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How Do You Know if Your Child is Falling Behind in Primary School?
How Do You Know if Your Child is Falling Behind in Primary School?
Every parent wants their child to thrive, but how can you tell if your child is falling behind at school?
Many parents talk about a “gut feeling” that tips them off, while others are unaware that something is wrong until they receive their child’s report. This is more common than not because children express stress in very different and often subtle ways compared to adults. Thankfully, however, knowing what to look out for, and ensuring your child is enrolled in a primary school that takes a proactive approach to their learning and wellbeing, can help address problems early.
Being proactive in this area is something that MLC’s Head of Junior School, Louise Peyton, and Director of Learning Support, Beth Gerondis, are passionate about.
“Primary school is where children develop the key foundations for lifelong learning,” says Louise. “For this reason, when a child is struggling in primary school, it is vital to catch it early and give them the support they need to get back on track.”
Why Some Children Struggle
Struggling at school can have many causes and should be assessed at the soonest possible opportunity by the school and/or health professionals. Common causes may include learning or developmental disorders and mental health issues like anxiety or depression.
“Physical illness also plays a role in falling behind at school, including difficulty sleeping and fussy eating. Problems at home, such as illness in the family, may also contribute to academic struggles,” adds Beth.
Then there are school-based challenges that can affect learning, such as problems with other students, having a poor relationship with a teacher, or finding the pace of learning too fast or too slow.
“Typically, when your child is struggling in the classroom, they are having trouble understanding the material or concepts being presented, however, in some cases, a student is simply bored and no longer engaged in the classroom because they are working well above their level,” says Beth. “Every child learns differently, and it may be that your child’s needs are not being appropriately met.”
“Catching up or adding support is often the easy part. The challenge is identifying when a child is falling behind and determining the root cause. This is the first step in helping your child overcome their difficulties in the classroom and to helping them enjoy learning again.”
Signs Your Child May Be Falling Behind at School
When children struggle in the classroom, the situation tends to follow them home. Typically, younger children will report unexplained physical symptoms when they experience stress or anxiety. Common expressions of emotional distress in young children include headaches and stomach aches, or a general feeling of malaise. Younger children often do not have the language or understanding necessary to describe their emotional states, so they describe symptoms in their body instead.
Among older children, you may notice changes in their behaviour as well as physical complaints. They may refuse to go to school or spend hours on homework. Alternatively, they may avoid their homework altogether or fail to hand assignments in on time. They may exhibit a sudden or drastic attitude shift toward their school or school friends or lose interest in their hobbies. They may call themselves “stupid” or pick fault with their teachers and classmates.
Finally, direct feedback from teachers and school reports should provide a clear window into how your child is performing at school.
“Many parents think that a low grade or test result such as NAPLAN is a clear sign of a problem, but this should be viewed in context with your child’s other school reports. All children have strengths and weaknesses and will receive the occasional low-performance result as part of their learning process; what teachers and parents need to look out for is when learning difficulties become a pattern of behaviour, are unexplained, or are impacting your child’s wellbeing,” says Louise.
Ideally, the school will know a child’s learning needs. It is important for teachers to use data from regular formative assessments to plan programs that support each child’s individual growth. Formative practice means attaining continuous feedback to evaluate and help a student in their learning journey. It answers three key questions: what is to be learned, how is learning progressing and what will be learned next?
At MLC, our educators focus on continual monitoring as it enables schools and parents to address individual learning needs and provide targeted support.
Look out for:
- Attitude shifts (especially towards school or peers)
- Picking fault (with themselves and/or their school)
- Physical symptoms (stomach aches, headaches, feeling unwell)
- Trouble with homework
- Behavioural problems (sudden outbursts, aggression, low mood, withdrawn)
- Secrecy (especially about their school day or what they learned in class)
