Key Stage 3 Targets

Surrey Mum · Post by **Surrey Mum** » Fri Oct 19, 2007 1:03 pm

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 · Post by **Catherine** » Fri Oct 19, 2007 1:36 pm

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** » Fri Oct 19, 2007 3:02 pm

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 · Post by **Guest55** » Fri Oct 19, 2007 5:36 pm

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 · Post by **Worried Mum** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 9:08 pm

Does the secondary/grammar school know the child's year 6 SAT's results?

Guest55 · Post by **Guest55** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 9:33 pm

Yes - all pupils have a UPN [unique pupil number] and the results are transferred on entry.

Worried Mum · Post by **Worried Mum** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 9:36 am

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 · Post by **Catherine** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 10:36 am

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** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 12:20 pm

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 · Post by **Worried Mum** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 9:00 pm

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.