Anticipated progress in Year 7

[EmlynUwchCych]

DD has just started in Year 7 at the local comprehensive. She had hoped that the work would be more challenging than at primary school, but the first fortnight has been spent covering books and sitting in many classes supervised by cover teachers.

She got 5 5 5 5 at the end of primary (they don't assess above Level 5, but that's a gripe for another thread!), but she has now been told been her subject teachers that the teaching and assessment at the end of Year 7 will be at Level 5. The pupils are hoped to attain to that level within the year.

So what of DD? Is she expected to park her hopes of progress and challenge for another year of thumb twiddling whilst the teachers aim their lessons at the lowest common denominator?

Any advice on how to approach the school on this issue, please?

[starfish4]

The first few pieces of homework my DD had in Year 7 were quite simple, like you say covering books, choosing a picture off internet and printing it off etc. Not saying your DD will, but make the most of it, she will probably start getting lots very soon. If she's working to the top end of their teaching, then homework may be quite easy for her and she could easily do the extension homework some schools set for their brighter pupils and this may push her a little.

Personally, I would question why they expect her to stay on Level 5. I understand the first term may be repeating what she's already done to ensure certain things have been taught, but after that I would want to see some progress. My DD's school seem to expect them to progress about a level a year.

[jeandawson]

IME the are things you can challenge and things you have to let go.
Secondary schools don't trust year 6 SATS, and you won't change their opinion!
DS, now year 8, went in to year 7 with 6 6 6 8.
We were able to influence the teaching in his L8 subject as he proved his ability over time with performance in school, and that's worked out really well.
Some other things I think you have to be creative about - a child can self-extend by doing just that bit broader research for homework, read more complex books etc. she doesn't have to stick just to what they prescribe, at least at home.
There are lots of new subjects to keep her going too - history, georgaphy, science in more detail, MFL. Try to focus on those if there are other things that she's feeling aren't moving fast enough.
I think they do work to a lowest common denominator at first, but our experience has been that it evens out over time so the more able ones shift to the top and get a better level of challenge. Part of the trick is not to rely just on school - teach her to extend herself, there's no reason to get bored.
Hope that helps!

[bigTillyMint]

Sounds like the school have seriously low expectations and are underperforming. What was the last Ofsted like?

Many DC make massive leaps in Y7 from their level 5's - level 7's are not unheard of at the end of Y7 at all. The school should be able to enable this whilst supporting those who will need to work hard to get level 5's.

[MillyMollyMama]

If your DD was a level 5c in primary, then a level 5a would seem a possible target, although, in my opinion, not challenging. If she was 5a, then being expected to maintain 5a shows virtually no challenge at all. However, if the secondary school have reassessed and found her SATs results to be very inflated, in their opinion, then consolidating level 5 might be acceptable. Whatever the case, I would ask the school why her targets are not on the 6 spectrum, if she was 5a, and how they have assessed her to set the targets. Schools are expected to set challenging targets, not ludicrously safe ones.

[EmlynUwchCych]

To be honest, their latest Estyn is "Adequate". They have managed to boost level 2+ threshold for the number achieving 5 x good GCSEs (including English/Welsh + Maths). They have also introduced timetabled literacy and numeracy classes in KS3, so the Welsh Government are pleased with the school's performance: it is not underperforming by those measures.

My fear is that by stressing the basics so much, they risk straightjacketing the brighter children into mediocrity. They don't seem to be create a space for aspiration. My philosophy is clearly at odds with the prevailing one: teach to the ability of the brightest in the class, and bring the rest along to the best of their abilities. I clearly wouldn't survive long in education these days!

DD is bringing home work with Level 4 (!) as a target. Back in the day, we were setted within a fortnight of arriving in secondary school, but now they spend the first year languishing in mixed ability. I really don't understand the educational philosophy?

[bigTillyMint]

I have no problem with not setting in Y7, but there needs to be an aspirational culture for all students. I think it's good that they are trying to back up the basics for those that need it, but I wouldn't be at all happy with my DC being given work/targets that were inappropriately unchallenging.

I would be wanting to have a conversation with the school about this!

[EmlynUwchCych]

MillyMollyMama, the KS2 levels are not parsed down further here in Wales, and there are no SATs (inflated or otherwise). Most schools assess and report no higher than Level 5, whatever the child's actual achievement. I understand what you mean about consolidating within a level, but pitching work the level below a child's reported achievement is dispiriting, to say the least!

[pointythings]

I wouldn't be happy. DD2 came out of primary with 5s across the board and a 6 in SPaG (which is just the technical bit of English but still useful). Her targets for everything except new subjects are 6B. She has had challenging homework almost from day 1. Your school sounds as if it is coasting and it needs to be pulled up on that.

[AChickenCalledKorma]

Do you get a parents evening/meet the teacher event or similar this term? I'd be reluctant to go in all guns blazing, but it does sound like a school where expectations are low. And no, year 7 shouldn't be all about coasting.

For comparison, everyone at DD1's comprehensive school has an academic tutoring appointment this week, at which their form tutor sets specific targets for them in every subject. There is no question of everyone in the year aiming for the same level. She's in year 8 now, but at this point last year she was definitely getting some pretty challenging work, despite having started year 7 with a mix of level 5s and 6s.

[nostress]

Secondary school science teacher here. I've recently returned to teaching and I am teaching year 7. Has she been given a text book? I think the curriculum is very challenging. That said at this early stage my Y7s are just covering the basics such as lab safety and how to use various bits of apparatus.

I would agree with the self extension comment. Also go through her books looking for the comments/targets and make sure she exceeds those targets.

[enderwoman]

My daughter has just started y7 and her homework seems suitably challenging.

You've got to remember that for subjects that they didn't do at primary, they start at level 3 so a level 4in say German isn't a problem.

[EmlynUwchCych]

nostress: No text books in any subjects!
enderwoman: I'm glad your daughter is being challenged, and you are right about MFLs. If were able to choose a school like that, we'd be there in a shot.

[ElephantsNeverForgive]

I'd be unhappy at no setting at all in Y7, it is likely to lead to a lot of thumb twiddling. However, early setting can cause problems too. DD1 did a lot of thumb twiddling being stuck in set 3 having messed up her numeracy CAT. Had they waited until Christmas, they would have seen what she could do.

It's not worth getting terribly hung up about Y7&8 levels (having a Y12 and a Y9) I have concluded they are generated by a bingo machine. Not until you get predicted GCSE grades do you get any real sense.

[PastSellByDate]

Emlyn:

I'm slightly confused whether the school have formally given your DC her end of year targets already - certainly this seems a bit early on (2/3 weeks into first term).

NC L5/6 is the national (England/ Wales) target for pupil achievement at end of KS3. So in practice NC L5 is the minimum acceptable target - and it may be that the teacher was speaking generally about end of year targets. Given most of the intake would be NC L4 (end KS2) - this is a reasonable pace of progress (2-3 NC sub-levels over one school year - similar to that expected in KS2).

My feeling is that until you've had your formal parent/ teacher meeting - it is unlikely that formal end of year targets have been specifically set for your DD.

Don't see this year in 'mixed ability classes' (which is also our case here in Birmingham at a state comprehensive) as treading water - but see it as an extended audition for top set. Our strategy is get the homework done/ make sure it's clearly presented and accurate/ prepare for exams/ tests and use your planner to keep you up to date/ on top of extra work/ etc...

HTH

[EmlynUwchCych]

PastSellByDate: DD was told by several subject teachers that Level 5 was the class target for the end of year, and that the teaching would be to that level. I have also spoken to parents who have had children in Year 7 in previous years. Their experience of Maths, for example, is of a whole year spent "revising" Level 4 and 5 primary Maths, i.e. consolidating the whole-class experience in mixed abilitiy, and not presenting any material beyond Level 5. Their children were also bored to tears by the experience.

Why is it not possible to take KS2 NC levels at face value, perform rigorous baseline assessments to confirm or disprove these levels, finesse the assessments during the first fortnight of Year 7, and then set the children as appropriate? Surely this is not beyond the professional capability of trained, experienced educators?

[PastSellByDate]

Emlyn:

OK - I see your problem, especially in maths. Perhaps a group of you parents should raise this with the board governors. Not as an individual complaint - but as an observation that the school is not adequately catering for pupils arriving who are already working at their notional end of Y7 target. and requesting that the governors ask the HT & subject Heads (but especially Maths) to clarify how they are meeting the needs of this 'higher ability' cohort.

Keeping the interest and challenge there for more able pupils should also be a priority.

as jeandawson & no stress suggested - if her homework is ridiculously easy and finished quickly then try to encourage she does more on her own. There's tons on the web to help: BBC Bitesize or Homework High (Channel 4) or Khan academy (MIT K-12 science videos really good) - are all free and good places to start.

HTH

[Hakluyt]

How does the school score for high attainers progress overall?