Effort and achievement grades
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Effort and achievement grades
Hi everyone.
Can the teachers amongst us explain how it's possible for a child to get A for achievement and 3 (satisfactory) on a scale of 1-5 for effort? Surely they can't get better than an A even if they got a 1 for effort? I am a bit puzzled by this ! Does it just mean that they need to put in more effort regardless of the A and would a teacher perceive the child to be 'coasting'?
Any views welcome!
Can the teachers amongst us explain how it's possible for a child to get A for achievement and 3 (satisfactory) on a scale of 1-5 for effort? Surely they can't get better than an A even if they got a 1 for effort? I am a bit puzzled by this ! Does it just mean that they need to put in more effort regardless of the A and would a teacher perceive the child to be 'coasting'?
Any views welcome!
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Hi Zorro
It is often to do with attitude and behaviour in lessons. For example both schools my DC attend spell out clearly what's expected for effort grades. 1 - organised, active learner, asks and answers questions in class, work always neatly presented and on time etc. 5 - disruptive, poor learner, work brief or incomplete, does not contribute during lessons etc.
It is possible to achieve an A / A* attainment but lower effort level. Not that a higher grade can be achieved but because their presentation, behaviour etc could improve. I always tell my children I'm more pleased with high effort grades, for example C 1 in subjects they find hard, not pleased with A 4 for subject they find easy, but choose to mess about in.
Hope this helps.
It is often to do with attitude and behaviour in lessons. For example both schools my DC attend spell out clearly what's expected for effort grades. 1 - organised, active learner, asks and answers questions in class, work always neatly presented and on time etc. 5 - disruptive, poor learner, work brief or incomplete, does not contribute during lessons etc.
It is possible to achieve an A / A* attainment but lower effort level. Not that a higher grade can be achieved but because their presentation, behaviour etc could improve. I always tell my children I'm more pleased with high effort grades, for example C 1 in subjects they find hard, not pleased with A 4 for subject they find easy, but choose to mess about in.
Hope this helps.
A bright child can easily (and logically) get high marks for achievement but lower ones for effort. However, if it happens, it's surely a symptom of the child being given work that is too easy for them.
What I find odder is when the converse occurs over time, i.e. their achievement falls but they get a higher score for effort.
Whilst I agree with the principle of praising DC primarily for effort, and secondarily for achievement, the strange scoring of some schools can make that rather impractical.
What I find odder is when the converse occurs over time, i.e. their achievement falls but they get a higher score for effort.
Whilst I agree with the principle of praising DC primarily for effort, and secondarily for achievement, the strange scoring of some schools can make that rather impractical.
DS got high grades for achievement and poor ones for effort all through primary school. My view was - if he can achieve maximum reward for minimum effort then something's not right. I think this has become blatently obvious to him now he's started grammar school - just enough effort is now not achieving the required standard and he has been asked to re-do work on more than one occassion because it is just not up to scratch. This is a lesson he needs to learn but I would have preferred it to have been last year (Y6) rather than this year because it is quite demoralising to suddenly discover what you thought was good work isn't .
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A3 can mean many things: they have flown through every test but their homework has been patchy or non-existent, they are talented (in a skills based subject) but disruptive, they can do everything that others are expected to do quickly but will not even attempt extension work or different work, a '3' for effort may bring them to the attention of the year head because of behaviour issues.
I never give them myself for the reason that Grammar school boys love them - it means success without effort, the avowed aim of almost every boy I have ever taught!
You probably need some explanation of what the grade means. Ring/email the teacher concerned for clarification.
I never give them myself for the reason that Grammar school boys love them - it means success without effort, the avowed aim of almost every boy I have ever taught!
You probably need some explanation of what the grade means. Ring/email the teacher concerned for clarification.
Thanks! As he has got good grades for homework too I don't think it was that. The A3's were for Maths (his best subject) and Chemistry which he has got all A's for in exams and grades.
We have parent's evening in 2 week's time so will ask then. For Chemistry it could be mucking around as he has been told about that in the past.
We have parent's evening in 2 week's time so will ask then. For Chemistry it could be mucking around as he has been told about that in the past.