Not about DS - but this is an odd school

[debs40]

Many of you know what trials and tribulations I have had with DS's school this last year.

A SA has now been agreed.

DS' new teacher seems ok and we go in early in the morning so the class is empty and he chats to DS and seems approachable - improvement on last year.

What worries me is the change in discipline from the infants' section of the school - DS is in Y3.

My friend has a boy in the class and he is pretty vulnerable - S&L problem and possible learning difficulties as the result of a rare brain disorder.

Surprisingly (I'm being sarcastic), school have done very little to support him. Hhe's not on SA or SA+ despite SALT being involved - he borders on average.

Today he was in tears twice (she helps out at lunchtime and saw him then) as he got two yellow cards for not putting the date and title on his work. They have the red/yellow card system in place - yellow is a warning.

I asked DS about this and he said that is because they are 'very, very concerned about our learning now we are in Juniors'.

Already this week (which is 5 days old) DS has had two sets of homework. He has been told they will be given red cards if they don;t do it.

Another friend's son - very Aspie like traits - has been kept in twice for not completing work. He wasn't messing about. he just didn't complete it and anyone who doesn't complete work has to stay in until tehy do through lunch or morning break

Please tell me all schools are not like this. They are 7 FFS!!

What next? A dunce's hat?

I should have said 'this term (which is 5 days old)'

sadly they really do start cranking the pressure up when in year 3 , though dd has not had any homework think its one piece a week though when it starts

and learnt that schools dont always recommend ok rarely talk about statements and what dc should be getting

Three times a week for homework - as well as reading. I cannot see the point at this age at all. I mean who wants to mark it? It's not as if it's specifically set to a child's learning needs is it.

This happened to DD, now dx AS.

She was frequently kept in to finish off work. She was accused ( in her school report) of "being more interested in the contents of her pencil case"!

Dd feels her time in primary school led to her becoming school phobic in secondary.

It's very sad to see this is happening elsewhere.

Peaceflower - that is sad

I can see that happening to DS. If he was kept in or yellow/red carded, that would be it. I don't think I'd get him into school again!

Being kept in for failing to finish work happened to DS2 in his old school too (in years 2 and 3), and we feel it significantly increased his anxiety over writing which then contributed to his school 'refusal'.

But the use of red/yellow cards this way - dreadful.

Not all schools are like this, promise!

I have Y4 this year and although I am obsessed with dates and titles being written and underlined, the most serious consequence of this not being done is that I tell the child that I'm sad they didn't remember.

One child has been kept in to complete a calculation (he'd done 2 and I'd said 10 minutes before play that I expected him to have completed a third) but only because I knew he could do it and I didn't think 3 simple calculations in 30 minutes was unreasonable! It took him less than a minute to do it once he realised everyone else had gone out to play.

The class letters we're sending home say that we think the children work hard enough all day in school so we won't be setting compulsory homework although there will be a topic-related project for children who would like to do it along with a maths sheet so parents know what they've been learning. I added a bit about acknowledging completed work but that we wouldn't be marking homework.

I think the emphasis on 'learning through play' in Key Stage 1 means the start of Key Stage 2 is a very presssured because the kids are used to play based activities and the laid back atmosphere suddenly changes.

It is always a massive shock to the system when kids start in year 3.

I'm sure the school have their own targets from the LEA to meet as regards to attainment. This, tragically comes at a price, I'm afriad.

But parents like the league tables so the schools are under pressure to make kids perform.

It's not right, btw.

SE13Mummy - I think you sound like a lovely teacher!

Spinkle - I totally understand the pressure on school too. Also, there was no play in Y2 and very little in Y1 so it's not as if it has all been nice and fluffy up until now.

DS told me today when he woke up saying 'I can't go to school I've got a tummy ache' that when everyone finishes their work, the teacher goes around to check it and gives you a pat on the shoulder if you have to stay in. That sounds like some sort of mental torture for an Aspie.

He also said a boy was red carded yesterday for not handing in his homework (first that had been sent) without a letter of explanation from his mum.

DS said he almost forgot 'DUMTUMS' (as they call it)yesterday but because he had started to do it as the teacher went round he was 'let off' a yellow card.

Honestly, though the boy he yellow carded twice yesterday really struggles.

Red/yellow cards were supposed to be for bad behaviour not 'can't finish the work' incidents.

Apparently, one boy couldn't finish yesterday annd teacher asked why and he said he hadn't understood so he asked if everyone else had and so of course everyone said yes and he red carded him.

And this teacher is the nice, friendly, right-on face of the school too.

Honeymoon period is over ...SE13 we're moving you're way!!

Hi Debs,

Sorry to read this Debs but having just got DS through primary school I am not at all surprised. Fortunately not all schools are like this but at DS's school the children always got homework weekly even from Y3. I never saw the point of it having read studies showing that homework does not improve performance at primary school level.

I would be having words with this teacher asap regarding the usage of red and yellow cards; it does seem that they are being badly implimented. These children are only 7 after all.

(BTW You should have seen the Achieve Level 4 SATS book we received in y6!!LOL).

Juniors generally is a big jump from infants on all sorts of levels.

My DCs school is more like SE13Mummy's. Not all schools are like this, and you would be surprised where the more relaxed ones are in the league tables.

I teach secondary, and we use red cards, but that is for srious behaviour eg. leaving the class when I have said no, not working hard enough (individually judged), rudeness, defiance, phone out repeatedly etc.

Sorry your school is not better.

Thanks. I can see why some parents at the school say the red card system is meaningless once they get older - it's because they get them all the time!

They are pushy schools round here. I don't know one - not one - that anyone has suggested has a different attitude.

Atila, hope things have gone ok for you at the start of term??

OMG ! is it a private school? sounds harsh ....

No. But we are in a small Cathedral city with grammasr schools and all the schools (except this one) are faith schools and very pushy.

This is actually the most progressive in town.

The rest are full of fire and brimstone assemblies as well as pushy parents cramming for 11+!

Debs

So far so good(!)but they now want me to do a SIP (Statement implimentation plan) whatsit soon so can't wait to see what that is all about. More paperwork no doubt!.

Glad also that your DS liked the t-shirt!.

I would be very concerned. If the teacher is refusing to accept that a lot of the reasons are due to genuine difficulties rather than outright refusal than that doesn't bode well for those children being supported.