Possible move from 60 reception class to village BUT..

[LovingBeingAMummy]

Help! Advice!
DS2 in year r of a 60 reception class. Previously went to nursery with structured, nursery nurese led activities. Here there is register time and some phonics work in group of 30 then free play.
He hasn't brough home any work -no picture/painting. NADA!!!
His behaviour has gone from caslm, good, polite to rude and at times aggressive, especially towards DS1.
DS1 is year $ and doing superb - able and achieeving well. Has good group of friends and was fine in reception.
DS1 is more senstitive and 'looks after himself'. DS2 is a bit more of a rough and tumble child, at nursery his boisteriousness (sp?) was kept under control and let loose in thegarden through running, biking etc. Here I think he is running wild - how can the 2 teachers, 2 TA and NN keep an eye on it all???
He has had a few bumops to the head, which he doesn't tell the teacher about. He tells me it is bcos the teacher isn't there!
Anyway I am looking into moving ONLY him to a village school but am worried it is the wrong move. They are small so they have mixed classes - Yr r, then yr 1 and 2 and then yr 3 and 4.
DOes anyone have ideas on this?
I am 70% towards moving him as I think he will be kept in line, looked after better and pushed with his work. At nursery he was taught phonics and high frequency words but is haveing to do them all again even though i showed the teacher his nursery report.
PLease help me as I willbe discussng with DP tonight. My only concern is the mixed classes. Thnaks for your time.

[redskyatnight]

You are evidently happy with the school in general as your older DS is there.

Are you sure that a move to a different school is the right solution? Seems very soon into the school year to be making such a radical decision. Is it definitely the school affecting his behaviour? I'm noticing at the moment that a lot of children in DS's class (he is in Year 1) are getting tired and grumpy - it's just that stage of term plus the darker nights and colder days are not helping. Your DS has had to cope with a school move plus adjusting to longer day as well.

Have you talked to the teacher about how the school day is structured? Is it a case that they are doing lots of free play at the moment so the children can settle in and the teacher can assess them? Most Receptions will have some adult led activities in groups as well as free play. I wouldn't worry about him doing what he has already done at nursery at this stage - at the moment I would say Reception is mainly about settling in and making friends and getting used to school routines. Can you ask the teacher what they will be doing after half term?

[LovingBeingAMummy]

I have tried to talk toher but she is so busy in the morning and after school.
parents evening is 2 week away so was storing it all up for then. But yesterday and this morning DS was rude and so different.
Hmm perhaps i should give it longer but am so worried that he is copying other kids behaviour. Behaviour i am not happy about. Another parent mentioned the same concerns yesterday and I told him togive it time but it's different when it's your own. I just worry that because it is sobusy and chaotic that not all poor behaviour is picked up.
I have laways had issues with other kids behaviour at school, DS2 has some aggressive kids in his class but he stays away from them. Don;t think DS2 has same atitude - he wants to beinvolved.
But have always looked at it that DC are going have to understand/respond to other children's behaviour at some point of their education so been happy with how DS1 sees it. He tells me about it and understands it isn't the right waytobehave BUT DS2 seems to be bringing it home.
Will discuss with DP butmay leave it until after half term to see if the week off vhanegs anything.
Thanks

[pofacedandproud]

we have this exact same problem. 60 of them playing together much of the day. would have to move to do the village school so considering private [not rich so difficult]

[pofacedandproud]

we've had nothing brought home either.

[Smithagain]

I think you need a proper meeting with the teacher - make an appointment, don't rely on catching her in the playground. And talk it all through properly.

At this stage of term, my experience suggests that an increase in rudeness/aggression at home is totally normal for new Reception starters. Both of my girls have gone through it, as have all my friends' kids. It's a big adjustment, into a much bigger environment and they save up all their bad behaviour for home. As well as getting horribly tired.

BUT your son does need to feel safe, and able to get help when he needs it. And you need to feel reassured that things are, in fact, under careful control, even if it doesn't look like it at first glance.

Having two kids at different schools could be a bit of a nightmare, in terms of day to day practicalities. So I really wouldn't rush into it, if you are basically happy with what's happening further up the school.

[Smithagain]

Oh and yes, we've had no "work" brought home from Reception. We've had a couple of books (for us to read to her, not reading books) and have been asked to practice letter sounds with her as she learns them. But they don't bring home paintings etc home (and I know they are doing some paintings because DD2 told me all about the blue umbrellas she painted today).

[Bramshott]

I can't comment on your particular situation, but I've had a very good experience with mixed classes in my DD1's school. I know some people feel quite anti -and I do think mixing across the key stages might be difficult, but the way it works in DD1's school - Yr R, Yr 1/2, Yr 3/4, Yr 5/6 seems to be great - I think it means the school as a whole can be more flexible, and cater more to the needs of each individual child.

That said, I don't think it's that uncommon to "go from calm, good, polite, to rude and aggressive" in the first few weeks of reception.

[Pyrocanthus]

With a bit of luck they're decorating the place with the paintings, and you'll get them at the end of term. All at once.

[LovingBeingAMummy]

Thanks everyone. Perhaps he needs time to settle. It has been a huge change for him. The village school head was great and said that he is always there for a chat if i wanted to discuss things but I chose to post on here. Bramshott the split is the same as yours so good to know it works well. Head did give me lots of reassurance.
Will leave him there and see how he is over the next month. That's a fair time? Half term will give him a break and then see how he is the following 2 weeks.

[hocuspontas]

It's not the norm to bring work home all the time AFAIK

In our R class, anything the child produces in their free time can either be binned if they don't want it or put in their drawer to take home. We don't check the drawers unless they look like they are becoming a health hazard! Anything produced in adult-led activities for topic work or displays eventually gets put in an art folder to take home at the end of the year.

The adult/child ratio at your school is excellent at 1:12, the legal requirement is 1:30.

Tell the teacher your concerns - she will be able to put your mind at rest and I can assure you reception may appear unstructured but it isn't! Also all schools will be following the EYFS so they should all appear as free and easy as this one!

[Smithagain]

To be honest, I'd wait a term. Just because in my experience it took that long for the kids in DD1's Reception class to settle down and get into the swing of school. They had particular issues with a couple of boys who were all over the place behaviour-wise, but settled down immensely in the second term. And from a personal point of view, DD1 took a term to "get" the pace of school and be able to last the whole day and still have energy at the end of it.

Of course, you know your child best. And if you really think it's not the right place for him, it might be best to move him sooner rather than later. I'd just be very concerned about coping the long term headache of having them at different sites, if it wasn't really necessary.

[FuriousGeorge]

Our school works on the same lines as Bramshot's and it is a lovely school.It is a village school with only about 70 pupils in all,so they all get loads of individual attention.

That saying,dd2 is in reception at the same school,with about 12 in the class and seems to be mostly playing at the moment,but has bought a couple of books/pictures home.