All this talk about levels - is ours the only Primary that does not give out levels regularly?

[sittinginthesun]

We have been given levels at the end of Year 2, but this is the first ever mention of levels at all. Everyone else on NM seems to be talking about levels being given out at least once a year.

Not worried, as think it takes the pressure off, but are we the only ones?

[mrz]

No we don't give out levels except in Y2 &6 (although they may be discussed during parents evening)

[ragged]

Ours doesn't, and I'm quite relieved about it. All these threads about "My child only moved up one sublevel, how shall I complain about it?" Pah. They aren't robots.

[BusterGut]

Exactly, ragged!

It can so easily turn into a blame game about the previous year's teacher as well.

[SybilBeddows]

DD is in year 1 and didn't get them, but the year 2s in the school have.

I panicked at the weekend because dd's best friend (who is a year 2) did get them last year, but I checked with the other mums (in case everyone was getting them except me ) and they must have changed it this year.

I don't know, I don't think we necessarily need levels but my school is very good at giving you an enormous amount of very specific information about what your child can do whilst leaving you completely in the dark as to how they're doing. Some indication might be quite nice.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

DS is just finishing Y2 and we have been given his SATS results, that is the first mention we've had so far of levels. He has done well and has had a brilliant report too but what I'm more pleased with is that he is a very happy little boy who loves going to school.

[castlesintheair]

We get them for every year and I really wish we didn't. My DS (Year 4) in particular received a glowing written report and his NC scores (or whatever they are called) really did not reflect it

[GrimmaTheNome]

DDs primary - independent - didn't do SATs till year 5 then the real thing in yr6. Just detailed written reports. Reckon that's better for little ones, esp as quite a lot really don't hit the stride with 'academic' work till juniors.

[PandaNot]

They are useful though when the school sends out a questionnaire asking 'Is your child making enough progress?'. Quite hard to answer accurately if you don't know how much progress they have made each year. I know that the kind of progress which can't be measured, such as confidence, enthusiasm, attitude to work etc is also important but that isn't what they are asking. They're asking in the OFSTED sense.

[hackingandhewing]

We don't get them in infants. We have middle schools here and they start giving out levels then (Y4).

DS is in Y1 and have never been given his levels.

[Elibean]

Barely had a sniff of levels before now, and not that much talk of them even at end of Y2....the school takes an interest in KS1 SATS, but the parents aren't nearly as focussed on them as MN threads seem to be.

Much more talked about in KS2, obviously.

[anthonytrollopesrevenge]

No levels here except for yr 2 and 6. We have working at expected level, above or below. This doesn't worry me. The school definitely let's you know what your DCs are good at and where they are weak, personally I don't care much about the level, I'm more interested about how the school supports the child to get on.

[pigsinmud]

Primary schools here only give them in yrs 2 & 6 - I am glad. I think some parents tend to get too hung up on them .....basing that purely on MN!

[JemimaMuddledUp]

No, I have never been told what level any of my 3 DC are at. Including at the end of Year 2. I have been told that they are doing well/OK/crap at parents evenings and on reports, but have never been given an actual level.

[mumonahottinroof]

Ours doesn't (y 1, anyway) and i haven't a clue what they mean

[bitsyandbetty]

Results in Year 2 and Year 6 at my DCs school. Quite OK for me anything extra pointless for me.

[coppertop]

At our school they usually only mention levels in Yr2 and Yr6. The exception is when a child has SN and the levels are relevant to discussions about the child's progress.