What is an 'Average' child

[barrackobana]

After reading so many threads on education, I've come to the conclusion that there is much variation in the definition of average.
Personally, this is a child who without any added effort(private tutoring) will break even across most subjects in a test, averaging Bs or 50% plus across the board.

Very interested to know other peoples definitions may be.

[WaffleWiffle]

The national averages are (I think):

KS1 - Level 2(b)
KS2 - Level 4(b)
KS3 - Level 5(b)
GCSE - Grade C

[AlleyCat11]

I would have considered myself average in school. C & B grades mostly. I had good potential, but didn't always use it. Could have done better if I'd tried. I'd say a lot of average students just have no interest in study. Then there are those who just aren't as bright / academically able. Even with a lot of trying, they are just reaching average. The two types level out at average grades, I think.

[barrackobana]

Alleycat but one type has untapped potential (operating at their minimum) whilst the is other operating at optimum. Also with current grading system A*, A, B, C, D doesn't that mean B is currently the average? Is there a standard grade boundary for these?

[Clavinova]

The Department for Education performance tables give the average GCSE grade across all schools in England as a C+ (best 8) - they record E grades as well as Ds. Only just over 53% of children achieve 5 GCSEs including maths and English - 83% achieve 5 GCSEs (or equivalents) not including maths and English.

[lljkk]

In England, it seems like the "average" child finished KS2 with 4a or 5c in math+English, and just about scrapes 5 GCSEs with math + English. Another Mumsnetter argued that the "average" includes enough kids with Learning Difficulties that actually the average for kids without LDs is probably more like 5b/5a for KS2 grades and (?) at least 8 GCSEs of C+ grade including math & English.

I'm not sure what the value of knowing "average" is. Maybe there's confusion between needing to know what's "average" versus "acceptable".

[barrackobana]

I'm really just trying to understand what is considered 'Average'. In my mind, D and E grades are below average even if they are acceptable. I'm from a very different education system, so really want to have a good grasp of what it means, when in conversation someone says 'oh she's average, so perhaps shouldn't bother with university'.

What are the grade boundaries for the current grades, What percentage do they map to?

[Clavinova]

"In my mind, D and E grades are below average" - you can only work out an AVERAGE grade if you include ALL the grades. Plenty of sixth forms/colleges will accept pupils with grade Cs although they might need Bs in the subjects they wish to study for A level. It's not that hard to get to university these days.

Achieving a 5a at KS2 indicates a pretty bright child, not an "average" child.

47% of children do not have learning difficulties - perhaps the schools aren't good enough?

[barrackobana]

Achieving a 5a at KS2 indicates a pretty bright child, not an "average" child.
Yes, I was going to comment on that as well, surely that's above average?

Is the current 'C' not equivalent to the old 'D' (GCE system)? What would you need to score to get a C grade?

[TeenAndTween]

Asking What would you need to score to get a C grade? isn't a very helpful question really, as it depends on how hard the test is!

e.g. Maths GCSE, there are 2 tiers of papers, Higher and Foundation. To get a C grade you would need to get most of a Foundation paper correct, but maybe only 30(?)% of a Higher paper, because the questions are much harder.

My DD1 is about to enter y11. It seems to me that the 'pass' C grade doesn't look massively easy, despite all the media hype. A lot of stuff is 'different' from O levels, but e.g. in science there is a lot of content. History requires more reflection, using sources etc. than before, which was more leaning loads of facts.
However, I am a bit about at least the requirements to get a A for maths, as I think that does seem a bit easy to reach.

Different people have different views of 'what is considered average'. you could get a consensus view on here, and it still wouldn't help you with talking to others, as apparently 90% of mumsnet children are headed for RG universities (mine excluded). People tend to 'average' within their field of view - so if they are looking at grammar schools they may well call their child average for getting As rather than A*s.

Talking national average, you probably need to know whether you are talking mean, median or mode, as different politicians no doubt use different averages depending on which point they are trying to prove.

[TeenAndTween]

I believe around 50% of kids currently go to university. So an 'average' child i.e. at the 50% line is probably borderline university level at the moment. Given that at least some degrees don't seem all that worthwhile, I can see why someone might say that their 'average' child might not be university material.

actually that's what I think about my average child