TA Level 6 At Appeal For Academic Ability.

[countrymum]

Looking likely DD shall be teacher assessed a level 6 (maths and English) Now normally Sats go over my head, no extra work is done at home and I know is very much a benefit to school rather than my DD. However with us appealing at a school where lets face it she probably won't win going on past history, I am keen to have THE STRONGEST case possible. Of course I believe she has a fantastically secure and solid case ( school support, top of the class, passed other GS exams, documented extenuating circumstances, missed by what may account to 2/3 questions, G&T, level 3 end of KS 1 blah blah) though of course I am her mum!

Anyway would it really make that much difference if we went to appeal with her being a level 5 rather than a 6? I know primary level 6 is quite a bit different to secondary level 6. Are appeal panels up to date with what's involved in gaining a level 6 at primary level. I keep hearing level 6 equates to around a 14 year olds ability, an 11 old achieving this must prove a high achiever?

Basically do appeal panels take a child gaining a TA level 6 seriously? Is being a (TA) level 6 at an appeal at grammar school pretty standard. I wondered if i should be doing a little sats revision at home to support DD. If we decide not to appeal then frankly I'd just be happy to forget about levels/sats etc and certainly do no home revision. Even though I've told DD we probably won't win, she seems keen for us to appeal on her behalf and tbh as I still feel a bit guilty taking her knowing deep down she was 'under par' I do owe it to her to have the best case possible.

Tbh my keenness to appeal has lessened, it's so true that when you are faced with having to search down another path in life, it all works out for the best. Looking at other options may possibly have opened doors for DD I'd never even considered.

[Guest55]

Can you take level 6 work she has done with you? Work on past papers levelled?

A teacher assessment would benefit from such back-up.

[countrymum]

Thanks Guest, one of my future appeals questions on here was what/how much of her work should I include. I believe if I remember rightly work should be included when I first send off our evidence? Appeals at this particular school last year I believe were pretty quick, so doubt they'd want to look at it in the day?

Do you just photocopy exceptional (working at level 6) pieces of her work and include these? I know from reading her literacy work, her use of language and the maturity in which she writes is really quite remarkable for an 11 year old.

[andy from embsay]

This is one of several posts in the appeals threads where parents have been told their children are 'top of the class'. Is this normal? Apart from sitting on different tables as far as I know neither of our children has ever been given a position in class relative to classmates. Is it a common thing that primaries tell parents how their kids rank against others? Or is this something you have to ask for?

[hermanmunster]

Not sure Andy - am not aware of any ranking being given at the schools my kids were at .. unlike the rather distinct and public ranking given when I was at primary school - position out of 44 - OK if you were in the top 10 but not so great in the bottom 10
Only really twigged that DS was doing well when other parents pointed it out - was a bit clueless otherwise

[countrymum]

From our perspective, although in a mixed year group, DD's year 6 is a VERY small cohort (well below 20) possibly as born in low birth rate year. Is pretty easy to work out who are doing well from chating with parents/teachers etc. They (the children) all know each others levels and I guess reading between all the lines DD must overall be 'top of the class'. She is neither boastful or apologetic about it and just gets on with her work.

As for me, having to look into all the evidence for academic ability at appeal, I think you are then forced to make the effort to really see how your child is doing academically and has been bit of an eye opener for me tbh. Actually, an appeal is the perfect excuse to boast

[andy from embsay]

Our youngest is in a class of 19 - neither she nor we have ever been given a clue where she is against the others - all we know are her levels and that they sit on specific tables for maths and literacy. Talking about your children's sats and stuff must not really be the done thing in the Dales!

[countrymum]

To be fair neither has her Sats results or her academic ability interested me before, last time I didn't even know she had done her Sats until she come home on the Friday and said she had been doing them all week

As I mentioned, imo when you are faced with an appeal on proving academic ability, one really has to investigate how academically wise their child is doing at school and hope that the school offers support. With all the schools input this year on sats 'revising' and Sats 'homework' one can hardly get away from it, and levels etc. Also i'm led to believe a small cohort means just one or two not getting the level 4 can make a big difference to the % in results tables.

[capers123]

This is one of several posts in the appeals threads where parents have been told their children are 'top of the class'. Is this normal? Apart from sitting on different tables as far as I know neither of our children has ever been given a position in class relative to classmates. Is it a common thing that primaries tell parents how their kids rank against others? Or is this something you have to ask for?

It didn't happen at my DD's primary. We could guess which pupils were towards the top of the class from passing comments our children made, but it was of very little interest.

When it comes to appeals, a statement from the parents that they were told the child was top of the class, or even it being written by the school, would probably prove of little interest to the panel. Without knowing the ability of the rest of the class, it means nothing. If the class was made up entirely of pupils around the average mark, top of the class could be just above the national average. It proves nothing.

[Hera]

When it comes to appeals, a statement from the parents that they were told the child was top of the class, or even it being written by the school, would probably prove of little interest to the panel. Without knowing the ability of the rest of the class, it means nothing. If the class was made up entirely of pupils around the average mark, top of the class could be just above the national average. It proves nothing.

Countrymum did your school do CAT tests at the end of year 5 or start of year 6. These might provide a better indication of a childs' ability. Our school gave out the results but I know some that just did them for their own information and didn't notify parents of the outcomes unless they asked. It might be worth asking your DC and the school.