Once a student begins to feel like an underachiever, it's hard to get rid of a negative self-image. Raisingkids.co.uk's Education expert, Elizabeth Cook, offers some practical solutions.

Raisingkids member's problem
My son achieved Level 3 in English and Maths for his SATs. His teachers maintain that his knowledge is sound but his organisational and concentration skills are immature and he cannot seem to get things on paper clearly. They don't seem to have any ideas on how to improve this. I'm sure I can do something to help but I'm not sure what. He's getting himself anxious and upset, and worries that he is an 'underachiever' - any suggestions?

Elizabeth's advice
It sounds to me that your son is not underachieving - his teacher says 'his knowledge is sound' - but he obviously has difficulties sitting tests. Personally, I would relax and explain to your son that it's not his ability in English and Maths that are in doubt, but his ability to get things down on paper.

This will improve in time, but if he wanted to, then there are things that you could do together which might help him. I assume that your son has regular homework, and this will continue when he moves to Secondary school, this is the time that you could help him to organise his answers more appropriately. Emphasise to him that he knows the answers but that there are set ways that the answers are recorded so that other people can read and understand what he knows, and if he wanted to then you could work on this together - it could be your little secret.

I find it very sad that your son is feeling this way about himself, especially as it is unwarranted. Remember, that the SATs are intended to assess the school and its teachers and the burden should fall on them, not your son. A new school is on the horizon and maybe the teachers there will have more ideas about helping your son to let his light shine through. I hope so.

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