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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

any other underachieving boys in year 2?

30 replies

southeastastra · 17/03/2008 17:36

is mine the only one?

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TheFallenMadonna · 17/03/2008 17:39

My ds is in year 2 and is a bit of a mixed bag.

His teacher says she sets him on ability not oupput, which is great, but isn't going to count for much come the SATs I reckon...

seeker · 17/03/2008 17:39

Tell us more?

TheFallenMadonna · 17/03/2008 17:40

Is he underachieving compared with ability, or compared with 'national norms'?

Original poster

southeastastra · 17/03/2008 17:42

report says lower than expected for age for english, maths and science. he has additional classroom support, but this has made me so depressed.

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MehgaLegs · 17/03/2008 17:45

My DS2 is struggling with literacy - I suspect he may be dyslexic like his Dad, Uncle and cousins .

Dreading SATS, teacher says he can have a reader but it's the writing that's the prob so a scribe would make more sense.

seeker · 17/03/2008 17:45

Do you want to tell us what levels he got?

Original poster

southeastastra · 17/03/2008 17:46

i have to admit to not being bothered at all about the sats. may even not let him do them. i am losing all confidence with the school.

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Original poster

southeastastra · 17/03/2008 17:47

there are no levels they are just categorised as lower than expected for age, level for age and higher than expected for age.

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spudmasher · 17/03/2008 17:50

School is so unboyfriendly. It takes a lot of effort to make it work for lots of boys. They like to be doing rather than listening.

What is the classroom environment like? Does ot have a role play area? Lots of PE? or is it a sit still and do your work at a table kind of a room?

I'll bet your son loves PE days and when they make stuff. If this is the case, the teacher needs to take a long hard look at her planning.

Original poster

southeastastra · 17/03/2008 17:55

the head teacher left two years ago and the replacement only lasted a few months. teachers come and go. not even sure if i've made a bad decision sending him there in the first place. not one parent evening either yet in year 2.

it's a sit at the table kind of place.

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TheFallenMadonna · 17/03/2008 17:57

God DS's writing is beyond terrible. Truly, truly awful .

We haven't been given levels either. Just don't know what to expect really.

spudmasher · 17/03/2008 17:59

You need to see the teacher southeastastra. You should have had at least your second parents evening really.
Sorry. I sound really negative but this sort of thing breaks my heart and is unforgivable. It is not just the teacher's fault. She should get support from the management team if things are not going well. It sounds like the management team may be struggling too.
I will have a think and see if I can come up with some more practical advice.

Original poster

southeastastra · 17/03/2008 18:10

it's so awful, i feel like i'm failing him. they have decided to swap the classes around again after easter, where he'll have yet another teacher. (though she had him for year one). just feel like i don't know what to do for the best.

how old is your son madonna? mine is still only 6.

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spudmasher · 17/03/2008 18:12

Do you want to take action with the school or help your son at home?
You are not failing him!!! You obviously care deeply!

TheFallenMadonna · 17/03/2008 18:13

Yep, he's 6 too. July birthday. I think he's actually OK apart from the writing. He reads pretty well, and seems to cope with verbal maths. He just can't get anything on paper- even the maths. Looking at his books you have to wonder what on earth he does in lessons, because they are practically empty. And he is very disorganised.

He loves school though, so something must be going right

Original poster

southeastastra · 17/03/2008 18:25

i think maybe the only option i have is to help him myself. schools round here are full and new entrants can't even get places and have to go to the nearby town.

snap madonna, i feel the same and my son does like his school.

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Original poster

southeastastra · 17/03/2008 18:26

what action can i take with the school? i know another parent is taking her son out.

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drinkmoretea · 17/03/2008 18:31

i feel the same, my son is 7 in yr2 and is below 'average' in everything. i feel like its my fault. the more i try and do at home with him though makes him not want to do anything.

do you let them learn at their own pace or force extra things upon them??

Original poster

southeastastra · 17/03/2008 19:00

it's rotten isn't it drinkmoretea. i'm wondering if a tutor would be more helpful than me.

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drinkmoretea · 17/03/2008 19:29

i have wondered about a tutor, but, couldnt really afford one anyway and i've tried doing extra activities with him and he hates it - and i have made them fun.

The only things that seem to work is just every so often ask him a sum or a spelling, playing hangman also seems to work.

still feel a failure though especially as i seem to lose my patience with him when i try and help and he just doesn't get things.

seeker · 17/03/2008 19:35

Could you tell us what sort of thing he can do - maybe you will find it reassuring to discover that there are more at the same level than you think? What's he reading, for example?

Original poster

southeastastra · 17/03/2008 19:47

he's obsessed with mr men books at the moment. he likes to collect the books and lines them all up, constantly on the look out for the missing ones to buy.

maths is a real struggle, i ask him what 4 and 4 is and he says 6.

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whirly · 17/03/2008 20:14

Have seen this thread.
TFM, the levels he gets in the SATs shouldn't affect the rest of his schooling negatively - they are there for the government to check on the school (value-added KS1 - KS2). The level that he gets will just be a snapshot ofwhere he is at towards the end of Year 2. They don't count for anything important. The teacher already knows what level he is at and will be (hopefully) helping to make progress, whether he is working towards level 1 or above level 3. What I am trying to say is that lots of boys, particularly Summer born, take longer to "catch on." This doesn't mean they are failures if they don't get the "right" level.

SEastra, in effective schools those struggling would be picked up on and have extra support, probably in a small group. Do you know if the school is doing anything extra to support him? Have you had any informal chats with his teacher to discuss how he's doing?

FWIW, difficulties with organisation, reluctance to put pen to paper, difficulties concentrating because of poor short-term memory, etc can be indicative of dyslexia and other Specific Learning difficulties. Don't panic! Just keep in contact with the school about what they are doing!

ingles2 · 17/03/2008 20:20

no he's not SEastra....
mine 2, summer birthday 6yr old yr 2!
I'm convinced he's dyslexic / dyscalculic and despite having a p. tutor, doing an hour of number bonds a week for the last 6 months, I asked him tonight what 2 shared between 2 was he said 6!
Am dreading parents eve. on Thurs, I've got nothing positive to say to teacher (about school not my gorgeous ds!!!)

GermaineSneer · 17/03/2008 20:22

oooooooooooooooooooh ds1 was shit in eyar 2

i gets really hard imo

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