Last day of Primary School for J

Well he is officially a highschool boy now, life will really be quite different in our house next year, but it's nice to make a clean break from the school the boys were at.

J's end of year report was really good, well with what little information they actually give. I assume it's the difference between public and private, but I am gobsmacked by the lack of information in the report. They didn't even mention what could be improved, they didn't mention anything really, not even how appalling his spelling is and I seriously would have expected that to rate a mention!

Anyway, after J telling me he was bored in Maths and the teacher saying he still had lots to learn he was graded at the end of the year as a full year ahead. He has already looked at his text books for next year and knows most of what is in them, this is somewhat concerning, and again a reflection on private school graded maths where kids are encouraged to work to the top of their ability rather than cruising with the rest of the class as he has been doing the last 9 months. I suppose he will end up about at the same level by the end of next year, but how sad that all that hard work up until 9 months ago will be followed by 2 years of cruising to get him back on track with the other kids. Thats a wonderful reflection of the attitude of schools to success.

He was also a year ahead in english, and the assigned reading books for next year (we had to buy them) are books he was reading for pleasure 2 years ago, so again some cruising in store. I hope at least the school will make him think more deeply about what he has read so I will not despair completely as yet.

I do so wish we could afford a private education for him. However I don't feel at this time that bringing him home would be the best thing, I guess I will meet with the school next year to see how they plan to encourage him to work to the best of his ability. I suspect he should actually have been in the extension class but the school not having his records he has slipped through the net.