Doing ok at school but retention and comprehension seems poor - normal?

[timefornewme2023]

DS is just 10 will be heading to year 6 in September and I just want to know if others experience this and if it's normal then a) phew! And b) can we help him improve ?

DS just about meets expected levels at school, suspect he suffers at the moment from boredom as he is in a mixed year class with lots of SEN and has been with same teacher for 3 years so fair to say school isn't driving any passion for learning but he is happy enough.

We have been really trying this year to work,with him and home and sometimes with a tutor to make sure he is where he needed to be - as last year we were pretty concerned and naively thought he might followmDD to a local grammar school.

Anyhow my observation is that he just doesn't seem to retain new information very well. For example new words don't go in. Simple maths concepts such as three angles in a triangle must add up to 180 are m earned but then gone a week later ...

Is that normal ?

It's driving me potty as he can tell me everything about premiership football is is it lack of enthusiasm, lack of proper understanding or something else?

It makes me realise my DD was like a sponge !

Without any formal assessments from an Educational Psychologist it would be difficult to unpick any areas of difficulty when learning. Has the teacher not noticed anything specific?

You could get a Speech and Language Therapy Assessment ( may need to be private) to unpick comprehension or maybe the possibility of something like DLD ( Developmental Language Disorder previously Specific Language Impairment)

You could also look at Working Memory
This is something you could work on over the summer. There are books and apps to help.
Just some links that may help. You might just read something and recognise some similarities in your child.

https://www.bhamcommunity.nhs.uk/patients-public/children-and-young-people/services-parent-portal/birmingham-slt/specialist-areas/dld/

https://bso.bradford.gov.uk/userfiles/file/LDteam/Ways%20to%20help%20children%20with%20working%20memory%20difficulties%20in%20the%20classroom.pdf

He sounds bored and unchallenged and hence why he's not retaining it. Maybe he's so bored he'd switched off. His teacher & class make up sounds v poor

If my lad had been in that type of class with the same teacher for : years he'd have switched off & learnt nothing

Thanks for the reply @24Dogcuddler sorry I am so slow coming back we have been caught up in all the end of term activities.

I have had a quick look at those resources and nothing jumps out at me- do you think school would have picked it up if there was
an issue ?
I can't help but feel like if you taught a child for 3 years you might spot a barrier to learning .

Will keep an open mind and keep reading ..

Thanks for your perspective I think sadly this is how some other parents are feeling as I have since learned one parent has pulled her daughter out for similar reasons, and another has been quite unhappy for some time but I thought this was as her son was especially bright and not being pushed.

Anyhow after another underwhelming end of year report I have asked for a meeting. We will see what we can learn from that.

I think my frustration is that he doesn't seem engaged or enthused by learning at all. I worry that going into year 7'will be a huge shock.
We aren't pushy parents at all - If anything we have been quite passive and perhaps blamed covid and school closures for some of the gaps but now we are close to the end of primary it all feels more serious.

Hi OP Teachers should spot barriers to learning but things can get overlooked in a large class unfortunately. If nothing is jumping out at you maybe he is just ready for a change.

As an SEN advisory teacher ( now retired) I would identify barriers to learning during one observation. I had the luxury of being able to focus on one child and the background and experience to know what I was looking for.

Y6 might be different again. They are the
“ top dogs” in Primary. Secondary will open up lots of new subjects and opportunities. Academic learning doesn’t suit everyone so maybe he will go on to enjoy more practical subjects.

Thanks @24Dogcuddler
We met with the school yesterday and I got some more details on what he is doing well / what the gaps are and I feel happier that this is normal for him and that school perhaps see more progress than I thought.

He is definitely ready for the change and I got some new ideas from the teacher he is moving to, so onwards and upwards for year 6 I hope.

That sounds good. Enjoy your Summer.