Reception - they've got to be kidding me...

[emy72]

I have just received DD's school profile. They assessed her in all 6 areas of learning in October and then again now, showing a wonderful progress from 2s and 3s to 6s, 7s, 8s and even a 9. Well it's absolute TOSH.
I am fuming. There is no way she was a 2 and 3 at the beginning of reception, looking at all the descriptors - and I have her nursery report to back it up (from the same school!), she was at least a 6 and 7 in everything. So what I am saying here is that she has made very little progress although looking at her report the school looks fantastic having brought her on so much...
This is an absolute farse. What am I going to do about this? It's really alarming as I already suspected that my DD had learnt very little - ok she is having fun, but she is the sort of girl that would have fun anywhere given a room full of children - I just get the feeling she has been left to fester, academically speaking - she has been on ORT level 2 since the beginning - not gone up a level at all, despite reading most books at home - and number work has stayed the same too since the beginning. I am absolutely fuming, what would you do?
Sorry for the long rant xx

Sorry, harmed was sloppy language on my part.....(and I studied this at uni more years ago than I care to remember and I really wish now I could spout lots of surnames at people to back me up . My personal view, and it is just a personal view at 5 & 6 kids can learn lots about how things work, what happens in the world, how to express themselves, how to enjoy books.....some kids are happy sitting at a desk (and there is a huge difference between the sexes in this)....but you can also learn away from a desk.....this can all be interesting and exciting and challenging.....and it doesn't necessarily only have to come from doing letter formation and book learning. We opted for a school where formal teaching starts at 7. My kids still learnt science and social studies, foreign languages etc.....but not formal reading & writing unless they expressed an interest and then it was done subtly and naturally as a by product of reading to them. It freaked me out when visiting old NCT mates with their kids writing letters to me (whilst mine were still up the trees!)....but its evened out now at age 7. But I think I've completely drifted off the point.....if shes bored, then its a bad teacher. Really hope you can sort it out with the school to your satisfaction. Good luck.

But play doesn't have to mean free play...

This is a quote from the Welsh Foundation Phase Curriculum policy (remember that in Wales the FP covers children aged 3-7):

Children learn through first-hand experiential activities with the serious business of ?play? providing the vehicle. Through their play, children practise and consolidate their learning, play with ideas, experiment, take risks, solve problems, and make decisions individually, in small and in large groups. First-hand experiences allow children to develop an understanding of themselves and the world in which they live. The development of children?s self-image and feelings of self-worth and self-esteem are at the core of this phase.

I think that describes it rather well.