We have recently moved from a small rural school where children were grouped according to ability, not age, but they were still classified according to year group. For example, our year 3 was learning maths at at year 7 level, reading at year 4 level, and PE and science with her peers.
We have had to move to a much larger school where our children are in classes in their year groups.
They are all now working a lower levels than they were last year, AAAARGH Now the older 2 are slowly disengaging with the school. One child has decided not to do any maths because he knows it all ( which he does, ) and tells me he "can't "explain" the strategies the way the teacher wants him to. I have kept all his work and assessments from last year where it clearly shows that he can answer the question AND explain how he did so. (His explanations may not match the way the teacher thinks it out, but they do make sense.)
And YES I HAVE discussed this with the school already!
As an aside, and I think I can safely say it here, I was reading when I started school at 4, and according to my mum was doing multiplication and division at that stage too, and I clearly remember the point at which I disengaged from school in year 6, when I was doing pointless activities in class to fill the time while the others finished the work. I don't want to see happen to my children what happened to me!
Looking around, there don't appear to be any answers, but I just needed to rant.
Sorry to hear that you're having such a difficult time. I know it sounds like small comfort but at least be glad that you HAVE work and assessments - my woefully neglected EG child has had work mysteriously 'lost' by teachers two years in a row now. No proof of their disgraceful neglect. (We are following this up and will take our complaint as far as we can).
My other EG child wandered away from the classroom today, unnoticed by the teacher, in a school that claims everything is normal with the child, despite "average" performance in tests from this EG child, work uncompleted, work not even started, things like walking off and every extended family member, friend, sports coach, etc, approaching us with concerns about the child.
But, back to your concern. What are your options? If there are problems with the school, is it with the teachers or the management? Supportive teachers are there. We've had one. (Only one, but she was amazing). I guess you wont want another change of school if you've just moved, but, would a change of teacher be a possibility? Would the school be more supportive if you had outside support (eg from a psychologist) and is that feasible?
Home education?
Best of luck. We have been nothing short of disgusted with the way some children are treated by the very profession whose job it is to nurture, educate, and care for them. I have also been grateful beyond belief for that rare teacher who can turn a child's life around and gently pull him or her from the hell that other teachers create for these kids. I hope you and your children find these rare teachers soon.
Am I right in presuming they have only been at their new school for a couple of weeks? Maybe it will just take a little more time before the teachers get to know them and see they need more advanced work.
My daughter went to a small rural school where they worked at their own level regardless of age too but even so she was accelerated a year which has proved its worth now she is in Year 9. She still has a real love of learning. I am not pro or anti acceleration but I know it was essential for my daughter to keep motivated.
