Are SAT scores used for streaming at grammar schools?

[Minniemooface]

I know that the gcse's are now numbers 1-9, but the school reports still say the letter grades, and when they do well in tests and mark homework etc, they still talk about the letter grades. For example, she got 97 percent in one particular test, and the teacher said," well done that's an a**." Which I presume would have been a grade 9.I don't know why they are still using the old system, but they are. Maybe, they don't talk about the gcse's in number grades until they get to year 9 or 10. Or maybe, they are still working out what grades equal what, so are still teaching and marking to the old grades.

[scary mum]

Most grammar schools don't stream, at least until year 8 (usually for maths), so internal testing would be used for that, not SATS.

[Guest55]

Or maybe, they are still working out what grades equal what, so are still teaching and marking to the old grades.

That's worrying as that was agreed years ago ... and I hope they are not due an Ofsted as they would not be impressed by a school using the old system,

[anotherdad]

I thought there was no real way of comparing the two systems accurately anyway? The diagram I saw was deliberately structured such that none of the bands align. e.g. the 9 band covered some of the old A* band and new territory above it.

I don't like this bodging of the new system to try and equate it to the old one. It seems akin to the nonsense that goes on in my socket set, where I need two of everything. I have a 1/2 inch socket and a 13mm socket, a 5/8 inch socket and a 16mm socket and so on, because I'll encounter both sizes of nut and bolt in various jobs, so the set is twice the size and weight it needs to be.

[Guest55]

Yes, I think it was a mistake trying to 'align' them. No-one has done that with other changes and it's far better to focus on the new grades.

However, exam boards did promise that the % of students awarded 7+ would equate to the % of old A+ and ditto for 4+ and C+.

[rhiane]

In DDs Berks grammar, they only set for maths in year 7, she's now Y9 and since the GCSE gradings changed, all her assessments/reports are in the new number format

[anotherdad]

Yes, I think it was a mistake trying to 'align' them. No-one has done that with other changes and it's far better to focus on the new grades.

However, exam boards did promise that the % of students awarded 7+ would equate to the % of old A+ and ditto for 4+ and C+.

There was an interesting inconsistency that may have since been corrected. I believe that grade 4 is considered to be a "pass" whereas grade 5 is a "good pass". FE colleges and sixth forms require a student to continue studying English and/or maths if they haven't achieved at least grade 4 at GCSE. Universities are split on what constitutes their minimum level, with some requiring grade 4 English and maths and some requiring grade 5s. I can see that causing some problems for some students who are accepted onto FE programmes or into sixth forms with grade 4s, without needing to continue studying those subjects and then finding their university choices limited by their earlier grades. Has that been resolved?

[Guest55]

I believe universities can do what they like and it's certainly something for students to check.