Poor maths teaching at primary?
Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2012 12:42 pm
Kent area
VR 133
NVR 130
Maths 102
Planning on appealing to 2 grammars
I am wondering how best to word my letter and presentation, I have the schools support but I feel very strongly that it is because of the schools poor teaching (or lack of teaching support) that we are in this position.
It is the largest primary in our area with a very high intake of children whose first language is not English and the teachers have not been given sufficient training or support to deal with this and as a direct result the standards have slipped fantastically. In the last 3 years the amount of children gaining a grammar recommendation has been 3, 2, and 7 respectively out of a possible 160 year 6 children. They either had some very bright children this year or there has been some extra tuition going on
We had consultations where we looked at practice test results and ours were 126 VR 138 NVR and 99 maths. I asked the head teacher why he thought her score was so much lower in maths and did he plan on reviewing the maths teaching? He replied that she wasn't working hard enough in the tests and I should go to WHSmiths and buy some practice papers. He had the scores register in front of him and DD's was the 2nd highest maths score after a score of 102.
DD is in the top set for maths and they do not consider her to be struggling at all. I have been told off the record by 2 teachers that they are expecting ofsted any day and they fully expect to have their good recommendation changed to satisfactory or even special measures.
In year 5 DD was not in the top set as teacher (also her form teacher) felt that it would be good for her confidence to be working at the very top of that level, as she has always been quite wary of maths. We discussed this and I agreed without considering the ramifications, so when the work was sent off for the HT's review the work was not evidence of a high enough level!
Parents evening is tomorrow I will post her current levels etc.
Obviously I don't want to go in there and slag off the school, how can I best say that she has not reached her full potential at her primary?
Any advice appreciated, also on appealing to 2 grammars! We have a much better chance of gaining a place on appeal at 1 but the other has much better art and music facilities which are 2 subjects I think she will want at GCSE.
VR 133
NVR 130
Maths 102
Planning on appealing to 2 grammars
I am wondering how best to word my letter and presentation, I have the schools support but I feel very strongly that it is because of the schools poor teaching (or lack of teaching support) that we are in this position.
It is the largest primary in our area with a very high intake of children whose first language is not English and the teachers have not been given sufficient training or support to deal with this and as a direct result the standards have slipped fantastically. In the last 3 years the amount of children gaining a grammar recommendation has been 3, 2, and 7 respectively out of a possible 160 year 6 children. They either had some very bright children this year or there has been some extra tuition going on
We had consultations where we looked at practice test results and ours were 126 VR 138 NVR and 99 maths. I asked the head teacher why he thought her score was so much lower in maths and did he plan on reviewing the maths teaching? He replied that she wasn't working hard enough in the tests and I should go to WHSmiths and buy some practice papers. He had the scores register in front of him and DD's was the 2nd highest maths score after a score of 102.
DD is in the top set for maths and they do not consider her to be struggling at all. I have been told off the record by 2 teachers that they are expecting ofsted any day and they fully expect to have their good recommendation changed to satisfactory or even special measures.
In year 5 DD was not in the top set as teacher (also her form teacher) felt that it would be good for her confidence to be working at the very top of that level, as she has always been quite wary of maths. We discussed this and I agreed without considering the ramifications, so when the work was sent off for the HT's review the work was not evidence of a high enough level!
Parents evening is tomorrow I will post her current levels etc.
Obviously I don't want to go in there and slag off the school, how can I best say that she has not reached her full potential at her primary?
Any advice appreciated, also on appealing to 2 grammars! We have a much better chance of gaining a place on appeal at 1 but the other has much better art and music facilities which are 2 subjects I think she will want at GCSE.