School report - what could these target codes mean?

[FrayedHem]

Ds2 in Yr5, just got school report and won't have a chance to ask until the new school year. Not had parents evening but have no concerns it's just slightly bugging me.

It has for predictions/Y6 targets
Read: AS
Write: GDS
Maths: AS
Science: AS

These are in a column next to his KS1 results. Writing is something he struggles with.

The accompanying letter says the school has introduced Assertive Mentoring but there are no codes matching the AS or GDS.

Any ideas?

[mrwhitesfly]

As a teacher I would assume it is At (expected) Standard and Greater Depth at (expected) Standard.

[FrayedHem]

Ah - I wonder if GD should have been for maths as he's working a bit ahead in that.

Thank you!

[BetweenTwoLungs]

You can't get greater development in Maths - only writing. That doesn't mean he's not working above of course and he may achieve a 'high score' in the sats (over 110).

[FrayedHem]

Oh I see, so it's definitely the correct column. DS2 really struggles with writing but I suppose his teacher is in a better position to judge than me.

Thank you.

[user789653241]

I think , with new NC, more mechanical writer gets better grades, maybe?
My ds struggles with creative writing. But his spelling, grammar, vocabulary are excellent. He's got GDS for end of year 3, to my total surprise.

[user789653241]

I think Between is talking about SATS, but yes, I think you can get GDS for maths as well in TA.

[spanieleyes]

Although you can't get a teacher assessment of Greater depth for maths in the end of Key Stage 2 teacher assessments, that doesn't mean a school can't use this terminology in its assessment procedures, schools can use whatever they want!
You can get a higher standard in the tests themselves though!

[FrayedHem]

It's the actual handwriting that DS2 struggles with, presentation and speed. He's not as confident in creative writing as he is with maths so that probably has a knock on effect. I was actually completely unaware of DS2's KS1 SAT results until today as they've never been mentioned before. After appalling 2016 results, the school has gone SATs ga-ga so I expect they will be working hard to improve and maybe DS2 will get some extra handwriting support.

[FrayedHem]

hmm now I'm back to being confused! This column does seem to be the predicted KS2 SATS, as it is next to his actual KS1 results and there is a separate bit for his actual current levels with completely different codes which they do provide a key for.

I need to ask don't I. It would help if they started doing parents evenings again as we used to get a report then have the meeting. But this seems to have been abandoned for this new style report instead. DS1's is actually incomplete but that's a whole different thread!

[FrayedHem]

he's definitely strongest in Maths as he got 5NSR (stage 5 next stage ready) and has volunteered himself to have KS3 maths challenges at the weekends. So GD would make sense for maths above the others which are all 5Secure.

[oldbirdy]

What the??? What happens to children working well above for maths then, in Sats, do they just get 'acheiving?' How does that support GCSE predictions? My son is great at maths, he'd have got level 6 if they still did it, will he just get "at expected standard" now?

[spanieleyes]

I would say he is predicted to achieve the required standard in everything and should also achieve the higher standard in maths! ( But hey, who knows these days!)

[spanieleyes]

For teacher assessment the Year 6 children can only be assessed as "achieving the standard" but could achieve the Higher standard in the KS2 SATS maths tests!

[user789653241]

They only done new sats once, so yes, at the moment, we only have results of what happened in 2016 sats, so OP's ds' prediction is highest he can get. BUt, you never know, they may change. (hope)

[spanieleyes]

We've been given this

www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/538415/2017_interim_teacher_assessment_frameworks_at_the_end_of_key_stage_2_150716_PDFa.pdf

but as you say, things could change in the next six months!

[user789653241]

Sorry spaniel, I posted before seeing your post.(Incredibly slow typing. I was cross posted, trying to respond to oldbirdy! )

[FrayedHem]

DS2 got 36/40 on the KS2 maths SATS paper they did a couple of weeks ago. Looking at the writing criteria, I think he could be borderline GD depending on him improving his handwriting. I have no idea how they are grading science as they've not really done any this term.

[user789653241]

I don't think it can't be end of KS2 sats paper though, it consists of 3 papers.
So it won't be just 36/40, unless he only done part of it.

[FrayedHem]

Yes, sorry it was just one of the papers they did.

[bojorojo]

I am amazed a school is predicting Sats results 18 months in advance! It would make much more sense if the grades represented a current assessment of how he has achieved in the curriculum covered to date, in Y5. Therefore it would be perfectly possible to be working in greater depth and any good teacher would be providing work of a greater depths and understanding of the maths topics covered at the moment. Obviously if he keeps up this achievement and level of progress remains strong, he will do well.

I would be much more interested in progress rather than predictions for the end of Y6 when he has only spent a term in Y5. I am not aware of many schools bothering to project progress to an end of KS2 attainment result. There is a long way to go and this takes no account of possible fluctuations in understanding and progress.

[FrayedHem]

There were assessments of his current level but they were easy to understand as they included a code for those! As DS2's writing is something he struggles with I was expecting the GD to represent something along the lines of "not quite there" rather than Greater Depth.

There are no predicted SAT results for DS1 who is in YR6, although that may because they've had a temporary teacher since half-term and a replacement starting in the new year. There's no actual words about DS1 or DS2 which is a little disappointing given the lack of parents evening.

The school is under Ofsted's watchful eye and pupils' predicted progress was a source of criticism so I'm a little surprised too, but presume they have learnt their lesson..!

[BetweenTwoLungs]

To clarify:

At the end of year 6, two bits of information are recorded. The SATs result and a teacher assessment. The teacher assessment is officially submitted. At the moment, you cannot get 'greater development' in maths or reading. You CAN score what is considered a 'high score' in the sats - above 110.

In addition to this, of course teachers can identify children that they view as working at GDS in maths/reading and can tell you that. However this is not officially submitted anywhere.

I'm guessing that gcse predictions etc will be based on the scaled score - a score closer to 120 is going to suggest a more able child in the subject, even if not officially labelled as such.

I hope this makes sense.

[BetweenTwoLungs]

Interesting about the writing - GDS in writing is difficult to get but massively impacts their progress scores if a fairly decent writer doesn't get it. I wonder if they know that they're not going to be moderated (checked up on) by their local authority...

[BetweenTwoLungs]

oldbirdy yes at the moment he'll just get 'at expected' however will probably get a score of around 115 which shoes he is good.