New maths curriculum for KS2 - implications for 11+ ?

[PurpleDuck]

I do have an idea of the standard required for maths in the 11+ I think. We are working through the CQP books.

We also used CGP books - is it their 11+ series you are using? It is very good. We worked through practice book for 9-10 and then moved on to 10-11. Also, if you need some more clarity on the level of maths required at 11+, go on the King's College School website and download their sample 10+ and 11+ papers (or even 9+ papers if you prefer). You could do the 10+ paper with your daughter now and see where the gaps are. King's 10+ exam is in mid January, so she should able to cope with it. Here's the link for King's sample papers:
https://www.kcs.org.uk/admissions/seven ... nce-papers" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Good luck!

[overwhelmed mum]

We also used CGP books - is it their 11+ series you are using? It is very good. We worked through practice book for 9-10 and then moved on to 10-11. Also, if you need some more clarity on the level of maths required at 11+, go on the King's College School website and download their sample 10+ and 11+ papers (or even 9+ papers if you prefer). You could do the 10+ paper with your daughter now and see where the gaps are. King's 10+ exam is in mid January, so she should able to cope with it. Here's the link for King's sample papers:
https://www.kcs.org.uk/admissions/seven ... nce-papers" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Good luck!

Yes it's their 11+ series. Thanks for the advice I will definitely have a look.

[mystery]

Some days off school might be the answer if you think school is doing her no favours. Hard if you work full time though.

Hope the pace improves at school. Like you say, by child number three you well know when things are not what they should be but also that you can't necessarily change anything at school. I still feel that one should say something though. Even if she sat in the corner with her own workbook and no teacher input whatsoever it would be better than what you are describing.

[overwhelmed mum]

Some days off school might be the answer if you think school is doing her no favours. Hard if you work full time though.

That would be great if I could do that, however I would be charged £250 a day for any unauthorised absences!

So, I attended parents evening and tbh as predicted I am no further forward. Most of the time was spent explaining the
sheet I was given explaining where my daughter is within the new curriculum. Currently she is working at a year 5 standard and is "emerging". As I understand it the whole class is emerging as this basically means they haven't covered the first 50% of the work set out for year 5 children. Aiming for 'developing' (next 50%) and finally if they exceed all expectations they are allowed to go on to the current buzzword 'Mastery'. She couldn't confirm if the information was age related or not skirting the question although I asked 3 times. All children will be working to a maximum year 5 standard.

At the bottom of the sheet it set out her next objectives for Reading, Writing and Maths. I said to the teacher that I am 100% sure that she can already achieve the targets and she said she disagreed. After talking to her I then had to go and see the teacher she has for reading and writing (in relation to reading) and she said she had no targets as my DD was already working at such a high level extremely high comprehension, use of vocab etc etc I asked her if she could achieve these targets and she said she was way beyond. We told her what the teacher had said she replied with "I hate to disagree with a colleague, but yes she can absolutely reach those targets and beyond".

At home I set her a high level of the Maths targets and she completed them with ease. She then stated that they hadn't actually been given that level of work at school. So how the teacher could accurately measure who was able to achieve the targets I have no idea. Smacked of copy and paste objectives to me.

She did assure me that she would as we requested 'push' my DD and agreed I could come and have a chat with her in a couple of months to see how things were going. She also admitted that the class had a number of low achievers and told us she'd been told to begin with the basics. Who told her I've no idea.

She said under the new curriculum maths was basically arithmetic without much application and they had to be able to complete arithmetic tests quite quickly by the end of the year (asked me to work on adding and subtraction!). Also apparently morning mental maths tests are now a thing of the past. Has anyone else been told that?

Basically it seems my poor DD has a lot of work to do at home. I think I need to use the forum to get my head around exactly what she needs to do.

[Tolstoy]

Hi Overwhelmed mum,

if you are moving to Gloucester then your DD will be doing the CEM test next September. If it were me I would ignore what is going on in school as you can't really change it and it's not worth the stress and hassle. Get yourself some CEM practice materials, find ways of instilling a wide vocab into DD and work on speed maths. You will find lots of info on the CEM part of the site and also Birmingham have been doing CEM for sometime now so lots of info there.

[mystery]

Some days off school might be the answer if you think school is doing her no favours. Hard if you work full time though.

That would be great if I could do that, however I would be charged £250 a day for any unauthorised absences!

So, I attended parents evening and tbh as predicted I am no further forward. Most of the time was spent explaining the
sheet I was given explaining where my daughter is within the new curriculum. Currently she is working at a year 5 standard and is "emerging". As I understand it the whole class is emerging as this basically means they haven't covered the first 50% of the work set out for year 5 children. Aiming for 'developing' (next 50%) and finally if they exceed all expectations they are allowed to go on to the current buzzword 'Mastery'. She couldn't confirm if the information was age related or not skirting the question although I asked 3 times. All children will be working to a maximum year 5 standard.

At the bottom of the sheet it set out her next objectives for Reading, Writing and Maths. I said to the teacher that I am 100% sure that she can already achieve the targets and she said she disagreed. After talking to her I then had to go and see the teacher she has for reading and writing (in relation to reading) and she said she had no targets as my DD was already working at such a high level extremely high comprehension, use of vocab etc etc I asked her if she could achieve these targets and she said she was way beyond. We told her what the teacher had said she replied with "I hate to disagree with a colleague, but yes she can absolutely reach those targets and beyond".

At home I set her a high level of the Maths targets and she completed them with ease. She then stated that they hadn't actually been given that level of work at school. So how the teacher could accurately measure who was able to achieve the targets I have no idea. Smacked of copy and paste objectives to me.

She did assure me that she would as we requested 'push' my DD and agreed I could come and have a chat with her in a couple of months to see how things were going. She also admitted that the class had a number of low achievers and told us she'd been told to begin with the basics. Who told her I've no idea.

She said under the new curriculum maths was basically arithmetic without much application and they had to be able to complete arithmetic tests quite quickly by the end of the year (asked me to work on adding and subtraction!). Also apparently morning mental maths tests are now a thing of the past. Has anyone else been told that?

Basically it seems my poor DD has a lot of work to do at home. I think I need to use the forum to get my head around exactly what she needs to do.

Oh dear. Well at least you know, I suppose. The fines are not that high and they do not kick in straight away either. Does your school currently fine? Some don't. Ours has only just brought it in this September. Does your school attendance policy say they will fine - it should be on the school website. If it does, it has to be in line with the local authority code of conduct for fixed penalty fines. I think if you have put in writing often enough to the school that you are not satisfied with the level of work with which your daughter is being provide - and the answers you are being given are quite frankly ****, I would think they will think twice about asking the Education Welfare officer to consider your daughter's absence file for a fine. And if they do, it is not this price - no not cheap either, but once you find the correct price it might be worth it if the alternative schools are poor and the alternative is slogging away at home with so much work that it becomes impossible all round.

They are completely misreading the new curriculum. Of course they can provide better maths than this if they choose to. Gove would be turning in his grave - if he was dead.

The other option is to lie about why she is off school - I personally wouldn't do that but I can see why some parents feel driven to it and why schools prefer it!

[PurpleDuck]

She did assure me that she would as we requested 'push' my DD and agreed I could come and have a chat with her in a couple of months to see how things were going.

Theoretically, you could go in again in a few weeks and show the teacher examples of the work your DD is doing at home, but based on your account on how the parent's meeting went, I'm not sure that would change much. I'd agree with Tolstoy - ignore the school and do your own thing...

[mystery]

Yes, and waiting a couple of months is another fob off. It's Christmas by then - a whole term wasted.

Good thing is you are moving so this school will not get the benefit of you improving their ks2 maths results for them.

My year 5 child's maths is still worrying this term too. It is all really basic. This week's maths homework is adding a single digit number to a double digit.

[overwhelmed mum]

My year 5 child's maths is still worrying this term too. It is all really basic. This week's maths homework is adding a single digit number to a double digit.

I know, it's really frustrating and worrying when you and your child are working so hard to improve these skills and the school seems to be doing the opposite. I agree with others who feel the curriculum has been completely misunderstood. If you read the curriculum what they are doing is working to the basic framework. However there is plenty of much more challenging work included. There is more emphasis on working as a class so I think they are as a result having to work to the lowest levels. In my DDs class (not sure if whole school) mental maths has been stopped "due to the new curriculum" but due to the increased emphasis on times table knowledge, timed, fast arithmetic and adding and subtracting large numbers in their head this seems really strange to me.

I've got the inclusion policy below in my back pocket for if things do not improve. I think our schools are putting more emphasis the line I've changed to red. Hopefully you might be able to use it too. If you use the word 'inclusion' they generally have to listen.

'Inclusion Setting suitable challenges
4.1 Teachers should set high expectations for every pupil. They should plan stretching work for pupils whose attainment is significantly above the expected standard. They have an even greater obligation to plan lessons for pupils who have low levels of prior attainment or come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Teachers should use appropriate assessment to set targets which are deliberately ambitious.'

Thank you for all the advice. It stopped me getting on my high horse and storming in. I think my energies are as people have said best spent focusing on what needs to be done. I will go in if things don't improve in a few weeks however more to feel like I've best supported my daughter not with any high hopes. Was good to vent though so thank you!

As a footnote I'd like to clarify that the school obviously has an obligation to lower achieving students as it does to everyone. Wouldn't want anyone to think that I don't think the school should have their best interests at heart too. Everyone has the right for an appropriate education. That's what all of us on this site are trying to give are kids.

[yoyo123]

My year 5 child's maths is still worrying this term too. It is all really basic. This week's maths homework is adding a single digit number to a double digit.

These past few weeks Y5 have been adding and subtracting numbers up to 7 digits.
Just started on long multiplication and short division. Multiplying and divding numbers up to 4 or 5 digits by a single digit.
Loosely following the order of the Target Maths textbooks, , which in turn follow the New curriculum. The work your daughter is doing is KS1