Test for Maths Level 6 in year 5 and 6

[DarkEnergy]

Anyone out there think their DC is good at maths. Then give them a KS3 level 4 - 6 maths paper and see what happens. Papers are freely available from emaths website along with full mark schemes.

I did this to my year 5 DD who scored a level 6 on non calculator paper. I know that the school will ignore this as it was not done in school. So what level are our kids working at?

Seriously, try the level 4 - 6 paper. Many DC of parents on this board prepping for 11+ will do well. The question is where does that leave KS2 levels tested to level 5 only. Also where is the value added for KS3 when they get to GS, if they are level 6 before they even get to GS.

[mitasol]

If you're h*ll bent on doing old sats papers you could try the old KS2 level 6 papers. They are also available from emaths (2000-2002).

I thought they were quite challenging.

[yoyo123]

I reckon extension in KS2 should be based on enrichment rather than extra content, sites like nrich are brilliant for this. The children get a real feel for number and an understanding which helps a great deal as they progress in maths. I tend to give questions like Why does this happen? does it happen with all numbers, how could you test it? can you think of a practical use etc..

gets their poor little brains working!

[katel]

Oh, leave them alone! They'll be working hard enough next year - it really doesn't matter if they have a fun time in the last half of year 6!!!!!

[yoyo123]

Oh, leave them alone! They'll be working hard enough next year - it really doesn't matter if they have a fun time in the last half of year 6!!!!!

Katel, sometimes I could hug you!

[doodles]

DS1's foot has definately come off the pedal a bit since 11+ and do you know what I am actually quite pleased. I really want him to have fun and enjoy his last term at primary school - it's going to be tough enough from September.

[Daogroupie]

Darkenergy, I moved my dd onto KSS maths papers in Year Five because she was already on 5A maths sats levels but returned to eleven plus papers in the run up to entrance exams. My advice to you would be even though your dd seems to know all the KS2 topics it is critical to comtinue to test her in KS2 topic papers as you may well find that her scores drop in the actual exams. Have you reached the careless mistakes because I think I know the answer period yet? Younger dd and me regularly beat elder dd in maths papers because she rushes and does not read the question properly. Some of her mistakes are breathtakingly silly. I wince when I think of the ones that would have been on all those entrance exams papers. Do you have any mock exam centres you can use in the run up to the real thing? We did mocks in Sept and I was horrifield by how many marks dd dropped in maths, no probs in VR or NVR. I can see exactly what was happening now.

[DarkEnergy]

Yes. Lots of silly misreading of questions. I am reinforcing what we call RTQ (Read The Question). DD got 57% in KS3 test (55% was Level 6). I then gave some very small hints (pointing at key words she had not read) and she pulled herself up another 20% after doing the test.

I take your point about keep doing KS2 as there is still one weak area. DD does not seem to like writing the explanation questions such as "explain why Train A was faster than train B". She tends to write answers that lack detail... but we are working on it.

Actually, reading my posts you might think that I am obsessed and completely mad. However, I am not actually interested in her final SAT test in year 6. My focus is on the SAT tests school runs twice a year, as they use the results to set classes and tables by ability. In the past DD has been given low expectations by her teachers because of lower than expected test results (actually her guinea pig died that morning and DD cried her way through both English and Maths SATs that day.)

I know from experience that DD pushes herself when encouraged and also sits back and takes it easy if given low expectations.

Sorry... I ramble ... signing off... need to get a life...

[katel]

Honestly, if they are working at nearly level 6 you don't have to worry at all, and making them do lots of out of school work may very well be couter -productive. Just relax - it's nearly summer!

[mike1880]

Actually, reading my posts you might think that I am obsessed

But to be fair, not just you

Mike