If only he had applied himself more, he would certainly have been able to cope with the assignments or, if only he had wanted to, he would have had no problem passing to the next class.... Such or similar statements are heard by many parents at interviews. Probably some of these statements have some truth in them and apply to a certain group of pupils, while others are impossible to implement, no matter how much the pupil wants and tries.

"(...) I don't know what to do any more," complained the mother of one sixth-grade student. I do all her homework with her, we write essays together, I study for every lesson, but she is the weakest student in her class and will get two "1s" in the first semester (...)'.

Such a situation arouses a lot of emotions, both in the parents and the child, but also in the person listening about these or similar problems in other families. It is probably easier for a person on the sidelines to say that it is a torment for the pupil and the mother, that the child is losing his or her childhood because of the enormous burden of study. Parents find it more difficult to accept this, fearing what awaits their child after leaving the special school, whether he or she will have a profession that will provide an income in the future, whether he or she will not be ridiculed and scorned by his or her classmates because he or she goes to a "hilfka"....

When a child is 7 years old and according to the pronouncements of the education for most children should go to school from September and is not ready for it, in my opinion it should be postponed. Of course, such a decision is made on the basis of an examination of school readiness at a pedagogical and psychological counselling centre, however, as parents we should arrange for such an examination when we have certain doubts.

The regulations stipulating that school education in Poland begins at the age of seven were established on an average basis. Common sense tells us, however, that not all children reach school age at this time. It is often the case that this year really adds up to a great deal and the child starts the school year a year older than his or her classmates, but still within their educational capabilities. This has another plus (especially important for the child) his/her classmates do not need to know that he/she has attended pre-school twice.

And if it happens that a child has to repeat a class...., he or she will simply repeat it. Based on the children's testimonies, it can be concluded that if this information is conveyed calmly by the teacher and parent, it will be received in the same way by the pupil. There can be no talk of failure in such a situation! If the child was not deferred, it should be pointed out to him that the parents and the school made a mistake in deciding to start school too early for him. Fortunately, however, they have realised this and the child will repeat the class, which will make learning easier and more enjoyable for him or her.

Sometimes it happens, however, that despite repeating a class, many hours together with the parents over books, the child does not manage. The examinations carried out at the pedagogical-psychological counselling centre also confirm very great difficulties and do not suggest changing them.... What to do then?

Intelligence tests may not be the best predictors of further schooling possibilities, but by examining, among other things, the ability to think logically, classify, generalise, distinguish between more and less important details, perceive the big picture or reason, they can tell with a high degree of probability whether a child can cope in a particular class. There are spheres that a pupil will usually be able to make up with the help of others (e.g. the extent of knowledge gained from reading), but there are often spheres that he/she will not be able to grasp.

TheWechsler Intelligence Scale (WISC-R) - the most popular test in Poland for testing the intelligence of school children - defines the following classifications of pupils' intellectual performance and corresponding intelligence quotients:

• Very high intelligence: 130 - +
• High: 120 - 129
• Above average: 110 - 119
• Average: 90 - 109
• Below average: 80 - 89
• Borderline between normal and handicap:70 - 79
• Mild handicap: 69 - 55
• Moderate handicap: 54 - 40
• Severe impairment: 39 - (25)
• Profound impairment: (0 - 24)

Children with below-average results rarely do well in a regular class in a mainstream school - instead they often do well in an inclusive class with fewer pupils and two teachers.

Children with mild handicaps require learning that is geared towards the practical aspect. It is important to make the activities interesting for the child, thus achieving greater concentration of attention.

Quite a few pupils fail in their learning because of health problems. This may include inadequate nutrition, allergies, little sleep, illnesses that cause the child not to have the strength to learn and also problems with eyesight. It is also sometimes the case that psychological trauma and psychological problems are at the root of school failure. It is worth bearing this in mind and not being afraid to seek specialist help when your child is finding it difficult to learn.