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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

Should I be concerned about this comment from dd's teacher

70 replies

galaxy · 27/04/2008 15:04

My dd is half way through her reception year and I have been mithering over a comment that her teacher made at last Parent's evening regarding the school's ability to meet her needs.

She is extremely bright in both maths and English and has a very inquisitive nature. She seems to absorb facts like a sponge. Her reading age is that of a 7 year old (according to her teacher). She's bringing home the Oxford Press books level 4b and finding them far too easy. I've not said anything to the school as she actually enjoys the stories but she is currently reading the Rainbow Fairies series at home at the weekends.
The comment her teacher made was that she is concerned that "when she gets to year 1/2" the school may struggle to supply her with reading material that will stimulate her whilst being age appropriate".

The school don't run a G+T program but do have above average SATS results so I'm not concerned about that. However, I am concerned that she may become bored as time goes on.

We're not pushy parents although very proud of her of course but should I be concerned or just wait and see what happens as she progresses?

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collision · 27/04/2008 15:06

of course they will have reading material for her!

what utter tosh!

Just keep doing what you are doing and find some more suitable reading material for her.

and be proud of her!

silly teacher.

Ooh try the new series of books (which will be too difficult prob) called Magic Treehouse. DS(6) loves them.

tortoiseSHELL · 27/04/2008 15:06

It is a problem that when their reading ability outstrips their maturity, the books that will test their reading aren't at all suitable, and they won't understand the content (they may be able to read the words, but not understand what they are saying iyswim).

Ds1 is not at all challenged by his Y2 books but reads voraciously at home. He's about to start reading Swallows and Amazons, because he is very into pirates, and it is a book about children so he should be able to relate to it.

popsycal · 27/04/2008 15:08

I would sit it out until in Year 1. I have a similar ds1 of 5 and a half. There are suitable reading materials out there....when I find them, I send them in to school!

DS1 reads some of his reading books but is really into the Magic Tree House series and I write this in his reading log too. His teacher is very supportive.

The book people website do a series called 'corgi pups' which may be appropriate. They also have 'sprinters' which are harder.

popsycal · 27/04/2008 15:08

Collision - my ds1 is HOOKED on them!

Twiglett · 27/04/2008 15:12

sorry but I know children who entered reception free reading novels (who aren't considered G&T .. but don't get me on that one)

there are plenty of books that are appropriate

Original poster

galaxy · 27/04/2008 15:14

Thanks ladies. I'll have a look at the Magic Tree House series. I bought the Oxford Tree, Songbirds and Letts series before she started school and she got through these before she started school. shes now reading the Oxfrod tree onces again for school.

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Original poster

galaxy · 27/04/2008 15:16

Twiglett. I don't know anything about the G+T program - only mentioned it as one of the other mums at school is friends with a lady who has a dd at another school who run it and her daughter's in it. (If "In It" is the right expression and she was saying that if dd was at that school she'd be on on/in it.

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popsycal · 27/04/2008 15:16

try corgi pups first - would possibly be more appropriate

popsycal · 27/04/2008 15:17

corgi pups

Original poster

galaxy · 27/04/2008 15:17

I also wondered about the comment as well about not having age appropriate material but you appear to think differently Twig?

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mumoftwo37 · 27/04/2008 15:18

Galaxy I have been there ( and am still there!) My ds1 could read before he started school and by the time he got past reception year the school had a problem with him. I enrolled him at the local library and we got books from there every week, also I bought him books instead of by sweets, magazines etc. He read most of the first Harry Potter in the winter term of Year 1. One thing I will say is make sure she understands what she is reading by asking her what the book is about once she has finished it, reading is far more than just knowing the words. I would say keep encouraging her and ask her teacher what they would recommend for her once they are struggling.
My Son is now 13 and has never been on the G&T list, partly because his primary schools never had one and our choice through Y7/8. We have now decided with him to have him included on it next year as he feels some of the things they do might be beneficial to him.
I think just trust your instincts and your dd will be fine. Her reading ability will help her with her writing skills too in the future when she comes to write stories and essays etc. I think not being pushy helps too as she nedds to grow emotionally as well and play like all of her peers.

popsycal · 27/04/2008 15:19

slightly harder corgi pups

btw I agree that it is difficult to find age appropriate stuff - it is out there but you have to know where to look

Ellbell · 27/04/2008 15:20

It's a slightly odd comment, galaxy, but I wouldn't worry about it too much.

My dd is also quite bright when it comes to reading (she's older than your dd - nearly 8 and in Year 3 - and has the reading age of a 12-year-old or something). The ORT books (is that what your dd is on atm - the Biff, Chip and Kipper ones?) go up to about Level 16, so your dd is not about to run out of them any time soon. The ones dd was reading till recently were just like normal chapter books (about 100 pages long) and - you may be pleased to know! - did not feature Biff, Chip and Kipper! The only difference between them and any other book that dd might have picked from the library was that they had clearly been 'graded' for difficulty.

My dd has been taken off these books just recently and allowed to be a 'free reader'. This was partly at my instigation as I did feel that some of the subject matter wasn't 'age-appropriate' (there was one about child slavery and one about a boy whose mum runs off and abandons the family and he discovers that his dad isn't the man his mum has been married to, etc etc etc). However, there are plenty of age-appropriate books out there... My dd also started with the Rainbow Fairies (and dd2, who's in Year 1, is currently enjoying the Magic Pony and Magic Kitten series too). But she has progressed onto a whole range of books. I steer her away from the 'real life' 'issues-based' books (Jacqueline Wilson, et al.) and steer her towards fantasy-type books. She currently loves Cornelia Funke, and generally anything involving dragons, mermaids or other magical creatures. Between the Rainbow Fairies and now, though, she read a lot of Dick King-Smith and Roald Dahl and... well... there are loads of threads on here about good reading books for children of your dd's age. IMO reading which is age-appropriate in terms of content doesn't have to be ridiculously easy, and it's only because schools are so wedded to their bloody reading schemes that they see this as a problem. Think of all the wonderful 'children's classics' (Laura Ingolls Wilder, EE Nesbit, CS Lewis, Noel Streatfield, etc.)!

In my experience, it's not at all hard to supplement the reading material supplied by school, so I really wouldn't worry about this. It may be harder if the school are not pushing her in maths (not sure about this, as my dd is fairly average in maths), but I am sure that there are also possibilities there for supplementing her school work at home if necessary.

Hope this is reassuring. Sorry it's so long (subject close to my heart ).

misdee · 27/04/2008 15:20

SGK had this issue. her ds had teen reading age at a young age. for his birthday i was trying to find books for him (think he was 7 or 8?) settled on judt blume superfudge. he loved it.

trefusis · 27/04/2008 15:20

This reply has been deleted

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popsycal · 27/04/2008 15:22

I think it is hard when they are a lot younger. For example, aged 5 but a reading age of, say, over 8. Stamina is an issue too.

Ellbell · 27/04/2008 15:22

Ooh, will look out Magic Treehouse for dd2.

ScienceTeacher · 27/04/2008 15:23

If she is off the scale, can you provide her with reading opportunities? The library must be full of stimulating books for her.

Just be careful that her emotional maturity matches her academic standard. It is not good to move a young child onto material for much older children, and she deserves to be a kid for as longs as is normal.

popsycal · 27/04/2008 15:24

Ellbell - it is huge in USA but only up to book 5 here. Think they are anglicising it a little

MrsWeasley · 27/04/2008 15:24

my DS was in a similar position and a very similar comment was made by a teacher and I offered to buy some books under their guidance, thinking that was what she was hinting at but the teacher said what she meant was the school would be buying him some new books to read.

If your school cant perhaps the PTA could?At least the school know in advance that she will need these.

ScienceTeacher · 27/04/2008 15:26

Magic Treehouse books are very good. My kids, who are American, read these from about first grade (Year 2).

We used to model the scenes from the books (eg cardboard tray with sand, twig for a tree etc.).

Original poster

galaxy · 27/04/2008 15:26

Thanks mumoftwo - it's good to hear of other people's experiences. Thanks for the link Posycal

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popsycal · 27/04/2008 15:28

Glad more folks are liking magic tree house. They have been an excellent find for my 5 year old. Pacey, not to long, imaginative whilst challenging and appropriate to his age and interests.

Ellbell · 27/04/2008 15:28

Ooh, trefusis, I also scared myself shitless reading about hideous diseases in Reader's Digest when I was about 12! What was it with the Reader's Digest and hideous diseases?

In my (limited) experience, it seems to be the case that there is a bit of a shortage of infant and junior teachers who are actually interested in children's literature per se, rather than in the process of learning to read. Thus they are often unable to see beyond their own particular 'scheme'. I know this doesn't make them bad teachers (before anyone flames me - I think teachers do a wonderful job, and, hell, they can't be expected to be interested in everything), but it would be kind of nice if schools had, say, one teacher who was a 'literature specialist' who could work with the children (not just the brightest - all of them) to find books that they would enjoy and which would stimulate a love of reading in them. (Maybe some schools do this already...)

Original poster

galaxy · 27/04/2008 15:32

Blimey - must have been slow pressing the post mesage!

Thanks all for your very supportive and encouraging comments. She has loads of books on her book shelves and does of course have her favourites which she reads time and time again and "Book People" must love me!

We go to the library every couple of weeks and she sometimes selects the simpler books which is fine as far as I'm concerned as she tends to read her library books in bed in the mornings when she wakes up early!

She's also naturally curious and loves finding new things out so has lots of non-fiction books as well.

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