Y3/4 optional tests - making sense of results!

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KR
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Jul 08, 2008 1:01 pm

Y3/4 optional tests - making sense of results!

Post by KR »

Anyone make sense of these results please!

My daughter’s school does the optional tests each year and here are the results she got in Yr3 and Yr 4.

Year 3
Reading 35/level 4c/ Writing 40/level 4c = ss 128
Maths 45/4c
NVR 136
VR 126

Year 4
Reading 36/level 4/Writing 38/level 4 = ss 116
Maths 50/level 4a = ss 134
NVR 122
VR 140

(In Y4 they do not give a/bc markings on writing and reading and maths only standardised in yr4.)

I asked the school why the variance in NVR/VR - a swing of 14 points up and down and on reading/writing why the standarised score is down 12points

I got a answer which consisted of :

- She is a year older which is why the English standarised score is lower, look at the raw score they are pretty similar, (is this a relection on progress?)

- And for the swing in NVR/VR was maybe she had a good/bad day.

I was told the correlation that is looked for is between Maths and NVR and Reading/Writing and VR – which I can see in Yr 3 but the theory falls down in YR4 results.

The school told me not to worry she has made good progress and they are good scores which I know they are but I just can’t get a feel as to what her real ability/potential is.

Can someone interpret these results for me please - is it performance on the day, is it calibre of teaching -should I worry?

Also any guidance on whether she is grammar material and what, if anything, I should consider in terms of tutoring when thinking about preparing for exams. Also any questions I should ask the school.

Thanks in advance - a very confused mother!
KB
Posts: 3030
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 3:28 pm

Post by KB »

The difficulty is that the levels do not equate precisely between years - the papers sat in year 3 for example are not at the same level as those sat in year 6.
The standardised scores should be giving a better indication of progress and a significant fall in these should warrent an explanation from the teacher.
It could be as simple as having a bad day - in which case the teacher will have other work on which the teacher assesment is based.

You could ask to see the VR & NVR papers to compare them - did your child run out of time, make silly mistakes etc?

We are all keen to see our children making progress but in your child's case, given the very high year 3 levels it may be that their progress is not as great in year 4 than in previous years (many children develop in fits & starts), or maybe your child over performed in year 3 tests so there is a bit of levelling out in year 4.

They are still performing extremely well but if you have concerns I would ask the teacher what your child's targets were for end year 4 & whether they acheived them.
The teacher sets these for each pupil at the beginning of the year, overseen by a senior member of staff. If the targets were not met then the school should flag your child up for review - however bright they are they still need to make progress to fulfill their potential!
You could also ask what particularly targets (in the sense of specific skills) they will be set for year 5 & how they will be helped to achieve them.

As a general answer I would say that a child getting level 4 in year 4 should be a good bet for GS.
I wouldn.t get too worried just yet but I would keep an eye on what is happening as it isnt unknown for high acheiving children at primary school to get overlooked because they already doing well.

Hope some of this helps :)
PW Mum
Posts: 35
Joined: Thu Feb 21, 2008 2:29 pm

Post by PW Mum »

Thank you for your response

Coincidently I saw the head teacher today and he said pretty much what you said.

It is too early to predict for Newstead but her profile is really good and would expect dd to pass Kent and Bexley exams.
PW MUM
KB
Posts: 3030
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 3:28 pm

Post by KB »

Sounds like you are feeling less woried.
Have a good summer break. :)
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