The school are suggesting putting Dd1 into the nursery

[sparklymieow]

for a hour a day, I know she will benifit from this, but she is 5 and her dd2 is at the same nursery, and I don't know if she will like being in a 'baby' class. She is delayed and isn't learning because she is so behind, the Senco suggested letting her go into the nursery for a hour a day where they learn through play, which she would benifit from. But its 2 years behind her peers, and I don't want her classmates thinking she is a baby. ooooo... I don't know what to do...

that should have read 'her sister, dd2'

hard one sparkly - is she in mainstream?

yep she is in yr1 atm.

it's a hard one as it's a step back so to speak for her to understand - can the senco not organise tasks for her through play in her current school enviroemnt?

or am i talking crap as usual

Ermmmm...

when i wqas a small child, my primary school handled this really well. They sent "sensible" children down to the 1st infants (reception) to "help".

And we swallowed it, we all swallowed it. Because some children were sent to help, so most of the class knew that when you went downstairs to see the little infants, you were helping the, and it was a treat for you.

It was only my mum who enlightened me 10 years later that some of the children were sent down to reception to give them a basic grounding to help them to catch up. I am not sure even the children who were sent knew who was helping and who was being helped. We all thought we were helping.

Hope this helps you!

The problem is that yr1 is very structed and she still needs to learn through play IYKWIM. Thats a very good idea colditz I'll mention it to the senco and see if they can do the same.

My mum was the special needs assistant after I left the school, which had (and still does have) a very high percentage of children with special educational needs and emotional needs.

I always enjoyed my time in the infant's classes anyway, there was certainly no stigma attached.

I think I am worrying because some of the kids called DS(8) and Dd1(5) babies after they saw me strapping them into their carseats!! I thought you are supposed to use carseats up to aged 11 now, and these kids were only 5-6 yrs old. Anyway, I don't want her feeling ashamed because she has to go in with the babies. I just wish I had kept her back one year like we were orginially going to do, she would be in reception now and none the wiser.

I'd be concerned about it mieow. For social reasons and because it suggests that the school isn't meeting her needs. Ds1 spent time all over the place at ms (including back in reception- for play- although he wouldn't have been aware of any issues about that- where as your dd may be). He ended up excluded within the school, applying the word inclusion to his situation was a joke.

Sooo what I'm trying to say badly is that whilst I wouldn't worry about the fact she was spending time in a nursery setting playing (and at 5 I wouldn't worry too much about social stigma of going down a class- although I would as she got a little older), I would be concerned that that was because they weren't able to meet her needs. I would be worried about what it was a symptom of iyswim. But you are in the best position to judge it in the round.

It sounds to me as if the school are trying to to the best they can for her needs. They have obviosly thught long and hard about what will be best for her. I love Colditz idea.

I think its a good idea, just worried how she will feel about it, You can't explain to her about it, because she wouldn't understand.

my dd1 is yr 1 and doesn't have special needs but i know she would really love the chance to go and play in the nursery for an hour a day with her little sister. they miss each other at school usually. i don't think it would occur to her that it was babyish.

have you asked her if she'd like it?

I would be really concerned about the school's approach actually. Year 1 'really structured!' I understand schools have routines but I would be really worried about a child of five having to be MOVED to learn through play! All children should be at five, surely! I would personally like to chat to the Headteacher about this. If they are suggesting an hour a day only, then I think the school should be offering the help of a learning support assistant within her OWN class, to help her learn.

If this fails, others have said about presenting the move to her in a positive light and say she is helping the babies - which I think sounds a great idea. If she does have to go down this route I think that approach will work and she may really enjoy a feeling of being trusted and responsible. I think as long as she gets something from the experience then it's fine, however it's done. Just keep an eye that she is feeling it's a bonus rather than 'being moved down' and I'm sure she'll be fine. Good luck x

I think I would be wondering why dd1's needs weren't being met within the classroom tbh. Are they thinking of any specific activities that she will be doing while she is there, eg sand-play for OT purposes or role-play to help with her social skills etc or will she just be basically left to get on with whatever she wants to for the whole hour? I think I would want to know what level of supervision/direction she would be getting.

My son's school tried to suggest I do this with my son who has aspergers, as this is the course of action they have taken before with children with aspergers. I was dead against this, and he was not put into nursery.