How to say no to extra learning support?

[ggmom87]

My year 1 son has been placed in a phonics support group that takes place for an extra half hour after school 3 days a week. It’s meant to last all term. Last year he was told to attend sessions before school, which was a pain but we made it work. But we can’t make this work. We have prior commitments after school that prevent me from letting him stay at school longer. I’m frustrated because I’m happy for him to receive extra support, but not when it’s offered outside school hours. In the email I received they said they “expect him to attend every session”. It’s a little intimidating, and I’m trying to find the best way to approach it with the school. I don’t want to appear disinterested in his education, but we simply cannot commit to this. Has anyone dealt with this before?

Not that it’s entirely relevant, but while my son isn’t a really strong reader, he is reading on level so it’s not like he’s massively struggling. So there’s that too.

Utter nonsense.

As an infant teacher I think the school sounds mental. It’s like a punishment for not excelling at phonics. Extra support should be within the school day. It could really harm a kid’s love of reading IMO. I wouldn’t send my child to this.

You don't have to attend but if he's at risk of failing the phonics test next term then I would try and make the after school sessions work. It's probably only until May/June. If he fails he'll have to do it again next year and will probably have phonics lessons with next years year 1s when he's in year 2 so I'd suck it up and try and make the sessions

Ask the school why they are not providing this support during the day. Utterly ridiculous to keep a Y1 child behind x3 per week for phonics support - this should absolutely be done during the school day. He’s not a GCSE student needing additional support.

Of course you don’t need to go into details, @ggmom87 - all that matters is that you are sure that the after school commitments matter more than the extra school work. Without knowing what they are, I can’t have an opinion, but you know your family situation best. I am sure that there are other ways you can provide the extra phonics help your son needs.

I’m surprised a year 1 child is expected to attend a session outside of hours. They ll be half asleep by then as it’s already been a full day and a packed curriculum. I do my interventions in school time - ks1 TA

True.

Until children are around 9/10 extending the school day regularly is bonkers as they are more likely to be tired after school, so it's a waste of time.

Also it's worth the school showing parents how to help their children. One of the schools I was looking to send my DD to does that and so does a school friends send their children to. Simply because children spend more time at home than school.

The school should be delivering this during school time.

I'd be complaining about that.

Although I'd move things around to accommodate.

get an email on a Friday informing me that my child needs to start staying after school 3 days a week starting the following Monday

That's appalling. This school sounds dreadful actually.

Exactly this. This reeks of a school that cares more about its scores than the children’s well-being or genuine love of learning. We ask too much too young of our kids in our school system. Keep enjoying reading at home with him and don’t worry about it.

Ok, your dc has an issue. The school has proposed one solution: they will offer extra tuition after school, for free.

Nice offer, but it doesn't work.

So, you need another solution. That could be:

Ask the school if another time is possible.

Commit yourself to learning about the teaching of phonics and get together the necessary materials. This is much easier than it sounds and 10 minutes a day would give him a great boost.

Private tutor.

Online phonics programmes.

Etc

Rather, I expect the school to provide an education within school hours.

They are. And your DS needs extra so they're offering extra education on top of the normal education provided.

If it was done in school hours he'd be missing out on something else.

I don’t really understand the point if the thread. You can’t accommodate this due to after school commitments. You just tell them that. 🤷🏻‍♀️

My son had literacy support when he was in year 5. It was during school hours and he missed lessons like art and dt in order to do the sessions.
This was 7 years ago so I suspect his school had more support staff that allowed this to happen in school hours.

Read the OP and you’ll understand!

She hasn’t asking if it’s a good idea. She is asking how to tell them

I think if it's not possible to attend, it's totally reasonable to decline the offer, so just tell them that.

But I really don't get people who are saying it should be done during school hours. Who is going to support the child who needs extra help, while teaching class full of children? People are ok that TA or teacher spend time with children who are behind and left all the other children to get on themselves?
Teacher/TA offering extra help out of school hours are doing a massive favour for the children. I would just be grateful, not complain.

This thread is really quite shocking.

He’s 5 years old and ‘behind’ At 5. He doesn’t need extra phonics. He needs time to be a 5 year old. If his reading is on level he’s not even behind.

My ds couldn’t read until he was 7. He’s a journalist now.

Im an ex teacher. It’s disgusting what are children are being put through for league tables. Because this isn’t about your child. This is about results and league tables.

l pulled my dd out of extra Spanish at GCSE. She still got a 7.

What ‘our’ children.

Just say no thank you, and work with your son yourself.

They usually offer these things for 2 reasons. First because they suspect Sen and need more time to evaluate before they send off referral, or they don't think the child is getting adequate support at home.

I'm a teacher and would not support an extra 30 mins after school for 5 year olds. They are tired and ready for home at that time.

The short notice given is not enough and this additional support should be provided within school hours.

I would say that he can't make it after school as you already have commitments at that time and request any additional resources you can use yourself. You shouldn't have to explain yourself further at all.

Strange that they are offering extra reading support when your son is on the appropriate level for his age.

I'd just have a chat with the teacher about what the issue is exactly and other options that may be available, or maybe he doesn't really need help if he is already on track?

I'm surprised your school is offering this, my primary didn't and I ended up paying for private after school literacy help
which was a financial struggle. For my dc it was definitely needed though and it definitely helped.

Obviously if your son really is struggling it's important to get him extra support in some form but that could come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Don't panic OP and don't feel bad, just have some conversations with the school and work something out.

Strange that they are offering extra reading support when your son is on the appropriate level for his age

There is no altruism or real support in this. It is about trying to push him to far for government league tables and the ‘accountability’ of teachers that Gove put into place.

He is just a piece of data to be manipulated to polishthe school’s performance.

Hi OP this must be so frustrating for you...

The positive here is that the school are offering and funding extra support. I too would question the wisdom for a child's day being extended three times a week, but it's support you may not want to miss out on.
You will not be the only parent with timing challenges, call the SENCO and explain you're very grateful for the support but not able to do in this format.
Request a "reasonable adjustment" of home-based learning you are able to facilitate at home, perhaps in ten minute bursts daily... that would be as valuable.
You may even be able to gain a workshop or meeting with a bit of guidance on how to mesh this type of learning into home life , access some okay based apps or use sound buttons to support workbooks or something?
Hope you're able to resolve this soon.

get an email on a Friday informing me that my child needs to start staying after school 3 days a week starting the following Monday

I'd also perhaps feedback to them that this type of notice is intensely difficult for families, that's insane !

Best of luck 🤞🏻

Teacher here.

I have never heard anything so silly - a child who has already had a full day's learning will not gain anything from an after school session, especially in Year 1. Three days a week? Utter madness. They need to sort out their teaching during the school day!

The thing is, if his learning is not on a par with his peers, he will fall behind. It’s irrelevant what age children go to school in other countries. You live in this country so you child will be taught and assessed at the age-appropriate levels for THIS country.
I find that if children fall behind in KS1, they can generally easily catch up with additional support. Phonics skills are really crucial building blocks to reading and writing. Better that he masters it now than later. But if your priorities mean he can’t attend extra sessions then so be it.