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Level 3 and level 4 maths

Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2012 11:10 am
by mystery
Please could someone point me to documents which make it crystal clear what is needed for level 3b, 3a, 4c and 4b in maths?

Thank you.

Re: Level 3 and level 4 maths

Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2012 11:16 am
by suzanne
Me too please - would also like to know where the English levels are too.

Thank you

Re: Level 3 and level 4 maths

Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2012 11:24 am
by Amber
You won't find anything written about sub levels because they only exist as a tool for teachers within levels, ie they are not official. C means you have just hit that level, b means you are solid at that level and a is a kind of 'moving on' stage. C and a are levels children are expected to be at for shorter periods than b. So if you find the NC levels for each subject, that is as much as you will find in official documents. The levels might still be on the DFE website but it has changed so much I don't know.

Re: Level 3 and level 4 maths

Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2012 12:02 pm
by fatbananas
In the level 3, 4, etc CGP books, you will find questions that are graded as being level 2A, level 3C etc.

I've just looked in the KS2 maths Level 4 Targeted Question Book. Inside, the first pages that greet you are practice test 1: levels 3b and 3a. Practice test2: 4c and 4b. Then it goes through various topics and then at the end of the book it has practice test 3: levels 4c and 4b and practice test 4: levels 4b and 4a.

Re: Level 3 and level 4 maths

Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2012 12:19 pm
by scarlett
I found some useful info on The National Strategies website, Mystery ....it's not split into sub levels but does discuss each maths topic and what the child needs to know to reach the next level. I did print off for DS2 ( in his dim days ) a series of maths statements i.e I Can Order Numbers , I Can Find Fractions Of An Amount and examples of level 3 questions...quite good for seeing where any weaknesses lie.

I've just had a look and they do have a similar section for level 4 too.

Re: Level 3 and level 4 maths

Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2012 12:52 pm
by mystery
Hi Scarlett and everyone else, thank you. Will explore CGP books as they sound very clear. Scarlett I am getting a bit lost on the web as since the new govmt the national strategies website has been archived so it's even more difficult finding what you want. Would you mind seeing if you can see what you liked in the archives, or give the name of the document if you have it so that I can see if I can google it and locate it that way.

Teacher told me before easter that DD2 (year 3) is a 3b and that she thinks that she could possibly be a 3a by the end of year 3 and thrust a piece of paper into my hand which she said would help me to work out what I needed to do at home with her ( I think it might have been "I can do" or whatever it was called) but I lost the bit of paper!! It's the first time I've been asked to do something at home other than some tedious spelling lists so it's a shame I lost it.

Just got back from holiday and the thought has struck me that this is very slow progress as she was given a 3 (presumably a 3c) before Easter of year 2, and it was an externally moderated grade (her writing was pushed downward by the moderator, her maths wasn't).

So now I'm trying to do a quick botch job to identify where the weaknesses are - which topics, if it's understanding or problem solving, if it's just more practice needed, or if it's areas which have not yet been taught. I have been "hands off" pretty much all of year 3 apart from practice for the weekly table tests, and there's not been any maths homework so I don't really know what is going on. I gave her some Carol Vorderman workbooks while we were on holiday and that gave me some idea what she can and can't do.

You mentioned "pitch and expectations" a while back so I have printed off Year 4 which seems to be about level 3. I'm going through it ticking questions I'm pretty sure she could do, and marking the others with a question mark (I'll give her those to do over the next week or two) or with a TO DO where I'm pretty sure she has not yet covered the material at school.

I'm very keen not to get caught out on the maths as I'm pretty sure she's good at it, but this seems to be the paper that some people from her school get caught out on - I think they just don't push on with some of the material. Also, I think she might need later on to put more effort into VR when the time gets closer and I don't want to be slogging at maths unnecessarily at the same time.

I want to get her to a solid 3a asap so if they do some kind of test at school this term (when do schools do this I wonder?) she shows up as a 3a on their system, and then I want to push towards a low 4 over the summer hols .......... then I can sit back and watch her sink!!

I've got some other lovely books you recommended Scarlett, but I haven't taken them off the bookshelf yet.

Her addition and subtraction seems good to me - can do column addition and subtraction, good at it mentally too into double and triple figures, and she knows all her times tables randomly and quickly (on a good day that is - it all fades quite often!!).

Does that sound like a good starting point at this point in time Scarlett, or am I storing up a future problem for the Kent 11+?

Re: Level 3 and level 4 maths

Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2012 1:02 pm
by scarlett
My ! Very organised Mystery...apart from losing the piece of paper :roll: . I have just checked and you can still access it...just put in National Strategies maths level 3 or 4 or 10. It will come up on Googles list as under a school website, but if you click on it , it will take you to the right thing ( presumably now archived ) .Goodness, I sound very technically minded....but you know what I mean, don't you. :)

I have since found with DS2 that his addition and division is weak , so I would say concentrate on the basics really and I'm sure DD will be fine . Don't get me stressing about my DD and the 11 plus, will you...I've still got to get DS2 through :shock:

Hope you had a nice, wet holiday. :)

Re: Level 3 and level 4 maths

Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2012 1:04 pm
by mummabear
This sets out all levels

http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/tea ... athematics" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re: Level 3 and level 4 maths

Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2012 5:49 pm
by Guest55
Sub levels are not official ...

Re: Level 3 and level 4 maths

Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2012 5:54 pm
by Amber
Guest55 wrote:Sub levels are not official ...
I did say. But no one believes me. :(