School Reports and Teacher Feedback

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Kesteven
Posts: 68
Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2011 2:02 pm

School Reports and Teacher Feedback

Post by Kesteven »

Both my DCs went to a state primary (and DS is now about to start at an independent secondary in Yr 7). Every term we have the opportunity to speak to the teachers for feedback on their progress and every year we receive formal written school reports. What really bugs me about these is what I see as an active avoidance of ever letting you know how well your DCs are doing relative to the rest of the class.

All the feedback is designed to say how really well little X or Y is progressing, and occasionally you get feedback against a national benchmark norm. But, for me, that's nowhere near good enough. I don't want to know that my DC is more advanced that 60% of the national age group. I want to know where they stand compared to their class peers too.

Personally, I don't see what was so wrong about pinning up a list every year showing who's top of the class and where each child ranks in order? If not a public list, then at least disclose this in confidence to parents. Would it be so devastating for the weak ones to realise they are near the bottom? Or, in this climate of all-must-have-prizes, must every child be constantly reassured as to how talented and achieving they are? The teachers must realise who are the best pupils. So why keep it from the parents?
Looking for help
Posts: 3767
Joined: Thu Dec 18, 2008 11:12 am
Location: Berkshire

Re: School Reports and Teacher Feedback

Post by Looking for help »

Hi Kesteven,

i am not in favour of a list particularly for younger children....I remember in school myself coming second last in an arithmetic test when in 1st year at high school. The teacher handed the papers back in order from highest to lowest, and mine was a very long time coming. The mortification was horrendous, and everybody was laughing by the time I got mine back. I have to say in my defence that I got back on track, perhaps this really cruel thing helped me, I don't know. I wouldn't wish it on anybody.

We've just had parents' evening at secondary school this week for our son in y8. Some of the teachers are very good at telling you what you need to hear, but others are hopeless. When you've been to these evenings as often as we have you become accustomed to reading the class test results upside down without appearing to be interested - you may find some tools rather useful, for example new glasses with 20x magnification, that sort of thing and a potential distraction so the teacher looks away while you scan the list to guage how many children are above and below your child. If that doesn't work, sometimes the teachers are really cagey :o , you mayhave to ask the direct question. We had one the other night, an RE teacher who spent 4.5 minutes of the allotted 5 regurgitating the syllabus being taught this term. My husband eventually interrupted 'Great, but how is **** actually doing?' The bell rang to move on and we barely got any sensible answer. **** meanwhile is having a kitten beside us as he could not believe his father would interrupt a teacher mid sentence. At least even if no good at RE he is definitely polite and has manners, not like his dad, I have to add :lol:
scarlett
Posts: 3664
Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 10:22 am

Re: School Reports and Teacher Feedback

Post by scarlett »

I absolutely hate the idea of pinning up weekly scores for everyone to see. Ds 1 who would be near the top would obviously love it, but ds2 who wouldn't be at the top and has suffered immensely from bitchy girls who keep telling him he is dim,would probably be distraught and take a real battering to his self esteem.....and its not because I want him constantly reassured he is great.....but isn't that the way to build up their confidence and boost their learning anyway ?

I ask outright how they are doing in relation to everyone else...and I am always told...but it isn't particularly useful as the girls in his class are very bright and the boys are mainly sen ..my son is the only boy who is " where he should be " so you can't really compare....maybe its similar for you ? therefore the national averages maybe of more help.

Why do you want to know where he is in comparison to his friends ?
guest201
Posts: 484
Joined: Mon Aug 31, 2009 4:04 pm

Re: School Reports and Teacher Feedback

Post by guest201 »

Nowadays teachers will not tell your child is better than other children in the class etc. But your child will, my DD knows exactly where she is in the class relative to other children, and I have no qualms about asking her.
mad?
Posts: 5621
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 6:27 pm
Location: london

Re: School Reports and Teacher Feedback

Post by mad? »

I've always wanted to know this kind of information. However, I cannot think of a good reason for wanting to know other than my natural nosiness :D . Turning it round the other way, I cannot think of a really good reason for giving out that kind of information and bearing in mind some of that rather, ahem, braying parents at DCs' former primary I am quite glad they didn't! In my experience my DC knew exactly 'where' they were.
mad?
guest201
Posts: 484
Joined: Mon Aug 31, 2009 4:04 pm

Re: School Reports and Teacher Feedback

Post by guest201 »

I agree with mad? There is no good reason for wanting this information and therefore not good reason for giving it out, but I am one of those people who needs to know this type of information, maybe it is because I am very competitive or very nosey, neither of which are particulary good traits to have, but I cant help it!!
marigold
Posts: 656
Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2009 3:14 pm
Location: essex

Re: School Reports and Teacher Feedback

Post by marigold »

I too became very good at reading mark and results lists upside down at junior school but unfortunately the senior schools seem to use lap tops and it would be positively rude to peer over the top don't you think ?

As mad? has indicated this is only due to pure nosiness and to reassure myself that my children were keeping up with those of the braying parent section of the playground.
It can be quite useful however to know how our children are doing compared to the norm of the year, if only to manage our expectations of what our children are capable of. Only one teacher has ever shown me a results list, maths in year 8. My daughter had achieved high eighties in a maths exam, I had been delighted and believed I had a genius on my hands ( having got 17% in my mock O'level maths I have the greatest admiration for the ability to add ). In fact she was quite low down the list everyone else having got high nineties so that put me in my place.
Snowdrops
Posts: 4667
Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2007 5:20 pm

Re: School Reports and Teacher Feedback

Post by Snowdrops »

Oh yes, I've always wanted the teachers to tell me exactly where dd is in comparison to everyone else - but they don't :(

But I do know whereabouts she is comapred to everyone else, because I ask her :D :D

I also get a good idea from the teachers by their eagerness to tell me how great she is, and in some cases, where she needs to do better!

So yes, I'm frustrated as mostly it's a guessing game (I guess my dd's right and I guess from clues off the teachers), but I'm not worried as I 'think' she's doing OK :lol: :lol: :lol:

............... perhaps I should start worrying :lol: :lol: :lol: :shock:
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hermanmunster
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Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:51 am
Location: The Seaside

Re: School Reports and Teacher Feedback

Post by hermanmunster »

I think the info can be helpful - when looking at future career aspirations etc it could be very helpful. I get pretty fed up of : they are doing fine - they are on target..... on target for what ? 5 C's or 10 A*'s at GCSE.

I also once asked if the "targets" were individual to the child or the form / intake .... the tutor didn't know :twisted:
scarlett
Posts: 3664
Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 10:22 am

Re: School Reports and Teacher Feedback

Post by scarlett »

I agree, the only reason you want to know is if you worry your child may be a bit behind etc and you just want reassurance that they are " near the top in maths but average in english......but great at doing foward rolls etc " You don't need to know that they are " better " then x, y and z.

I wasn't given ds2 year 2 sats results and asked to see his teacher for his levels....she promptly showed me a computer printout which had the whole class levels on and which I had to look at to find my childs, but I was mortified and felt embarrassed that I obviously then knew every childs abilities...
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