Moved up 1 sub-level

Key Stages 1-2 and SATs advice

Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators

11 Plus Mocks - Practise the real exam experience - Book Now
zeinab
Posts: 353
Joined: Sun Jul 25, 2010 11:25 pm

Moved up 1 sub-level

Post by zeinab »

Morning all. End of yr report received for my DD who's in yr 4. In yr3, last yr she got 2 4b's & 2 4c's. Was told a few yrs back she's gifted & talented for English even though they have since got rid of the g&t register, anyway that's where her strengths are.

This yr she got 3 4a's & 1 4b. Can't help thinking she has not made that much progress this yr as in the past she moved 3 sub-levels or more.

Was wandering is there a level 5 in yr 4 ?
southbucks3
Posts: 3579
Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2012 11:59 am

Re: Moved up 1 sub-level

Post by southbucks3 »

All children seem to develop in chunks, looking back over the years sometimes my kids stayed put for whole years, then went up three in the next year along.

Had she gone up another whole sub level each year since beginning middle school, presumably at level 3, and continued to do so, she would be doing year 8 work in year 6, which is unlikely.

She has very good results for year 4, be proud, look at the whole report, including socialising and sport, that element may have soared?
berks_mum
Posts: 939
Joined: Sat Dec 28, 2013 4:52 pm

Re: Moved up 1 sub-level

Post by berks_mum »

OP, could it be possible that the school tests only unto level 4 in year 4 ? You may want to ask her teacher.
Daogroupie
Posts: 11099
Joined: Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:01 pm
Location: Herts

Re: Moved up 1 sub-level

Post by Daogroupie »

I know plenty of students who are Level 5 in Y4 but it is possible that your school does not give them tests that cover Level 5 material. DG
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: Moved up 1 sub-level

Post by mystery »

I think I am correct in saying that the qca optional tests for year 4 do not go above a 4a.
Daogroupie
Posts: 11099
Joined: Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:01 pm
Location: Herts

Re: Moved up 1 sub-level

Post by Daogroupie »

But your schools has tests for Y5's and Y6's which they could use with your dd to assess her current level. Iin your position I would request for her to be tested using Level 5 material. DG
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: Moved up 1 sub-level

Post by mystery »

It sounds like a logical request DAO, but it wouldn't work at our school!
Sunshine 11
Posts: 247
Joined: Thu Nov 01, 2012 7:29 pm

Re: Moved up 1 sub-level

Post by Sunshine 11 »

I wouldn't get too hung up on SATS levels, they are going soon anyway. Children do plateau. Don't worry, as long as DD is happy that's all that matters, but it does show tutors can be helpful to give that little extra boost they may not get at school.
Sunshine 11
Que sera, sera
Jean.Brodie
Posts: 451
Joined: Sat Jul 21, 2012 6:55 pm

Re: Moved up 1 sub-level

Post by Jean.Brodie »

Hi Zeinab! I can understand why you are concerned.

A gentle conversation with the Class Teacher is worth a try. There may well be a simple explanation.

I'm not a fan of testing and too often, as a teacher, I found it got in the way of 'education' or the teaching itself. When I taught Year 7s, I used to ignore pretty much every Level or other number or grade which came from their primary school or elsewhere. Much primary school data was unhelpful or, in some cases, downright misleading. ... As far as I know, it is technically possible to assess for any Level in any Year. But even the Levels and Sublevels which are assessed accurately and with integrity don't say that much which is helpful.

Our own child's assessment raised lots of questions in primary school. So, for English, we chose to believe the quality of her reading aloud at home, the quality of the discussion about what she was reading, the quality of her speaking and the quality of her writing. For Maths, how a child approaches problem solving is an important indicator. You can gauge these things readily yourself at home with your DD.

What sort of secondary school are you hoping she will go on to?

Do let us know what her teacher tells you.
Tinkers
Posts: 7240
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 2:05 pm
Location: Reading

Re: Moved up 1 sub-level

Post by Tinkers »

I had a similar issue in year 5. Report showed only one sub level improvement in Reading, despite the teacher saying she had made excellent progress.
I went to ask him about it and shown him her year 4 report.

He agreed that it didn't look right and said he would reassess her, which he did and moved her another sub level. She had been assessed by a TA during group reading sessions, not by the teacher. She is not great at reading out loud in front of others at the best of times.

Same thing happened at the end of year 6, but by that time I didn't care and, with hindsight, talking to her year 6 teacher would have been pointless. His English teaching wasn't great and the school was slated over its English teaching by Ofsted only a few months later.

Coming up to the end of year 7 and she has made quite amazing progress.
Post Reply
11 Plus Platform - Online Practice Makes Perfect - Try Now