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Original poster

Year 5 wobble....

28 replies

Badvoc · 30/08/2012 11:24

Hello all
I know none of you can tell me what I want to hear but I am feeling so anxious and upset...it's stupid really.
It's ds1s first day back at school today - year 5.
In year 5 He will be expected to be more independent and more mature.
He is 9 and has severe dyslexia (dx) and asd (undx)
He made such great progress last year in y4 and I really hope he can do so again.
I am sat here unable to settle...it's ridiculous!
he will be ok won't he?
I am being idiotic aren't I?
He kept saying he didn't want to go back yesterday :(

OP posts:
auntevil · 30/08/2012 13:26

Also a Y5 Wobbler - although that maybe all the cakes eaten through nerves Grin
DS1 is doing really well - and made excellent progress in Y4. But I seriously don't think that his teacher 'got' his needs at all. He just happened to manage not to annoy her too much by not being able to follow instructions.
I was seething at his school report, with choice comments like 'If he listened more to instructions he would make even more progress'
Most of me wanted to go in and say that he didn't need to listen more, he just needs to be able to compute the instruction into action - and if he could do that, he wouldn't have dyspraxia. DH talked me out of it as we only got the report a couple of days before he left that year and felt that it would achieve FA and would be better spending time cultivating his new teacher.
I don't know about you Badvoc, but I'm starting to have jitters about secondary schools already - in truth it started way before now. We are going to look at all the local schools this year, so I can find out what we need to do for each if we are to stand a dog in hell of getting him in.
SENCo has said that 'with a good transition' he should settle into secondary well. Which I read as - if you can find a school with a SENCo that is up to the job, your DS will 'cope' - if you can't, you're f**d.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 30/08/2012 13:46

auntevil,

re your comment:-
"SENCo has said that 'with a good transition' he should settle into secondary well. Which I read as - if you can find a school with a SENCo that is up to the job, your DS will 'cope' - if you can't, you're f**d".

Yes, that is basically the long and short of it. Secondary schools can be tough for those who have not had their additional needs met and it sounds like your son's needs are not being met now. My friend's child had a tough year 7 primarily because of this reason (also a complete lack of understanding from some with regards to dyslexia and lack of organisational skills).

Badvoc. No you are not being worried for undue reason. I would put the wind up their sails and personally apply for a statement from the LEA. IPSEA's website is good www.ipsea.org.uk

auntevil · 30/08/2012 13:57

Problem is Badvoc, if your DS made progress it's a 2 edged sword.
Obviously you want your DS to do well and progress, but the school will likely use the fact that he has progressed as part of their argument. They will likely say that what they are doing is working as there has been good progression, regardless of the starting point of the progression.

madwomanintheattic · 30/08/2012 14:02
Grin I'm going to be a y6 wobbler next week. Last year ds's teacher burst into tears after an hour and quarter at parent's evening as she was so worried about him.

She warned us that the y6 teachers weren't as experienced with kids like him, and there was a huge possibility that he would be completely misunderstood and spend the year in the principal's office.

So, that's something to look forward to... Hmm

Cup of tea and a slice of cake, and see how he is when gets home?

madwomanintheattic · 30/08/2012 14:03

(learning support offered to help him with organization... Even the 'sympathetic' teacher said no, he has to work it out himself. Righty ho.)

auntevil · 30/08/2012 14:13

I'm caught between the devil and the deep blue on organisation skills.
On the one hand I would be up to the HT like a rat up a drainpipe if I thought that he had been disciplined for organisational skills (lack of). But, I also want my DS to learn some strategies to help him improve his skills - which is a hard task as he is an auditory learner, and visual reminders just don't work.
I think at Y5/6 it has to be a distant support, but the teacher has to be tolerant of any mistakes.
My fear is that if he becomes too reliant on other people, he will flounder well and truly at secondary.

madwomanintheattic · 30/08/2012 15:34

Mm, Tis tricky. I'm trying not to think about it until next tues... Grin

Hope minibadvoc had a stress free day x

Original poster
Badvoc · 30/08/2012 16:12

Thank you for replying all
I have been unable to settle all day - I am nearly 40 Ffs!
Ds2 had a lovely morning at pre school despite telling me last night he didn't want to go...ever!
Ds1 seems fine :) he did some Maths apparently but finished before everyone else and got to play games in the computer. He is being assessed by the teacher on Monday reading wise...you should see the book he has brought home (shakes head in wonder) it's about earthworms and he read it in about 1 min flat...sigh. He reads much more complex books at home...which I was telling them last term too. Will see what happen on Monday...)
But if they give him an easy book I will go in! :)
He seems fine. He need the new reception kids at lunch time which he loves...makes him feel grown up :)
I think ds1 now falls in the gap between ability tables iyswim? His current table is too easy but they obv feel the next one is too hard :(
Auntievil - I know what you mean re: progress. At the meeting I had with his last teacher and ht they were very pleased with his progress (first term he has made any progress at that school!) and I just sat there and thought, "fine, you take the credit, it's not the exercises, diet, supplements and computer program's that dh and I do with him at home that have helped him at all. Its all you. whatever.
Sigh......

OP posts:
Original poster
Badvoc · 30/08/2012 16:13

Oh, and in this la they go to middle school so next year he has that to deal with...wobble.

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Original poster
Badvoc · 30/08/2012 16:15

Madwoman...I home schooled ds for 2010 (long story involving systematic bullying and crap school and teachers)
I really is the best option for some kids.
Ds1 missed the social side of school - play times etc.
In fact his friend is here now and they are on the ps3 (bad mother)

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madwomanintheattic · 30/08/2012 16:31

Ah, middle school here starts in y5, so ds went last year.

Glad he had a good day. Ds is also gifted, which makes it all quite complicated - his focus (in typical ADHD hyper focus terms) can be obsessive if he's interested, but school doesn't seem to give him that impetus. We have to register by 30 Sept to HE here. So I'm going to see how the first few weeks go...

Original poster
Badvoc · 30/08/2012 16:37

Have you checked out the education otherwise website?
I found that very good.
Also the he boards on MN...very knowledgable group!
They all helped me very much.
Ds1 is the same re: obsessions...currently it's ww1 and ww2 and he has just discovered pirates of the Caribbean :)

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Handywoman · 30/08/2012 16:45

Can I join? DD is about to go int Y5 with an ongoing situation of unmet needs (dyslexia) and a new teacher who my youngest had (and was rubbish) and who does not 'believe in' Dyslexia. She is plodding and her confidence bumps along at rock bottom with her academic achievement. School are quite happy about this. They tell me it is my fault. Am also petrified about secondary school.

Considering applying direct to LEA for statement in order to get the school to wake up!

Pass the Valium!!

Original poster
Badvoc · 30/08/2012 17:01

Try apples and pears workbooks by sound foundations if you want to help your dd.
Also look at her diet, and give her supplements to improve her concentration...omega 3 and multivitamin.
My son has made huge strides since last year :)

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Handywoman · 30/08/2012 17:21

Thanks will check those out xxx

auntevil · 30/08/2012 18:42

Badvoc - the school will accept any credit for progress where they can - then use it to beat you with!
Re the worm book. Sometimes its not the reading the words that they are assessing, but the comprehension and the ability to expand on. This can be where DS1 falls down. He is often given books that technically are too low in level, but I know myself that if I ask him a question about it a few minutes later, he hasn't a clue. He has short term memory issues. Ask him a couple of years later and he would remember.
Don't get me started on WW1 and 2. Just don't get him started on the military channel. Trust me, looking at a blurry picture and being asked if it is a glock or some other WMD that he is interested in, is hell!

Original poster
Badvoc · 31/08/2012 08:04

:)

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moosemama · 31/08/2012 12:46

Haven't read whole thread (sorry, not well at all and MNetting to take my mind off it) - but I am a year 6 wobbler. I will be feeling just the same as you come next Tuesday. In fact I am stoopidly avoiding getting all the dc's kit together and labelled this year because I am dreading getting back on the treadmill so much. Doesn't help that dd is starting Nursery half days as well this September and I am so sad about that it's untrue. Sad

I just wanted to say that year 5 was ds1's best ever year at school. He made huge leaps both socially and educationally. His nc levels don't reflect it, but we know, so did his teachers and so do we.

A good deal of the progress was down to fantastic teachers, but also the way the teaching changed. There was a lot more whole topic curriculum stuff, which helped to get him fired up and interested in learning all he could about the subject matter. They were also more flexible about the way he presented 'project' type homework, so he did most of them using either Word or Powerpoint and one really great one Photostory presentation that he narrated himself and impressed the whole of his year (so helped him socially as well as academically). The Photostory one was fantastic because he didn't need to do any writing or typing to speak of - other than the odd title page or caption.

I hope your ds has a good day and it's the start of another good year for him.

notactuallyme · 31/08/2012 12:56

I'm with you! ds (asd, dx in april, not a surprise) starts y5 and I don't know how it will go with his teacher. The last two totally got him and he has been fine. I am really really worried abou the social side of secondary. No chance of a ssen, so will have to look round schools ec. Hoping for grammar as it would suit him , but that means working on receptive written language. badvoc - glad he had a good day.

Original poster
Badvoc · 31/08/2012 16:35

Sorry to hear you aren't feeling good moose :(
Ds2 started pre school 5 mornings per week yesterday too so was feeling ait all over the place yesterday :)
He had a great day - both of them did - so that's good.
Ds1s teachers last year were so good...they really "got" him and it showed.
Next sept I will have ds2 going into reception and ds1 staring middle school....wanders off to google online Valium suppliers....:)

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moosemama · 31/08/2012 19:50

Thanks Badvoc.

Glad to hear he had a good day and ds2 has taken to pre-school ok as well.

Can't believe I didn't notice the thread was from yesterday. Honestly I don't know where my head is at at the moment. Blush

We can hold hands together next year - dd starts reception and ds1 is off to secondary.

IndigoBell · 31/08/2012 20:16

I'll certainly join the Y5 wobbles thread. :)

DDs made huge progress over summer - which like you all say is a bit of a double edged sword.

I have absolutely no idea how this year will go. So I wobble between optimism and anger and total worry.

FedUpOfSlugs · 31/08/2012 23:21

Another yr 5 wobbler here, we just got dx of HFA for ds yesterday. School are aware of problems and SENCo has been good so far, but this year means new SENCo and teacher. Plus still trying to get our heads around the fact he has an actual diagnosis now.

auntevil · 01/09/2012 14:00

Getting wobblier as the back to school date gets closer.
Had a good/bad session at the eye hospital - who have basically recommended he needs to see the EP at school. Realistically unlikely - he will be way down the list.
So need to start Y5 by the usual teacher/SENCo/parent meeting to run through everything again. Drives me mad - why they can't do a proper handover is beyond me. So what the hell is it going to be like at secondary.
Also met with a mum who has 2 DS at the school that my DS is likely to be offered if we don't fight. Her DS2 is a bit geeky but no dx - has been constantly bullied and hates school (his words - school work is fine, all the people there are complete *** - including the teachers). His mum has been up there 5 times last school year, called in by the HT to deal with incidents where her DS has been the victim. They have done sweet FA. What chance does my DS have?
Could quite honestly sit here and weep - and he's only going into Y5 - going to be a gibbering wreck next year.

IndigoBell · 01/09/2012 14:54

Auntevil - what eye problems does he have?

We still have 2 years to help our kids before they get thrown to the lions secondary school.

2 years. We can do it.

It was exactly this time (start of Y5) that I was determined DS would start secondary school not needing any help. It seemed like an impossible task at the time.

And I've done it. He goes ino Y7 next week, and I'm not worried about him beating up other kids