Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Primary education

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

Original poster

Can a child who struggles with numbers and reading in reception still do well in school later?

39 replies

emkana · 13/04/2008 20:05

Dd2 is not really making much progress atm, even though we practise reading every day (and she wants to do it!). At this stage reading had "clicked" with dd1, but dd2 still finds it hard and has been on ORT 2 for ages, and I can't see her moving up any time soon. Also with numbers, she still gets 15 and 13, 12 and 11 mixed up a lot.

Does this mean she will always struggle? Just wondering, not being a pushy mother, promise.

OP posts:
sarah293 · 13/04/2008 20:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Hulababy · 13/04/2008 20:09

Yes. I know someone who needed some reading help whilst in the first few years of schoo. he is now doing really well, very successful in a professinal job having done A Levels and a degree.

OverMyDeadBody · 13/04/2008 20:11

The simple answer is yes, of course.

When you start reading is not any indicator of how you will do later on in school and academically.

TheFallenMadonna · 13/04/2008 20:11

God yes. DS didn't get reading at all until he had left reception.

lackaDAISYcal · 13/04/2008 20:14

reception is still very very young. My DS was a summer born boy so was just 4 when he started. Far far too young in hindsight. Now at nearly six he's just getting into his stride with the whole school thing.

Remeber that most European children don't start formal education until they are six.

Smithagain · 13/04/2008 20:42

ORT2 doesn't sound too bad. DD1 was still on ORT2 at the end of Reception. It clicked for her last term (she's in Yr1 now) and she's now on level 9 and finding it rather easy.

And she's "very good with numbers" according to her teacher, but still makes peculiar mistakes with number recognition.

From what you've said, she sounds OK.

madhairday · 13/04/2008 22:01

ORT2 is fine in reception. I taught primary and often found children would only really 'take off' in Y1/2. Don't worry - they do all take it at different paces, and not 'clicking' in reception doesn't mean she won't do well in future.

Blu · 13/04/2008 22:10

It's perfectly normal not to learn to read at all in Reception!

AbbeyA · 13/04/2008 22:15

They are all different, it probably just means that she isn't ready yet. Late developers often do better in the end. My brother didn't like school at all at that age, I can remember my parent's bribing him to count up to 10-he just didn't want to know. He failed the 11+ but had a second chance at 12, he took off and after a year was put into the class of high flyers who took their exams a year early!

cazzybabs · 13/04/2008 22:19

I am really tempted to type "Yes - she is thick. In fact I would give up on her - I am sure she will make a brilliant street cleaner (well maybe that is aiming high...)"

but then sarcasm doesn't come across so well on the internet and I don't want to come tomorrow to find a thread - CBs - lets ban her from MN. You know the answer don;t you??? .

Last year I taught a child who came to year 1 unable to count objects to 10 - still struggling to recognise 8 and 9. Reading similar level. Left year 1 average in the class - whilst I would like to take credit for my brilliant teaching sadly I think it just took longer for the child to click and then they were away.

cat64 · 13/04/2008 22:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Blu · 13/04/2008 22:22

A child who can read ORT 2 in reception is a 'late developer'?

Good grief - she might not even be 5 yet!

rolledhedgehog · 13/04/2008 22:22

Yes. I could not read at all until I was 8 and I have a first class degree. It all clicked virtually overnight.

Original poster
emkana · 14/04/2008 10:53

Okay so she's not really struggling, and she's only 4 (5 in August).

In my defence of this slightly ludicrous thread: It's difficult, as a regular MNer, not to take it for granted that a Reception child will be reading Harry Potter independently by the age of 5...

OP posts:
TheFallenMadonna · 14/04/2008 10:55

I hear that emkana!

MN children seem not to be as others sometimes...

MrsMattie · 14/04/2008 10:57

Yes! My cousin went to Steiner school and couldn't even read until the age of 9 or 10. He is now 25 yrs old, has a first class degree and a masters and is currently working on his PHD and being asked to give lectures all around the world on his specialist subject. He's one of the brightest people I know.

Cappuccino · 14/04/2008 10:58

the ORT books are aimed at being one stage a term - so being on Stage 2 in the second term is just fine

marina · 14/04/2008 11:00

Yes, of course it will all work out OK

IdrisTheDragon · 14/04/2008 11:00

My sister was considered "slow" when she was at school, until she was about 8 or 9.

She went to Cambridge and studied Maths, so did well later on .

Remotew · 14/04/2008 11:04

Lol, I must admit that reading some of the threads you'd think that most children were reading early etc. Its not often the case though.

Dont worry she will get there at her own pace. My DD was deemed average certainly in infants and for the first couple of years of primary and is quite the high flyer now.

throckenholt · 14/04/2008 11:09

yes. My DS1 (summer baby) was totally uninterested in reading in reception - and year 1 come to that - now he is year 2 and can read really well.

Similar with numbers. He is not stupid but was just not turned on by reading and counting in any great way.

francagoestohollywood · 14/04/2008 11:10

Emkana, as a German you should have known better . I still keep thinking that a good number of 5 yr old are not ready to start reading, especially a difficult language like English. I wouldn't worry.

francagoestohollywood · 14/04/2008 11:11

(in Germany primary school starts at 6, isn't it??)

Original poster
emkana · 14/04/2008 11:12

I know franca I know

OP posts:
seeker · 14/04/2008 11:12

A lot of reception children can't read or do number work AT ALL!!!