11 Plus Exams Forum

In DD's Year 9 progress check sheet, there are several subjects' end of key stage target is 5. Does that mean her level on those subject is lower than average?

Subject Target
English 7B
Maths 7A
Science 7A

French 5C
Spanish 5C
Geography 6C
History 6C
RS 7C
ICT 5C
Drama 7B
Art 6C
Music 7C
Technology 6C
PE 5C

Are her targets reasonable as a grammar school student? Could somebody give me some explanation?

Thanks

GM

For languages they do seem to have much lower targets set - asssume this is because they are not started until KS3 so I wouldn't be alarmed but just check it is line with the rest of the class.

Never had a target set for PE (just as well

I think I would check about ICT - that it is line with the rest of the class & not individual problems - but its probably just that they measure performance differently from KS2.

Others seem pretty good!

Thanks for your comments, KB.
I'll check ICT with her.
Is Religious Studies an important subject in GCSE? My DD's current level for RS is only 5B, although her target is 7C, so I'm a little bit worried.

GM wrote:Thanks for your comments, KB.
I'll check ICT with her.
Is Religious Studies an important subject in GCSE? My DD's current level for RS is only 5B, although her target is 7C, so I'm a little bit worried.

I def agree regarding ICT.To some extent some of these, like RS, only matter if she is taking them for GCSE.
Generally speaking and this is generally....most grammars expect them to have achieved a secure 7 in subjects they have been doing all the way from primary.languages are different but you might like to look for a high target in the language she intends to take.P.E tends to vary, e.g my own eldest DD in a grammar in year 9 would get a high 7 for gym but a mid 5 for hockey so the average is brought down.
Hope that might help a bit.

I would have some questions about the language targets. Are you sure these are actual targets not current attainment? If they are real targets then presumably she is currently working at level 4 in French and Spanish?

Is the school really saying that your dd should be aiming for level 5s at the end of year 9? Her other targets, especially core subjects are very good. Presumably your dd's school publishes exam data - have you looked to see what the norm is? I've just had a look at my sons' GS exam results for last year and KS3 teacher assessment for MFL was 0% at level 4; 8% at level 5; 71% at level 6; 21% at level 7. And languages is their weakest area - being an all boys school!

Her current working level for French and Spanish are 5C, the same level as end of KS targets.

The haven't taken exams yet, probably in April or May. This is just an assessment by her teachers. Letter does say that typically, the students achieve level 6 or 7 at the end of Year 9 in most subjects. That's why those 5s worried me.

GM - school reports are a bit of a mystery to me I must admit. At the moment ours have current attainment, predicted attainment (ie if they carry on working as they are) and target attainment (what they're capable of).

My eldest is in Yr10 and I've just dug out his reports for last year. In December of Yr9 he had 5Cs for current and predicted attainment for French, same as your dd, but a 7 for target attainment. They were the same on his April report; but by the end of KS3 (a mere 2 or 3 months later...) he'd gone up to a level 6.

I have to say, French is his worst subject. He chose it as he has to do a language GCSE and that was the lesser evil. He resents having to do it immensely and puts zero effort in as far as I can see. Now he's in Yr10 his current attainment is a D, his predicted attainment is a C, but his target attainment is an A. I'm hoping he might split the difference and end up with a B! I try not to worry about it as it's just one subject, but it does infuriate me that he gets good grades in everything else but just refuses to put the effort in for languages.

Do you have a parents' evening coming up, or could you ring/email her language teacher to put your mind at rest?