Transition to yr1, feel like I am going backwards with ds and his reading etc. Anyone else?

[Martha200]

DS was doing ok in early years, but since he started back again at school I feel he seems to have forgotton a lot of what he did know, despite reading to me in the holidays and writing postcards to his family. I want to bang my head against the wall when it comes to his spellings, he will spell out ok but when it comes to writing, very little success (1 or 2 out of 5) and I don't know why when he was doing well previously. I wondered if he was still warming up to being back at school again or I just need to make him practice even more and somehow do a better job on his esteem that he can do this?

We were told, when DS1 started Yr 3 that children take until half term of the autumn term to get back to where they ended the previous summer term. This was despite how much work you do in the holidays.

We are only half way through this half term and 6 weeks is a long time for a 5/6 yr old so give it a bit more time yet before getting too worried.

He'll get back in the swing of things I am sure and the jump from Yr R to Yr 1 is a big one.

Thanks Niecie, not really knowing much about his new teacher I don't want her thinking I don't bother practicing things with him when I do (though not OTT imo) and do write in his book. Earlier today I felt a panic feeling start to arise which got me thinking.

I really wouldn't worry too much and would advise against drilling him. It will turn learning into something boring or stressful - at his age, especially, it should be fun. If the teacher had any concerns, she'd tell you!

I don't think my DS did spellings at all until he was well into Yr 1 so your DS is doing well to be spelling anything imo!

I am sure that your DS's teacher knows that you are working with him. Children aren't very good at covering up for our inadequacies and will probably tell the teacher if they hadn't done their homework! Well, mine would at that age - little darlings.

Has the structure changed at all? My ds started in Reception this term and seems to have gone back a year compared to what he was doing at nursery. It has caused me all sorts of worry. The head said that in her experience children do go backwards over the summer and, for him, it may take time to adjust to a new structure and environment. Complete surprise to me as I had thought he would cope well - very bright, sociable, confident etc.