Will he cope?
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Happy feet
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Tue Mar 23, 2010 12:10 pm
Will he cope?
I hope you do not mind me posting here; I would be grateful for your advice.
My DS has secured a place at KEGS. However his success has been dampened by learning that he may only achieve a Sat level 4a in English.
He appears to be missing the level 5 by about 2/4 marks.
I am very disapointed with his school, who have for years led me to believe that DS was way ahead in English. According to their results he achieved level 5 in English in yr 5, so you can imagine DS distress & my disapointment at discovering at this late stage that he wasn't as ahead as they suggested.
Could anyone tell me if DS is likely to struggle a KEGS if his English is at level 4a. I was so pleased for him when he secured his place at this school but now I am so worried he will struggle ... I do not want that for him & wonder if this school is a mistake. He score for the 11+ English was 36/50, without tutoring.
Any advice, good or bad, would be welcome.
My DS has secured a place at KEGS. However his success has been dampened by learning that he may only achieve a Sat level 4a in English.
He appears to be missing the level 5 by about 2/4 marks.
I am very disapointed with his school, who have for years led me to believe that DS was way ahead in English. According to their results he achieved level 5 in English in yr 5, so you can imagine DS distress & my disapointment at discovering at this late stage that he wasn't as ahead as they suggested.
Could anyone tell me if DS is likely to struggle a KEGS if his English is at level 4a. I was so pleased for him when he secured his place at this school but now I am so worried he will struggle ... I do not want that for him & wonder if this school is a mistake. He score for the 11+ English was 36/50, without tutoring.
Any advice, good or bad, would be welcome.
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hermanmunster
- Posts: 12897
- Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:51 am
- Location: The Seaside
Please, please don't worry!
We have experience of CRGS not KEGS but I imagine its pretty much the same.
Your DS did fine in the 11+ English paper & it sounds like the Sats is a close call to level 5 so not a big problem.
It might be worth getting some specific information from the school about where they think he is doing less well - spelling, handwriting, punctuation, comprehension.... so you could do a little bit of brushing up over the summer if it makes you feel more confident and it might be worth keeping an eye on his English homework when he first starts rather than worry
BUT
if he got a place at KEGS then he has done really really well. There will be a mix of boys going into year 7 - some stronger in some subjects than others- but as long as he prepared to concentrate and work in any subjects that he finds a bit harder he will be fine.
It comes as a bit of a shock to lots of the boys when they find they are not top of the class anymore & have to start doing some real work!
I would say that attitude is more important than a slight difference in KS2 Sats grades in determining how well they do at GS.
There are always a few boys each year that stand out but most of them are much of a muchness - its the ones who want to learn and get involved in the school that do well.
Please enjoy his achievement & look forward to the opportunities & challenges ahead.
We have experience of CRGS not KEGS but I imagine its pretty much the same.
Your DS did fine in the 11+ English paper & it sounds like the Sats is a close call to level 5 so not a big problem.
It might be worth getting some specific information from the school about where they think he is doing less well - spelling, handwriting, punctuation, comprehension.... so you could do a little bit of brushing up over the summer if it makes you feel more confident and it might be worth keeping an eye on his English homework when he first starts rather than worry
BUT
if he got a place at KEGS then he has done really really well. There will be a mix of boys going into year 7 - some stronger in some subjects than others- but as long as he prepared to concentrate and work in any subjects that he finds a bit harder he will be fine.
It comes as a bit of a shock to lots of the boys when they find they are not top of the class anymore & have to start doing some real work!
I would say that attitude is more important than a slight difference in KS2 Sats grades in determining how well they do at GS.
There are always a few boys each year that stand out but most of them are much of a muchness - its the ones who want to learn and get involved in the school that do well.
Please enjoy his achievement & look forward to the opportunities & challenges ahead.
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Sherbetlemon
- Posts: 57
- Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2010 11:31 am
I'm in a different area from you, but if he's passed the 11+, he's passed.
It sounds as if the school is referring to recent test results - has he perhaps relaxed a little since school allocations? They may not have overestimated him last year; perhaps he's slipped back a little recently and the school are determined to get that level 5 out of him!
It sounds as if the school is referring to recent test results - has he perhaps relaxed a little since school allocations? They may not have overestimated him last year; perhaps he's slipped back a little recently and the school are determined to get that level 5 out of him!
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Chelmsford mum
- Posts: 2113
- Joined: Sat Feb 21, 2009 7:16 pm
Hi Happy feet,
You need to keep happy!
The 11 + assesses, preparation aside, a more raw kind of ability.They are sifting out children of high ability to mould and shape.Your son is one of those selected by his raw ability in those areas.
My two eldest Dds are at CCHS. One is a natural essay writer and the other not so much, but still very above average.Since starting CCHS, she has come on in leaps in this area and has written some suprisingly good essays in English and the humanities.
I am an English teacher. (I don't confess to it often on here, as I often post in a rush and don't get time to proof read what I write.Somebody always helpfully
points out any errors)
As a teacher, I would say to you Sats are a moment in time.If he was a 5 last year and is suddenly not, it just means that he has recently slightly underperformed, probably on the writing task.Last year's writing task, which many schools will use as a mock at this time, was to write "a report" on trainers.
My daughter took that to mean a newspaper report and therefore lacked some of the stylistic features required for a high 5 .She still got a 5, but not as good as her mock marks.
She also, happily, was not at a school that prepped and prepped every possible format of writing task, so therefore a report was new to her.
I took the view that "Hooray you have got into CCHS...Sats- don't worry. Just do your best!" KEGS and CCHS do not stream, so it means relatively little to them.If anything it gives them a chance to prove more value added. The teacher assessments will follow them too, but quite honestly the secondary schools take it all with a large pinch of salt and re assess them anyway in their first term.
He will not struggle because of one slightly disappointing SATS predicted grade.KEGS is an excellent school.If he has any real gaps in his writing skills they will, through excellent teaching, bring the very best out of him.
Keep your feet happy.
You need to keep happy!
The 11 + assesses, preparation aside, a more raw kind of ability.They are sifting out children of high ability to mould and shape.Your son is one of those selected by his raw ability in those areas.
My two eldest Dds are at CCHS. One is a natural essay writer and the other not so much, but still very above average.Since starting CCHS, she has come on in leaps in this area and has written some suprisingly good essays in English and the humanities.
I am an English teacher. (I don't confess to it often on here, as I often post in a rush and don't get time to proof read what I write.Somebody always helpfully
points out any errors) As a teacher, I would say to you Sats are a moment in time.If he was a 5 last year and is suddenly not, it just means that he has recently slightly underperformed, probably on the writing task.Last year's writing task, which many schools will use as a mock at this time, was to write "a report" on trainers.
My daughter took that to mean a newspaper report and therefore lacked some of the stylistic features required for a high 5 .She still got a 5, but not as good as her mock marks.
She also, happily, was not at a school that prepped and prepped every possible format of writing task, so therefore a report was new to her.
I took the view that "Hooray you have got into CCHS...Sats- don't worry. Just do your best!" KEGS and CCHS do not stream, so it means relatively little to them.If anything it gives them a chance to prove more value added. The teacher assessments will follow them too, but quite honestly the secondary schools take it all with a large pinch of salt and re assess them anyway in their first term.
He will not struggle because of one slightly disappointing SATS predicted grade.KEGS is an excellent school.If he has any real gaps in his writing skills they will, through excellent teaching, bring the very best out of him.
Keep your feet happy.
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GibsonES335
- Posts: 62
- Joined: Tue Mar 02, 2010 10:29 am
My DS 2 is at KEGS Yr 9 and was offered from the waiting list, late in the day.
We asked the same question. i.e. would he cope having just got in and by implication would have a low (or is that high?) ranking.
He loves it there and is really thriving so please don't worry on that score.
Remember, the 11+ is merely a snapshot in a certain set of circumstances and not an assessment of anyone's potential.
We asked the same question. i.e. would he cope having just got in and by implication would have a low (or is that high?) ranking.
He loves it there and is really thriving so please don't worry on that score.
Remember, the 11+ is merely a snapshot in a certain set of circumstances and not an assessment of anyone's potential.
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Happy feet
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Tue Mar 23, 2010 12:10 pm
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Chelmsford mum
- Posts: 2113
- Joined: Sat Feb 21, 2009 7:16 pm
One thing I forgot to say, is he will not be the only boy to have a 4a.(if that happens) As you said, the difference between that and a 5 can be a mark and other children will underperform on the day.Happy feet wrote:Thank you all for your replies. Your information has been very reassuring & will help me help him if things do not work out with the SATs.
I just want him to be happy at school & I fear this will not happen if he is never able to cope with the work set.
Thanks once again your advice.
HF
He will cope....and more than cope.He will thrive
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CCHSsmiley
- Posts: 37
- Joined: Mon Mar 08, 2010 5:56 pm
- Location: Essex
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Chelmsford mum
- Posts: 2113
- Joined: Sat Feb 21, 2009 7:16 pm
