School Days – school trip and split class
After last week’s ‘I can’t be bothered’ with my #SchoolDays post, I’m back this week. Although following last week and having nothing to write, N is still not being very forthcoming with what he’s been up to. Instead, I’ve been fuming to various people about his year still being split and movement up (or not). More on that later.
Onto this week’s school days.
School trip
The highlight of N’s week was of course the school trip. They went to a dinosaur world and animal park to follow on from their work on dinosaurs and fossils last term.
N hasn’t mentioned much about the trip other than the coach:
‘The coach had a toilet on it, and a television by the toilet, but I didn’t believe the girl who said that’.
‘Who would take the foundation children if they needed the toilet because they’re not big enough to hold onto the seats when they walk along the bus’.
And that they dug for fossils and he was in a group with one of the TAs. Other than that, it’s a mystery what else they did.
VIP
N was VIP again this week. I think it was for writing, but he was a little vague on it.
Red Nose Day
Thankfully N’s school don’t do anything complicated for charity days. Red Nose day just needed him to wear something red which is acceptable to N. Then take in cakes for the cake sale, which I totally forgot about, and then when I suggested we make cookies to take in he wasn’t in agreement. Each class was due to do a fun activity, with N’s current class 1 doing silly dancing. But N was scornful of it – supposedly no-one knew how to do silly dancing so they didn’t do it. Whether that was just him not joining in or not I don’t know, but usually he’ll happily show me stupid dancing if asked.
This was just another thing that got me riled about the split class situation.
Too tired to read
If I can’t persuade N to do his reading (at least half) on the day it’s given to him, then I can usually predict it doesn’t get done, or only under duress. But this week, N refused on the Wednesday to read his book. Then on Thursday after the school trip was so tired he gave up doing his maths homework halfway through, and wouldn’t do reading. Then fell asleep on the sofa at 6.30.
Split class
It’s getting to the stage of the year where it’s really annoying me now that N is still in the split year, in the lower class with reception rather than with the majority of the year who’re in with year twos. Last year, by Christmas all the years ones had moved up. This year, I asked at parent’s evening because I was concerned N was left behind and that I was hoping they would be moved up soon. I was told it might be half term (it wasn’t) or at least at some point in the summer term to get them used to being in class 2. But I don’t think the latter is needed given they’ve been going up for all work except for literacy for a while.
It’s been good for N to build up his confidence in reading and writing, but now little things are bugging me. The first was red nose day where Class 2 were doing a talent show, and N’s class were doing silly dancing (or not). So he missed out on doing something a bit more constructive (or possibly doing anything).
Then there’s been the being left out of friendships as the others are together all the time.
Then this week N got quite upset about class assemblies. He wanted to know if he’d get to be in one this year. Class 2 did theirs this week, but obviously he wasn’t in it because he’s not in that class. But his current class assembly won’t be until next term. When hopefully he’ll finally be moving up. So potentially he misses out on doing an assembly at all. I thought he wouldn’t be bothered by it, but he brought it up and wanted to know why all the year ones weren’t doing an assembly together.
He was also put out this week by another child from his class allegedly (according to N and another child) moving up to the other class for some further parts of learning. N wanted to know why he hadn’t gone up as well. I can’t answer that because I don’t know what the expectations are. Getting N to ask his teacher what he needed to do to move up too isn’t going to happen. So I’m going to have to arrange a meeting with the 2 teachers to find out what the intentions are I’m getting a bit demoralised about the split class now. I want him to be in with the older year to get the benefits of that while he has the chance, and be in with friends, as he has friends in year 2, and none he’d class as friends in reception.
How’s your school week gone?
The split class situation does sound very frustrating! I would definitely want to know what was going on too. I’m confused as to how they can actually move kids up. Is the class above small? And if it is, why weren’t all the year 1s in it in the first place? I do hope he gets to do an assembly this year.
As with everything it’s complicated. 15 per year, although N’s year was 18 originally, then 20, now back to 17. They always split the year 1s to let those who are less into sitting still (N basically spent the whole of reception playing in the outdoor learning area), or need more help getting up to speed with something specific and phase them in to faster working. So N’s maths was good, but reading and writing he didn’t really do last year. Lots of friends with older kids always said, given the chance keep them down so they get phased in to sitting down all day/less play etc. So there have been benefits, and they go up for topic, sports. Then they went up for maths, so now it’s only literacy they do in class 1 (to a different level to reception).
But usually all Year 1s have moved up after Christmas and ours haven’t, but my concern was that moving them all up would put the class over 30 and cause issues there with extra teachers needed etc because they’re KS1. N’s been going up for reading books since Christmas so I know his reading is fine for his age now, his writing has improved lots and he’s more willing to do it. There’s a class 2 walk out to the church this week for RE, so I hope that’s included in topic work, so he’ll go as well.
What doesn’t help things is that his best friend moved up, he does have a good friend (now) in his class, and another he did get on with but he said he’s started joining in with the others who he tells me are naughty, muck around, hit etc. So it feels like he’s stuck with trouble makers and missing out from being in a class with lots of his friends. Hopefully they’ll go up after Easter and he’ll be ready and thrive.
Ahh! My girl sometimes gets tired and struggles to do her reading. It always ends in such a battle….
Oh no. The split class sounds very frustrating. Poor N.
I hope he gets the move soon x
N loves books but hates reading. The annoying thing is, he could do it at after school club earlier, or he could do it as soon as he gets home, but he leaves it for ages, then obviously is tired. Drives me mad.