Should I mention to the teacher

[whogrewoutoftheterribletwos]

DS is 8 and just started at a new school (in Scotland so schools already back). He had issues with concentration and social situations at his previous school so we have a meeting with his teacher tomorrow.

Yesterday DS mentioned that he wished he was in reading group 1 because they were reading Fantastic Mr Fox and George's Marvellous Medicine whereas his group was on the thin basic reading books. DS was reading Roald Dahl books to himself when he was 5/6 and has always been ahead when it comes to reading, so should I ask for him to be moved up in class? DS said there was no assessment of his reading level and he was just arbitrarily put into a group. Or will I seem like a pushy parent and put his teacher off?

[Leeds2]

I don't think there would be any harm in mentioning it, although the teacher may not move him! She probably wants to carry out her own assessment of his abilities, but I would hope would be receptive to all relevant input.

[Pinkje]

Just mention it tomorrow then. Was there any report made from his old school to the new?

TBH i wouldn't worry too much, it's much more important that he makes friends at this stage (which he might neglect if he gets hung up in being in the 'wrong' reading group).

[sourdrawers]

My sister's literacy levels were above average at primary school. Her spelling was good and she read all the time, she even wrote girly stories about air hostesses and princesses. On arriving at secondary school, she was above average in literacy. But she was denied music lessons which she was very keen on, instead she was herded into a remedial group for extra literacy lessons with kids with low literacy levels. She couldn't understand why .

In this remedial class, despite her upset at being there, she excelled getting full marks or thereabouts on spelling tests. The teacher even excluded her from the tests as she found them too easy. He'd let her read, even letting her help the other kids spell. These lessons took place in a room with big windows so all the kids could see them and the teacher let this class run over into the morning break, which gave the other kids a chance to gather around and take the piss. The teacher often told her he couldn't understand why she'd been put in this class. But nothing happened 'till she told me about it.

I told Mum that she was really unhappy, Mum went to the school, saw the head who summoned the teacher who told them it's al been a mistake, that her name should never have been put on a list of kids that needed extra learning in the first place, as if anything, she was much brighter than the average. She was taken out of this class. But she carried the stigma, it damaged her. When she'd do well in the other classes the kids would enjoy taking her down a peg by taking the piss out of her being in this remedial group. She felt from then on, it didn't matter how well you did, or how bright you were, things like this happened. She felt unlucky, I suppose semi-depressed and became disruptive. She pulled it around and did well academically she even went on to uni'.

So, yes do something OP, intervene the quicker the better IMO.

[Bilberry]

I suspect the teacher wants to make her own assessment of his ability. She also probably wants to make sure he has covered all that level before moving him, especially if he has come from a different schooling system who may deal with different things at different stages. It is also normal for children to read higher level books at home than they do at school. Having said all that, I do think you should mention it to the teacher along with what he was doing at his old school. Rather than ask for him to be moved up, ask if she can assess his reading level. The reading group he has been put in may also reflect his concentration issues.