How good unusual is a level 7 in primary school?

[BrieAndChilli]

DS1 has just come home and said his headteacher told him his writing was a level 7. He’s in year 6.

[DumbledoresApprentice]

There are no national curriculum levels any more. That means that schools set their own grades/levels. There’s no way of knowing how unusual a level 7 would be without knowing how the school has chosen to define it.

[BrieAndChilli]

We are in wales and they still give levels.
They should be getting level 4 by the end of year 6..

[BrieAndChilli]

Or maybe a level 5. He’s always been level 6a or 6b and never heard anyone in primary get a level 7

[Cockmagic]

Years ago at the end of primary school ours went up to level 6. (And you had to sit a different test for it)

I don't think 7 exists op but I could be wrong!

[GreenTulips]

My DD was level 7 in maths and literacy - she wasn't the only one

[DonkeyOil]

I think you've answered your own question! When my children took SATs (in England) there were still 'Levels', and 6 was considered to be exceptional. In fact, I'm not sure, but I believe they had to sit an extension paper to be able to register a Level 6. Not sure what Level the papers went up to, though.

[DumbledoresApprentice]

Are the Welsh NC Levels the same as the ones that used to be used in England? If they are then a 7 used to be exceptionally rare.

[EskSmith]

What DumbledoresApprentice said.
Levels no longer exist so the schools definition of level 7 could be reception or postgrad - no way of knowing.
However your later post shows you have a good grasp of the old levels so I think you are being a tad disingenuous. I can however say what you want to hear if you like...

[Bluntness100]

I think it does exist in wales, a quick look at wales on line says it is marked between 1-8 and then above an 8 is the "exceptional" level.

Op, I'd speak to thr school to see what it means. I'd guess a low A or a high B in old money.

[BrieAndChilli]

Founded this in a local school website (secondary) that shows level 7 as exceeding the expected level for a 14 year old!

[BrieAndChilli]

.

[MyDcAreMarvel]

So just a weird stealth boast then.

[EskSmith]

learning.gov.wales/docs/learningwales/publications/150717-nc-english-en-v3.pdf

From this document
Level 7
Learners’ writing is confident and shows appropriate choices of style in a range of forms. Writing is coherent, sustained and developed. In literary writing, characters and settings are developed and,
innon-literary writing, ideas are organised and coherent. They sustain arguments and offer convincing evidence in support of their views. A range of sentence structures and vocabulary are accurately
and effectively used. Spelling is correct, including that of complex irregular words. Paragraphing and correct punctuation are used for clarity and effect. Work is legible and well presented.

Level 8
Learners’ writing shows the selection of specific features or expressions to convey particular effects and to interest the reader. Flair and originality is evident within their written work. Literary writing
shows control ofcharacters, events and settings and shows variety in structure. Non-literary writing is coherent and gives clear points of view. They structure their arguments, offering evidence
consistently. Theuse of vocabulary and grammar enables fine distinctions to be made or emphasis achieved. Writing shows a clear grasp of the effective use of punctuation and paragraphing. Work is
legible and well presented.

Exceptional
Learners’ writing has shape and impact and shows control of a range of styles, maintaining the interest of the reader throughout. Literary writing uses structure as well as vocabulary for a range
Performance of imaginative effects, andnon-literary writing is coherent, reasoned and persuasive. A variety of grammatical constructions and punctuation is used accurately and appropriately and with sensitivity.
Paragraphs are well constructed and linked inorder to clarify the organisation of the writing as a whole. Work is legible and well presented.

[sportyfool]

My dd say level 6 sats in year 6. She is now in year 9 and predicted grade 8 and 9 in her GCSEs if she continues along the same course so I guess yes it's a great place to be .

[Addy2]

Exactly, MyDcAreMarvel.

[Bluntness100]

Yes that is similar to what I saw, 8 levels, and an exceptional level above that. I think the mid point is the average or the min they should be expected to achieve, so he is exceeding that,

[Bluntness100]

Ah op,sorry I misunderstood you, a level seven for a 14 year old and a level seven for an 11 year old will be different.

[Davespecifico]

Selective Independent schools will be looking for solid level 5s across the board.
So if his Maths also good I’d have entered him for independent exams in the hope of getting a bursary based on academic ability.

[DonkeyOil]

Your ds is obviously doing very well at school, op. I hope you congratulated him, and didn't pretend not to know how good a level 7 is!

[Hiddeninplainsight]

Would perhaps have been easier just to say 'I have just been told my DS y6 is working at the level of a 14 year old - I'm super proud!'

It is the sort of thing you can say on the G&T board (and most people will say well done).

So, assuming that you were just too shy to say that, I'm going to say well done to your DS, he is clearly doing very well at school.

[user789653241]

Totally agree with Hidden. This is the place you are allowed to be a proud parent!
Well done, that's amazing.

[Etymology23]

If these are national curriculum levels still, a level 7 is the same required standard whether 14 or 11.

Well done to your son, Op, that’s very high!

[mmzz]

If you google a bit, you'll find level 5-7 and level 6-8 official past papers. They were never meant for primary school, but for Year 9. Testing at year 9 must have been tried and then abandoned at some point. I think the last time they were sat officially was around 2010.

My year 11 DS sat the past papers in ks3 at secondary school as unofficial intra-school assessments and the results were used to describe attainment and progress until he started his GCSE courses. However, my year 9 DS didn't sit them at secondary school so the old national curriculum levels must have been abandoned 2-3 years ago.

From memory, Level 6 in old national curriculum levels equated to the top 10% in maths (maybe a little less), about 3% in writing and it rounded to 0 for reading. No one did level 7 at primary school, but DS2 did a 5-7 maths paper unofficially in year 6 to see how he would get on and he got a 7 on it. Everyone thought it remarkable. He's top set now, about to start his GCSE courses, but he's not shooting the lights out.

[Tomorrowillbeachicken]

I was tested with sats in year 9 in the mid 90s. There were also lvl 7-10 papers in maths in year nine.

[anxious2017]

Not unusual in Year 6 at all. I'll have a few Level 7s every year.