Spot the signs
Your child's behaviour could change in a variety of ways if she feels unenthusiastic about school work. She may start mucking around in class, her work might slip and be generally under-performing, or she might even start to complain about having to go to school at all.
Talk to your child
If your child is complaining of 'being bored', firstly try to find out what it is that she means by 'being bored'. Make sure there are no underlying social issues which she's presenting to you as a problem with school work. She may find it easier to say it's that, when in fact she's really upset about a case of bullying or feeling unpopular.
Is there anything that she looks forward to at school? Are there some subjects that she finds a challenge rather than 'too easy'? Are there other children that seem to feel the way she does at school?
Talk to the teacher
While teachers are there to help your child they are also very busy and
have to deal with an average of 30 children with very different
abilities and needs. Make an appointment and try not to express your concern by
being aggressive or upset because this will not help the situation. Ask your child's teacher how she thinks your child is doing and why she might think your
child is feeling uninspired at the moment.
Look at your child's work together and ask how you can help your child at home.
"Particularly in Year 5, the National Curriculum can seem rather dull -
even for teachers," says Jenny Forth, a primary school teacher of Year 5 children. "With the lead up to SATs (tests) in Year 6, there is a lot of pressure on children and sometimes it seems that it's just one work sheet after another that needs to be got through.
"This type of work is not very stimulating, although teachers do try their best to make them interesting," adds Jenny Forth. "If a parent comes in saying their child is not being stretched then I advise some fun learning at home which will complement school work."
Work with your child at home
For the average parent it is hard enough trying to fit in helping with
homework, let alone creating some extra stimulation, but by spending just
20-30 minutes each evening you will be helping your child see that learning can be something positive rather then dull.
For younger children there are many 'learn at home' books available with
achievement sticker rewards which are enjoyable and increase their sense of
worth. Reading aloud, even to a 10-year-old child, helps take her into books
that she may not have picked up herself.
If your child is studying the Tudors why not go to the library and get interesting books out or go to a Tudor palace or house?
Show your child that maths is not just about filling in work sheets but that it actually helps you in your day to day life - when you are shopping, working out recipes or measuring up for new shelves.
Board games such as Monopoly, Cluedo and Frustration help with mathematical and logic skills and for the younger child simple card games and dominoes are
also useful. It would be great to make a 'games night' so that all the family
could have a chance to get involved.
"It can be hard to make the transition from believing you should let the school do all the educating to realising that it might be up to you to make learning more exciting," says educational psychologist Frank Weldson. "Your child may not find schoolwork so meaningless if she is getting the right kind of stimulation at home."
Get a tutor
You may feel that your child would benefit from a more structured and
academic approach particularly if she is going to be trying to get into
secondary schools that require an entrance exam. Even for children in year
one and two a inspiring tutor can make all the difference. You could phone an
agency or try asking around and finding out if friends can recommend someone.
Change schools
This should be an absolutely last resort but if you find that you have given
it time and tried all the back-up systems you can and your child still seems
under stimulated it may be that she needs a different kind of school.
Sophie Radice writes for the Guardian parent's page and education pages and for the Observer Health pages. She is married with two children, aged nine and five .
