2012 KS2 tests and level 6 tests

[Guest55]

Amber he will have to sit the level 6 paper before the results are known as it's the next week!

As you know in my judgement as a Maths teacher, it's not a true level 6 - the questions are on a small subset of level 6 topics. Even then the questions are more level 5+ than level 6 - it will take all of year 7 to completely cover level 6 and the rest of level 5 that Primaries don't even cover.

[Amber]

Amber he will have to sit the level 6 paper before the results are known as it's the next week!

Excellent! We were wondering what we would do to celebrate the end of KS2 tests: here's the answer - more KS2 tests. Do you know of any summer schools where we might get him started on level 7 stuff?

As you know in my judgement as a Maths teacher, it's not a true level 6 - the questions are on a small subset of level 6 topics. Even then the questions are more level 5+ than level 6 - it will take all of year 7 to completely cover level 6 and the rest of level 5 that Primaries don't even cover.

As you know, in my judgement as a non-Maths teacher and parent, I agree with you. And it is hard in a house where we have one who really has just finished being level 6, and one who is being told he is almost there. I hate the whole thing. It's just numbers games for schools to keep governments happy. League tables, quasi-markets, pseudo parental choice, neoliberalism...OK, I will go back to bed now.

[Guest55]

I don't know many parents or teachers who are in favour of the tests being re-introduced.

I remember all the reasons why they were withdrawn.

I can see the point in level 6 writing but level 6 Maths is such a large step with so much content. It's a key building block for GCSE and A level - if wrongly put in place the whole thing collapses and the poor student is the one needing 'intervention support' later on. This could lead to a real crisis in confidence for someone who thought s/he was 'one of the brightest'.

[magwich2]

I think that year 7 maths ought not to be a large step up from primary maths. By the end of year 11 they are supposed to be able to do gcse maths and the standard of that is VERY low. Primary schools however ought to junk the playing about everything is fun and dressing up is great ethos and get on with some solid academic work including some difficult maths.
I have a horrible idea that one of the reasons they do not do so is that it would make a nonsense of the lovely idea that only a couple of "levels" separate the best from the worst. You would undoubtedly find that there would be about 12 "levels" between them and bang would go all ideas of comprehensive education.

[Amber]

I think that year 7 maths ought not to be a large step up from primary maths. By the end of year 11 they are supposed to be able to do gcse maths and the standard of that is VERY low.

That is an interesting view magwich. It's funny how few adults could actually answer questions based on KS2 Maths, let alone GCSE higher level, when questioned recently. And I wonder how many could do this, off the top of their heads (taken from Edexcel linear higher paper, last year, and no not the 'hard' question at the end.

Prove that (3n + 1)2 – (3n –1)2 is a multiple of 4, for all positive integer values of n.

It's easy to come over all Rhodes Boyson about progressive techniques and there might be some truth on some of what you say about difficult maths...but making 10 year olds do work designed for secondary school doesn't really address the issue, it tinkers with it and puts a lot of pressure on small people who already sit more tests than their counterparts anywhere else in the world.

[Guest55]

Magwich2 - have you seen a new style 2012 GCSE paper?

I expect you are talking about just one of the exam boards - all the others have challenging questions and you need a high % on the Higher paper to get an A*. I understand that the 'other' board had its papers for the new exam rejected several times and nearly lost its franchise. I'm all in favour of there being just one exam board.

[Amber]

I'm all in favour of there being just one exam board.

Goodness, me too! I have been shocked at the market operating in exam boards...touting themselves around schools, promising 'more top grades than other boards'. Is it any wonder that people start to wonder about 'standards'. I was also shocked to note that some exam boards are charities. Charities! Thought about getting my Christmas cards from AQA...

[magwich2]

I have seen the latest spec for gcse maths as Dc3 (the slightly lazy one!) is taking it in june. He is 10 and no maths geek - he has just had to apply himself a little. The grade boundaries when DD1 and DD2 did gcse in 2009 and 2011 for an A* were 80% approx. Not exactly amazingly high and also meaning that you could get an A grade after losing more than a quarter of the marks. It is, frankly, no wonder that the far east and most of the rest of the world are walking all over us.

[Guest55]

Grade boundaries have been 90% for an A*; it depends on the board and the year

[Amber]

It is, frankly, no wonder that the far east and most of the rest of the world are walking all over us.

The far east, where, remember, the systems are entirely comprehensive, and there is no discrimination even into sets, let alone different schools.

bang would go all ideas of comprehensive education.

Not quite that simple, perhaps?