No room in the A stream

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EmeraldE
Posts: 431
Joined: Mon Sep 29, 2008 5:56 pm

No room in the A stream

Post by EmeraldE »

Hi all
Hope this is not off track but my DS has just been informed he did very well in his non compulsory SATS maths (Y5) and that he should be moving to the A ability set (he joined the school late and therefore was placed in the B set). Now, a few days later, he has been informed 'there are no places'
What kind of system is this?? A crazy one!!! My guess is the school is loathe to move anyone down because 'parents would not be happy'
Well I AM NOT HAPPY!!! What's the incentive to do well?

Anyone any advice on what to do next or am I just being very uptight about this??
magwich2
Posts: 866
Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2008 5:33 pm

No room in the A stream

Post by magwich2 »

Do you know if any child currently in the A stream did less well than your child?
EmeraldE
Posts: 431
Joined: Mon Sep 29, 2008 5:56 pm

Post by EmeraldE »

I have no idea. That kind of info is not made public. I doubt if the school would tell me anyway even if I asked. Or they might not want to move a child on the basis of one set of results (which I can understand)
Milla
Posts: 2556
Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2008 2:25 pm

Post by Milla »

can't they at least give him the same work as the A stream, or let him sit adjacent to them? Our sets are maybe more fluid than this with blurrings at the edges. Can you say that he's getting bored and unhappy? Is the work done very much different??
EmeraldE
Posts: 431
Joined: Mon Sep 29, 2008 5:56 pm

Post by EmeraldE »

They are in seperate classrooms for maths and his teacher informs me they do the same work. However, DS tells me they have maths homework three times a week in the A set and once a fortnight in the B stream. Although I am doing work with him at home I am sure he would be progressing further in the A stream.

I am going to ask about it and see if he can be given more homeworks/challenging material in class. At least that would go some way to appeasing me and making up for the disappointment DS feels at not moving up (this is mainly because his best mate is in A set I suspect!!)
Milla
Posts: 2556
Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2008 2:25 pm

Post by Milla »

no, it's important, it's like a promotion which never quite happens at work and I think that you should push for it. Our school was originally built to take about 80 pupils, there are now 230ish there. They make room when it suits them! I'm sure that one more pupil here or there can always be squeezed in. Because ours is just a one class intake and there are "only" 34 in the year, they are all squashed in together and the hierarchy is done by "tables" - oh so cunningly coded by colour, but, eye rolling, everyone knows what's what. 6 lots of homework cf 1 a fortnight is a massive difference. In any case, at primary, it seems, that there's a lot of working to below their capacity (cf the massive change at secondary) so you push to get him up there. It doesn't mean being "horrible" or arrogant or anything, but the teachers aren't there to be your best friend, they're there to get the best out of the children and if his being put in B in the first place was only expedience then he has a "right" to be put where he is best suited. Phew, rant over.
cheltfather
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed Feb 04, 2009 5:57 pm

Post by cheltfather »

if unhappy with school why not move - we did best thing we ever did going private wished we had done it with the others as well?
EmeraldE
Posts: 431
Joined: Mon Sep 29, 2008 5:56 pm

Post by EmeraldE »

Yes, I agree I am going in to talk to them ASAP, and if he is not moved up next year I will be mighty **** off. I am going to tackle it with his maths teacher and ask to speak to A class teacher too, think that's the best option. I will make it a priority.

I would love to send him private but no cash I am afraid :-(
I would not move him cause he is very happy there and has been to 3 different primary schools due to hubbies work and moving all the time. Less disruption the better I think at this stage.

Now to steal myself and dig the heels in.
Tolstoy
Posts: 2755
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2008 5:25 pm

Post by Tolstoy »

Three lots of homework a week :shock: , my boys haven't had maths homework once this year or last come to think of it. Unless you count the SATS revision sheet DS1 brought home a couple of weeks back.

However if I thought that one of them wasn't being treated accordingly with everyone else of his ability I too would be miffed. It is very infair to tell him one thing and then reverse their descision without valid reason, not enough room isn't good enough.

Good grief Milla, where on earth do they put all the children in your boy's school, porter cabins I presume?

We have had to up our intake significantly this year but thankfully it coincides with large group leaving and they have got an extra classroom. In the past they had to use the hall for lessons.
Milla
Posts: 2556
Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2008 2:25 pm

Post by Milla »

yup, ours is portacabins, the classrooms have a cloakroom area about 3'6" by 5' maybe for all their coats, lunchboxes, gym kit, trainers, clarinets and so on. Crazy.
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