge by sound-blending;
• Read aloud simple sentences and books that are consistent with their phonic

knowledge, including some common exception words. Writing ELG Children at the expected level of development will:

• Write recognisable letters, most of which are correctly formed;
• Spell words by identifying sounds in them and representing the sounds with a

letter or letters;

• Write simple phrases and sentences that can be ready by others.

Mathematics
Number ELG
Children at the expected level of development will:

• Have a deep understanding of number to 10, including the composition of each number;
• Subitise (recognise quantities without counting) up to 5;
• Automatically recall (without reference to rhymes, counting or other aids)

number bonds up to 5 (including subtraction facts) and some number bonds to 10, including double facts. Numerical Patterns ELG Children at the expected level of development will: 12

• Verbally count beyond 20, recognising the pattern of the counting system;
• Compare quantities up to 10 in different contexts, recognising when one quantity

is greater than, less than or the same as the other quantity;

• Explore and represent patterns within numbers up to 10, including evens and

odds, double facts and how quantities can be distributed equally.”

EYFS applies to all the different areas but I assume you were asking about Literacy and Mathematics in particular. You can read the rest in detail. Hope that helps!

Oh I really wouldn't worry if he is only 4. The main thing at this age is to be happy and settled getting used to school routine. A lot can change in a few years and by the time he gets to KS2 it may have all settled down staff wise.
Plenty of reading to him. Phonics and number bonds

In the vast majority of cases schools and staff aren’t “rubbish” - they do what needs to be done in class. They just fail to communicate it adequately to the parents. Which is a shame! Because if they only communicated they would get more help from the parents. Sometimes a child does not understand one thing and that holds him or her back.
My kids are in an excellent school and we get told all the time what we need to do to support the child… The school get as much help from the parents as possible leaving the staff with more time to get every child up to the expected level, some parents can’t or won’t help.

@BigWhiteRabbit : just wondering what made you think that the school is rubbish if you DS is just 4?
My DS is 3 so I am interested to know how parents decided that a primary school is good or bad.

@Lily7050 Saying it's 'rubbish' was flippant of me but i do have reasonable concerns. These include: reliance on supply teachers so no continuity, no school trips, slow admin (eg the reception teacher left in March and supply teacher still waiting to be put on reception email account), poor / defensive communication in general, staff smoking round the back, invisible head teacher, poorly resourced, low student numbers. I also wonder about effectiveness of peer support of new teachers.
However, kids and community work for us. My son did 6 months at a different school and the class dynamic was different, academically excellent but my son was swearing, spitting and worse. Luckily most of this stopped when he left.

Thanks @BigWhiteRabbit

Sounds like a lot of those problems are bigger than the school. I'm a primary governor and there has been considerably higher use of supply teachers simply to cover staff illness during covid. Of course, covid has also impacted school trips. State schools are poorly resourced (more so in some areas than others) and low pupil numbers only contribute to this.

If you have time, you could consider applying to be a governor and find out if/how some of these issues are being addressed?