Key Stage 3 Targets

General forum for Secondary Education

Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators

Post Reply
Surrey Mum

Key Stage 3 Targets

Post by Surrey Mum »

Just had a target setting day for my new year 7 son. He got 554 in year 6 sats however his targets set for him for end of Key stage 3 are all 5 except 6 for maths which was the one he got a 4 in, in year 6.

Am I going mad they seem very low and I would expect more after 3 years of KS3. Teacher said targets were set by the council so I rang them and they said it was rubbish, school set them. I'm now waiting on a return call. What do you all think???
Catherine
Posts: 1348
Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2005 4:47 pm
Location: Berks,Bucks

Post by Catherine »

Hi Surrey Mum,

You can get an idea of what level to expect by looking at the tables at the bottom of the page here
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/performancetable ... 6/k5.shtml
The targets set by your son's school seem a bit strange to me, but, in many schools, targets are adjusted regularly.
Geoffrey

Post by Geoffrey »

I agree with Catherine that the targets do seem low. Our youngest daughter's school (Note: comp NOT grammar) reckons to lift pupils by 2 levels from Key Stage 2. Our daughter got all level 5s in key stage 2 (but only just in Maths) and was set Key Stage 3 targets of 7, 7, 8 (8 for Maths but you can't get level 8 in English Key Stage 3 test). By end of year 7 she was assessed at level 6b for English, 6c for science and 5a for Maths.

I think guest55 also quoted two sublevels progress per subject per year as being a good rule of thumb.

So 5, 5, 6 does seem very unambitious as personal targets for your son. Was the school quoting you their averages (or the national averages)?

Geoffrey
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Post by Guest55 »

Schools set targets - value added targets are two levels in KS3 - targets should be 7,7,6 unless the KS2 level 5s were very low.
Worried Mum
Posts: 850
Joined: Fri Apr 13, 2007 3:45 pm
Location: Kent

Post by Worried Mum »

Does the secondary/grammar school know the child's year 6 SAT's results?
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Post by Guest55 »

Yes - all pupils have a UPN [unique pupil number] and the results are transferred on entry.
Worried Mum
Posts: 850
Joined: Fri Apr 13, 2007 3:45 pm
Location: Kent

Post by Worried Mum »

So he should be on 7,7,6 by end of year 7? Is this just the 3 core subjects? Sorry I'm a bit ignorant with KS3 at the mo!
Catherine
Posts: 1348
Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2005 4:47 pm
Location: Berks,Bucks

Post by Catherine »

So he should be on 7,7,6 by end of year 7
Worried mum, the school targets Geoffrey, Guest55 an myself are referring to are the targets for the end of KS3 in year 9 [not year 7].
As for non core subjects targets, I am not sure, possibly the secondary school own assessment. We have been told by my son's school last year that the starting levels in non core subjects can vary a great deal according to the primary school, but the targets have been adjusted regularly so it is not a problem.
Surrey Mum

Post by Surrey Mum »

Thanks for the replies. Still not heard back from school will have to wait til after half term now. 776 was what I was thinking.
Worried Mum
Posts: 850
Joined: Fri Apr 13, 2007 3:45 pm
Location: Kent

Post by Worried Mum »

Ooooh I see. This year's induction assessment appears to be more "brief" than in previous years, just giving a 3 scale assessment of below standard, at standard and above, but no indication of levels either achieved or predicted, so I'm not really sure what we should be expecting.
Post Reply
11 Plus Platform - Online Practice Makes Perfect - Try Now