Poor report card results and no contact from teacher!

I am looking for thoughts and opinions on this
My daughters report card has just come in and she has received D for achievement in maths and English but B and C for effort. She received similar results last report card. I am concerned as to why she is not getting average or above average results when she is putting in the effort?? And more concerning is that we have not been contacted regarding this, there has been no request for parent teacher interview or suggestion of further help for her! Comments are she grasps basic English and basic maths, she probably should be receiving more help if she is just grasping the basics in grade 3!!!! I really dislike her school and feel class sizes are way too large, children receiving below average results seems to be looked upon as normal and require no further attention. If I had my way she would be going to a private school where she would probably get the help she needs.
Am I expecting too much or is my concern well warranted??
Thank you

If she's getting a C for effort then a D seems to be a logical outcome for achievement.

Requests for parent/teacher interviews needn't be instigated by the school, in fact if a parent/teacher interview isn't a standard part of the school's reporting process I would assume that the onus is on you. If you have concerns then contact the school and set up an interview. Are you in regular contact with the teachers throughout the term? I try to touch base at least once a fortnight just to ask if everything is going ok and if there is anything I need to know about.

What about opportunities to volunteer in your children's classrooms? It gives you a chance to observe the classroom dynamic for yourself and also helps you to get to know your children's teachers and classmates.

ETA - if you dislike the school it is very possible that your daughter has picked up the vibe from you even if you haven't been explicit about it to her. That could have an impact on her attitude towards school. FWIW I don't think that a private school would necessarily be any better. There are awful and amazing schools in both systems and most of them are neither. Academic outcomes are often related more to parental influence than schools so it is entirely possible that poor results are the norm at your school and that this is not due to the class or the school.

Maybe I am working on an old school grading where a D achievement is not a good one?? I have contacted teachers in the past and asked how she is going I am always told she's going fine so I assumed she was doing fine. I requested that she repeat prep because I felt she was struggling back then but was told she looks like she is doing fine and repeating is not school policy :(. I will be asking for an interview this time round. I help her with homework and she does fine, I do need to help her out on occasions which I think is normal. Unfortunately I work full time and cannot volunteer at the school :( her behaviour and interactions with other classmates is fine there's no issue there. I just can't understand why a D level achievement is not brought to your attention until reporting time.

Knowing the school that you are talking about - I would switch her. As discussed on facebook, when DS went to that school he was doing great - until we switched him to another school and they picked up that even though he could read lots of words at a high level - his comprehension was quite low. His teacher at that school NEVER told me that, kept on telling me how wonderful he was doing, he was the best reader in the class etc etc.

It took his new teacher at his new school to realise his comprehension was at a level 8, and not level 20 like the old school said.

I say switch her. They are only after results at that school and totally gloss over the fact that other kids are struggling. They push the ones that can easily achieve above average levels so they can get more money.

Not sure if Qld is different but in Vic a C means at expected level a
a D is slightly below , might be worth checking what they mean first.

I'm in NSW, but we also use A-E descriptors. I found the descriptors below for Qld.

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The QCAR Standards guide reporting of student achievement and progress in Years 1–3. They are as follows:
A Evidence in a student’s work typically demonstrates a very high level of knowledge and understanding of concepts, facts and procedures, and application of processes.
B Evidence in a student’s work typically demonstrates a high level of knowledge and understanding of concepts, facts and procedures, and application of processes.
C Evidence in a student’s work typically demonstrates a sound level of knowledge and understanding of concepts, facts ad procedures, and application of processes.
D Evidence in a student’s work typically demonstrates a limited level of knowledge and understanding of concepts, facts and procedures, and application of processes.
E Evidence in a student’s work typically demonstrates a very limited knowledge and understanding of concepts, facts and procedures, and application of processes.

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Based on the above descriptors, your DD is probably performing below the standard for her age/grade/stage level, however the outcomes/standards she is being assessed against may be for the end of year three or even the end of year four (if assessment is across stages- not sure in Qld) so it may not be as bad as it looks. However, she may need extra assistance with literacy and numeracy. She may well be receiving some already? What programs are running within the school?

As for effort equalling achievement, unfortunately that is often not the case with regards to grasping literacy and numeracy concepts. Practising at home would be of huge benefit though.

My concern is what contact did you make with the school after the last report card? Have you attended parent/teacher interviews, class orientation at the start of the year? You need to develop a relationship with your child's school (whichever school that may be). Schools have finite resources (financial and otherwise ie time) and if the demographics mean that many students have additional learning or behavioral needs, then students who are at least gasping the basics are probably not the first priority. That said, I'm sure your child's teacher would be only to happy to give you guidance on what you can be doing to help her improve.

Yep, these days 'c' means working at year level and 'd' being below. If you're concerned request a meeting with the teacher :)

This is a very sensitive subject to me, it's very disheartening to see your child is struggling with school work and not achieving results they should be at this stage of their schooling life. It's kind of a slap in the face and I feel that I have failed her a little as a parent because I am not more involved in her schooling. However, I feel that the school has failed us by saying "your daughter is doing fine" but then slap her with a D for achievement. I think the school has a duty of care to advise when a student is struggling instead of saying here's a D she's not where she should be. After the last report card her father attended a parent teacher meeting and was told she can put a little more effort in but doing fine. I am looking into tutoring for her to give her a boost.

On a good note she is doing fantastic at art and PE :)

Don't think ofit as a "D" though, the new system isn't like the old one we are used, very few students achieve an A now because its basically over 1 year ahead. A D means she is probably a out 3-6 myths behind where they would expect her to be for this time of year but a pt interview will iron out where her knowledge might be lacking and what you could do at home.

Report cards in my opinion are waste of time, both the parents & the teachers. They are not individualised reflections of your childs achievements. Meetings with your teacher are the best way to go about it, even then in my experience so far you still need to really dig to get the full picture.

Thank you that was very helpful and makes a lot of sense because she is one of the youngest in her class

I understand you are concerned and have been for a while. However it's not the teacher's job to instigate the interaction with parents. They have provided you with feedback by way of reports & every school we've ever been provides regular teacher interview opportunities. As a parent you can request a meeting with the teacher at any time, and if you have concerns then don't ever let an interview opportunity pass you by.

It's your child, you drive the bus.

I used to come onto this website to get help and guidance, I thought I would get that tonight however I seem to be getting a lot of criticism for not contacting the school more often. I am a full time worker and up until recently I was a single mum dealing with a lot and on my own. I am not perfect but neither is anyone else on this planet. I am not the only one in the situation of bad report cards and not knowing your child is struggling until it's too late. My daughter is very proud and obviously too proud to say something and let me know she is struggling (she may not even know she is struggling). I am not with my daughter while she is at school I WORK FULL TIME... Why can't the teacher send a letter home saying hey your daughter is struggling just letting you know or write a side note in her homework book next to her hand written marking. The school never seems to have a drama sending letters home when they need money. And If I knew the bus was crashing I would have swerved.

I don't think the bus is crashing.
A c is working at expected level for the year. A d is slightly behind but it's not a disaster.

OK so maybe I got a little cranky there, we're not crashing just stalling

Im sorry you are feeling attacked. The education process goes both ways. I don't think you should be solely responsible for contacting the school to find out how your child is progressing. But the school should contact you if they think your child is having difficulty at school. I understand your worry when it comes to the report card, and yes I would be contacting the school to make a time for a meeting with the teacher. But I also wonder whether your dd's results were not picked up until report time, or that they are not in the lowest performing group in the class. Perhaps being the mid year report your dd's teacher is noting where she requires assistance but has faith that with work she will improve in the second half of the year.
My advice is call the school in the morning, make a time for an appointment and talk tot eh teacher about your dd's report card and progress. You are not at fault but also I don't think the school is either, especially if she is not in the bottom group of achievers in the class.

Another idea would be to get her teachers school email addy and keep in contact that way from now on.

Huge hugs huni...I find even in the UK reports arent a true view of how you are doing. Much love and hugs xxx

Sorry you feel like people are criticising, I don't think that is the case, just people trying to explain the way the system works.

As a primary teacher I would not be contacting parents if a child was 6 mths behind where they need to be, especially as kids can be making really great progress, be happy, positive and enthusiastic, and not "struggling" but just happen to be behind a benchmark that is set by government. I also expect all parents to attend pt interviews which doesn't happen all the time so maybe I am unreasonable in that expectation.

At my school we aim for there to be no surprises come report time. It is a huge part of our job to keep parents in the loop, through many channels. Having said this, this is the culture of the school. The principal has worked with staff to make sure we are all trying to do this. No one is perfect, but it can be a road that is met in the middle. I agree with other advice of making a meeting, after that, go with your gut, vote with your feet for your daughters best interest (which of course is your priority). I wish you luck in your choices and I think your passionate because it is your daughter - it's natural to feel emotional because you care so deeply xxx

2girlz, I agree with you - I would be very unhappy if I had been told that my child is doing 'fine' and then I received a report card which showed that s/he was performing at a level below what is expected at this time of year. To say that the teacher may not have been aware of the issue until now would make me even angrier. I expect that my child's teacher is constantly evaluating her performance and ability to ensure that she is being taught at the correct level and has grasped each concept before building on that concept with further teaching.

A couple of PP's have said that they wouldn't expect contact from the teacher, particularly if your child is not in the lowest performing group. I don't paticularly care how other children in the class are performing, I only care how my child is performing and how that performance measures against the standardised expectations for that time of year. The fact that other children may be struggling a lot does not diminish the fact that my child is struggling a little!

I don't think a D is cause for great angst, I do think it is worthy of a meeting with your DD's teacher. I agree with PP's that there is no reason that you shouldn't contact the school to make an appointment. I agree with the poster who suggested that email might be a great way to keep in touch with the teacher.

FWIW, my DS (grade 2) has lagged behind in his literacy and achieved a D on his last report. I was contacted by the school well prior to receiving his report card and I have been invited to attend numerous meetings with his class teacher, the literacy specialist teacher and the head of literacy learning. In each meeting, it has been explained to me what level my DS is at in terms of his literacy, what the expected level is at that time of year, what measures are currently being undertaken to assist my DS with his literacy and what the future plan of assistance is. My DS is not lagging a great deal, he is slightly behind the expected level. I am very pleased with the way that the school is assisting my DS, giving me direction in the best way to assist him and keeping me informed of his progress. I would expect- and accept- nothing less.

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FWIW, my DS (grade 2) has lagged behind in his literacy and achieved a D on his last report. I was contacted by the school well prior to receiving his report card and I have been invited to attend numerous meetings with his class teacher, the literacy specialist teacher and the head of literacy learning. In each meeting, it has been explained to me what level my DS is at in terms of his literacy, what the expected level is at that time of year, what measures are currently being undertaken to assist my DS with his literacy and what the future plan of assistance is. My DS is not lagging a great deal, he is slightly behind the expected level. I am very pleased with the way that the school is assisting my DS, giving me direction in the best way to assist him and keeping me informed of his progress. I would expect- and accept- nothing less.

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I agree with this so much!! This is the important stuff. Clear steps to help the student do their very best. There are some great ideas here for you to take to your meeting :)

I am in qld too and have just received our 2nd term report card. They have actually used the vha, ha, sound etc terminology on this one. At the bottom it says, parent teacher interview welcomed but not required. I figure others may have a comment saying recommended etc. our teacher says she will speak to a parent throughout the year as things arise, but i can see how that may not happen for working parents as easily.

Emailing the office would be a good idea and sending a note to school with your child is something else I have done on the days I work.

Apparently, a sound 'c' is what they want all children to achieve by certain times of the year and is a good mark.

Sometimes children don't particularly respond well to certain types of assessment. For eg, my dd got a sound in history because it was an oral presentation and she used a quiet voice. However, she understood the concepts really well.

I think you should sim to touch base with your teacher, if only to get her to explain how and why the report card is graded etc.

By the way, I would be annoyed if told she was doing well and then got a d. But I'm sure the teacher can talk you through it. Good luck.

Thank you, the last couple of posts have been more enlightening. I will certainly be requesting a parent teacher interview to discuss where she is struggling and what will be done to help her along.

I agree. A relationship with your childs school is very important. When I only had DD1 at school I didn't realise how important this was. I was lucky that even though she wasn't top of the class, she didn't struggle too much.
But when DD2 started (a month younger than your DD, in grade 3 also, so young) I had to be involved. DD2's kindy (prep) teacher DID contact me. But her contact was because she thought DD may have had some learning problems/disabilities. Turns out she was right & now I worry so much about DD2 being left behind that I don't give the school an option. I know of at least one other mother who has a daughter having issues at school (violence) & it wasn't brought to her attention until they put it in the report card. THAT was not fair. But I bug the school year round about how DD2 is doing, not jus report time.

Our school principle isn't the greatest. Most of the community can't stand her & want her gone (for VERY good reason). I honestly bypass her, straight to my kids teachers. She only seems to care about the schools reputation, the teachers actually care about the kids.

I think being a smaller school helps us. But I'd talk to her teacher, find out where she's struggling & ways to help. For DD2 this year, its been as simple as getting her to write out made up stories at home & think about punctuation & paragraphs etc. And that works for DD2, because her mind isn't academic, it's creative. Structured homework to help DD isn't worth the time & stress for her to do it. Making up her own princess stories is something she's keen to do :)

As a primary teacher I have to disagree with a lot of the comments here. I would think I hadn't done my job if the report card was the first time a parent was learning that her child was receiving a "D". As for the person who said that the teacher may not have known it would be a D until report time. That's a pretty poor teacher and reason enough to leave I think. A student earning a D is not "doing fine" and that comment is extremely misleading. It may only be 4-6 months behind the average but at the age you're talking about, those 6 months are extremely important.
I agree that there are a lot of parents who are not interested in communicating with teachers but this isn't a reason to get jaded. Just because some parents are slack and don't attend interviews etc doesn't mean that we should stop communicating with parents at all! I would be asking for an email address where you can contact the teacher on a regular basis. Maybe even asking for the maths book to be sent home weekly so you can see what they're doing in class and where she is lacking.
From the little bit you have told us, it sounds like a lazy teacher to me. It is part of our job to communicate with parents and work to help kids do better than a D. The C in effort would be worrying me as well. Why is she not putting in full effort? I'd be talking to the teacher about that as well. To me the effort marks are more important than achievement and I would be expecting As or Bs in effort. The teacher needs to motivate kids to put the effort in. Just my two cents worth.

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The C in effort would be worrying me as well. Why is she not putting in full effort?

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See this is where the new system and differences in systems across Australia stinks because in Vic and I am assuming NSW as well (not sure bout Qld) a C IS where kids should be at. We don't give a progression point for effort but if the system is like the Vic one - then a C is where they should be at - a B or A is really difficult to give as the criteria they need to meet to be at a B or A (Over 6-12-18mths in front of where they should be at in that grade) is pretty high.

A student getting a D in Victoria, who is progressing well IS doing fine. If the system is still the "old" A,B.C.D,E system like it was when we were at school then different story but I thought QLD was similar to Vic and NSW on this???

Makes me mad that the system is SO different across the different states - wonder if AUSVels and National Curriculum will ease some of this....(Probably not!)

I was of the opinion that the national curriculum is already being used? It is in our qld school, they are always banging in about it.

It is, but as it gets more heavily implemented I guess my hope is that the states somehow come into alignment with each other( I'm dreaming....)

There's a phase in for the different subjects; currently English, Science, history and Maths are national curriculum. I can't quite remember which subjects start next year - I think one is the languages (German, French, Indonesian, etc) and another geography but I could be getting those wrong. The remainder of subjects should be being introduced/taught in 2015. I think it's roughly 4 new teaching areas each year.
Just so you know there are some quite broad teaching areas. The Arts covers music, drama, traditional art, dance; Technologies will cover metalwork, woodwork, home ec (cooking & sewing) and I think ICT (aka computers)

I understand how you feel 2girlz. It doesn't feel good to get a report that doesn't match what you're expecting to see.

Personally to me it's more important that my kids are achieving to their potential than how they are going compared to other kids or arbitary benchmarks. But I would have similar concerns. I think the "D" is probably not a problem - if it was the teacher probably wouldn't be saying "she's fine", so try not to worry about that, but I can understand that you want to know more about that to know whether you should be worried or not. If was me, I'd also want to know more about why the effort is a "C". Is it because she's struggling, or is it because she's bored - sometimes kids get worse results when the work is too easy than when it's too hard because they disengage, is it because she's having trouble concentrating, in short - is there an issue that I should know about? And personally, if the answer to that is yes, then I think the teacher should have discussed it with you already. Our school has parent teacher interviews in week 2 of term 3 so parents can discuss reports. If yours doesn't then I would organise a time to talk to the teacher to find out more about that.

We actually changed schools in part because there was a real issue that was not being addressed and which we were not made aware of. I'm so much happier since we changed schools. So if something doesn't feel right, it's ok to say so and to look at options.