Parents evening - would you raise this as an issue?

[plonker]

Dd2 is in Y1.

Throughout reception and throughout the first term of Y1 she was graded (for want of a better word) as above average in maths. Just before Christmas, dd was moved onto a different table for numeracy. Dh asked the teacher (quick morning chat) if all was ok and was there a reason that she had moved tables. Teacher said that there was no reason, it was just to balance numbers.

We didn't think any more about it, until she got her spring interim report and was graded (again, for want of a better word) as average.

Now, my query is, was she moved tables because she was struggling to keep up on the first table (despite the teacher saying this isn't the case) or has her grade altered because of the table she is on?

Or none of the above

Either way, I feel like I should ask the question, but don't know how without sounding pushy.

If she has been moved because she couldn't cope, then that is fine - she is still reaching her potential. If she isn't reaching her potential because of the table she is on, then it is a problem as far as I'm concerned. If it is all a coincidence then thats fine.

Despite how I may sound I'm not a pushy mum - I just want her to reach her potential.

Do I raise this?

If so, how without sounding pushy?

[baby209]

I think I would say to the teacher, "I notice that my daughter's grading for maths has changed since the last repot, what do you think the reasons are for this?"

And then if the teacher says something you don't find adequate follow it up with "do you think it could be to do with changing tables?"

And then if the answer is still uninformative say "This is still a concern for me, I think we need to discover what has happened. Can you (the teacher) suggest how to approach this or how we tackle this situation together?"

I think that way you have given the teacher time to provide you with some answers, you have raised your concerns and you have let her know you want something done - and I don't think it sounds pushy at all. You are just concerned!

:-)

[tootyflooty]

You aren't being pushy at all, I would just ask, if she was moved because the tables are set at ability levels, and did the teacher feel this move may have attributed to her change in grade, it could be there are more distractions on this table, ie more chatty or less focused children. Also the topic they have covered this term may have been more challenging. Parents evenings are to discuss your childs progress and any other concerns. So it is the ideal time to discuss it.

[MollieO]

One thing I've picked up from postings on similar threads by teachers is to ask the teacher what you can do to support your dd's learning at home. That should also flush out any problem, if indeed there is one.

[piscesmoon]

I would raise it-I wouldn't call it pushy.

[imaginaryfriend]

It sounds like a perfectly reasonable thing to ask to me.

From what I can gather all schools group children on tables according to ability, they're just more or less open about it. So I would suspect that perhaps she'd moved 'down' a table as she was finding the work too difficult on the first table?

It's hard to work out what influence the children at a table have on your own child's work. When dd first started Y1 she was on 2nd to top table for everything and to be honest I don't think she tried that hard as she saw quite quickly that she could do more than the others on her table. However she got moved up to the top table and is now with kids who are quite a way beyond her abilities and that's daunting to her. So you can't win! I think basically they all just get where they're going to be whenever they're going to regardless of what table they're on.