Hi there - just call me DM (Desperate Mum)
Can anyone offer me advice. I have a struggling year 5 daughter who seems to be falling through the education floor board cracks. She is a very co-operative, quiet child who would rather hide herself in the classroom rather than be embarrassed by not knowing the answers the teachers questions.
I did have her in the Catholic System for the 1st 2 years of her school life and changed to a Private Anglican school when I discovered that she was in the bottom 5% of the class in her reading ability. The new school assured me that they "cater to the individual needs of all children" - what a joke. She is now coming to the end of year 5 and has 1 more year until she enters High School. Both of us are worried how she will cope. There has been very little support from the school in the way of any catch up programs - and the homework situation is appalling, with all students from the very brightest to the most challenged being given the exact same homework to complete. I have been up to the school so many times asking them for assistance - even to assist me in what I should do - but very little comes my way. I have invested money in programs to do at home (currently trying Fitzroy Readers - which I have paid out over $300.00 for the set of readers and accompanied work books) but since she struggles with her homework and takes hours to complete it (normal child would take 30 minutes a night) how are we to find the time to do this "extra" work.
She wants to do the school homework as it is marked collectively in class and doesn't want to be embarrassed as they have to sing out the answers.
What advice can anyone offer me, I don't know how I am going to survive high school. I have an older child in year 8 - who work is a breeze. I have had the younger one tested and everything comes back normal and average. I feel that she has just missed out on the groundings from Kindy and year 1 and has been behind the eight ball ever since.
Sorry for the long story but any advice would be most welcomed.

have you looked into a kumon program? im not sure what state you live in but in Vic these are quite common about the place- they have maths, reading and english programs which you go to them (at a centre) and do-it does take time out from after school but you go to them, they have structured programs so you are not floundering around on your own! kumon focusses on the child building their confidence and learning at their own pace, and all the people i know who have gone to this have reported great improvements in their kids, i think it would be really worthwhile to check it out for your daughter.

http://www.kumon.com.au/

check out the site, and good luck!