How can I find out how well/badly DS2 is REALLY doing at school??

[abitworried]

He's in Year 3 and is youngest in class (August born)
We had a school report before half term and it's all the written 'fluff' type e.g. "DS has learnt to subtract 3-digit numbers. etc etc"

It doesn't really tell me anything!

I want to know how he is REALLY doing:

• for his age (i.e. young)
• vs. his class ('cos I think this may be related to some self-esteem issues)

and, although I know this sounds a bit extreme, I want to know because it may affect what we need to do over the next 3 years in planning for possible senior school.
e.g. move/ tutoring/ consider faith schools etc

The nearby Independent school which DS1 goes to takes children of 'above average' ability, and I have no sense of whether DS2 would get in.
DS1 is eldest in his class and very 'able' so breezed in easily with a scholarship. I cannot compare DS2 directly at the same age.

However the nearby local school is in special measures and we wouldn't currently consider it for DS2.

The school can't/won't give me concrete information - scores, SATs results (it's an independent primary, so don't do SATs as such).

Should a school at Year 3 be able to reasonably predict where a 7.5 yr old might be at 10.5 yrs?

[abitworried]

Sorry - re-reading that I realise it all soudns a bit desparate, but I guess that's how I feel!

What can I use as a guide or measure of how he's doing.

My gut feel is that he is very average...

[LoveRoses]

I would suggest booking an appointment with his class teacher - to have an indepth chat about his performance in school.

If you have the curriculum for the term/year on the subjects being covered in his yr, you might also find it helpful to write out a list of questions you need answers to regarding his performance on each of the subjects currently being covered.

You could also have him assessed by an Educational (pyschologist?)I hear they can be quite pricey - somewhere in the region of £200 per session - not entirely sure how that works though....HTH

[knowmyrights]

What about buying one of those Bond assessment-type books for his age and seeing how he handles one of the papers? If he's Year 3 then you would be hoping he could confidently have a go at the papers for age 7-8?

[seeker]

At our state primary we can ask at any time where a child is in terms of national curriculum levels - and from this you can make a fair stab at predicting where they will be in 3 years time assuming average progress.

Could you buy some SATS papers and let him have a go? There is usually guidance about marking them in the pack.

But I would try to pin the school down if I were you - make an appointment and don't leave until you've got the information you want.

[abitworried]

Hmm - yes, you're probably right about pinning the school down. I have tried that in the past (not asked for specific levels though) and they always seem to give me the 'we're interested in developing the whole child' line, which I'm worried is a euphemism for 'he's pretty thick actually' (don't mean that...)

Good idea about the bond papers...

[seeker]

"'we're interested in developing the whole child'

Hmmm. In my experience this sort of thing is morfe likely to be a euphemism for either "we can't be bothered to write anything down" or, worse, "we have absolutely no idea"

[abitworried]

Oh dear - they flippin well ought to be bothered - that's what I'm paying them for!

No - to be fair, I think his teacher IS good, and they seem to not want to stress the kids too much with tests and gradings etc

BUT I also need to have some sort of idea, so we can 'prepare' for various outcomes.
With DS1 it just wasn't an issue, as it was just very obvious that he was a geek academically able...

[Iwannabreak]

Hi there

This is my first post so here goes...

Along with every parent I spoke to whose child had this particular teacher, my son's progress was slow and painful in Year 1, partly due to her incompetence.Everyone said that they wrote the year with this teacher off!! Only found this our towards the end of the year though. Yes the alarm bells were ringing. She has since left the school at the end of the Year and his Y2 form teacher is a Y6 teacher who I suspect has a humongous task to raise standards and to bring the class up to speed before Y3 and possibly for the sats!!.

At parents evening we were told that my DS reading has improved since Oct 2009 from 1a to 2C , his Science is currently assessed at 3 however his English, Maths and RE are at level 1a.

Now that I am a bit more knowledgeable about the gradings (i.e c-a as opposed to a-c) I am now wondering whether he will, by the end of this year attain a level 2 which I understand is the average level for Y2 subjects?

I am not sure he is getting the amount of help he needs at school with the TA
( I am awaiting the Teachers confirmation and reply to me letter of yesterday expressing my concerns about what my son has said regarding the lack of assistance he receives) DS is a worrier and panics and hated it when he had to stay in to do one piece of work he hadn't finished.

I work 3 days a week and do help him with his work during the week before bedtime and weekends. Luckily he is an enthusiastic child who wants to learn and gets a lot of pleasure when he learns something knew and understands it.

I may be setting my standards high for him but my husband and I know what he can do and what he finds difficult.

Is it realistic to think that a child can jump from 1a to a 2 by July?

I have already booked for a consultation with a private tutor to assess and possibly help him.

I know he is only 6 but just fear that if he hasn't sufficiently consolidated his learning by the end of KS1, he will find the transition to Year 3 an uphill struggle.

I will appreciate your thoughts on the above,and if anyone has any experience and advice from any Y2 teachers out there and any parents who may have have been in our shoes.

Many thanks

[Iwannabreak]

Oops just realised I have posted this on the wrong page- Please ignore all!!