reception class- are targets too high??

[kittykat001]

Im writing at the end of my tether really.
My son is nearly at the end of his reception year, I had my parent consultation with his teacher last week who basically told me that he is below average in the class, his handwriting is very bad, as well as maths. I work full time- I read every night with him, we do all his homework at weekends - everything has been done 'our end' to my knowledge until now. When I am asked my friends how he has been getting on I have been gushing about how pleased I've been with his reading and writing (I didnt even think he'd be doing so much in the first year of school!) adn he seems happy enough.
When he comes home from school my parents or the childminder (whoever collects) encourages him to change, have a bite to eat adn then go outside to play and run about. I dont really want him to be doing work as soon as he gets home - (he is only 5!!).
So I am feeling very dispondent about the school- firstly not telling me that he was so far behind - and secondly that they are doing so much academic work- of course I knew that - but I thought it would mainly be done through play. I thought the idea of reception was for the school to 'receive' the children and then prepare them for the years ahead. I also feel like I hvae perhaps failed my son in some way- but possibly now making him feel that he isnt as clever as the other children in his class.
Is this how all reception classes work? Or is this standard? shoudl I be thinking about moving him? I dont know what to do.....
(am having another meeting with the teacher - who didnt actually have that much positive stuff to tell me about him, later in the week).

[TeenAndTween]

Hi.
There is a difference between "below average" and "so far behind".

So first I think you need to understand is he worryingly behind or just lower half of class

Then consider is he summer or autumn born? If summer born it could well be a maturity thing. Gross generalisation, but autumn born girls do better in yR than summer born boys.

Then maybe ask for specific examples of what they expect at end yR and compare with your child, and then if appropriate discuss catch up strategies with them.

for what it's worth my DDs writing was terrible until end y2 when it clicked, she just didn't have the motor skills before.

To improve writing you don't necessarily need to practice writing, colouring in could be fine. To improve maths you can build it into every day life, eg counting cars etc which I would consider playing not academic work.

try not to worry.

[sitzonhandz]

Is this a duplicate thread?

[learnandsay]

Yes it's a duplicate.

[kittykat001]

Thank you Teen and Tween.
This is helpful. He doesnt like colouring in but I wil definately encorouge this with him.