Anyone had a dc average in maths at primary but advanced at secondary?

[Bloodywornoutnow]

My dd is 8 and in y3, she is very able at maths and has been known to answer her sisters GCSE homework, I have yet to give her something she can't do, she might need it explaining but she then has it, never encountered anything yet that she really does not understand, however after years of trying to get the ability recognised at school she is only just above average at L3B.
I am running out of ideas and at the moment we are sucking it up at school and just carrying on with what she is doing at home, has anyone had any experience of this sort of issue?
My family keep telling me that things will come good when dd gets to secondary school, is this likely to be true? thanks

[Hassled]

My DS2 was decidedly average at Primary and then shone at High School - now forecast an A* in Maths GCSE. He had an amazing teacher in Y7 who made him love Maths for the first time - but maybe the KS3 content just suited him better too. It's interesting - have you spoken to her teacher about it?

[Bloodywornoutnow]

Well done your ds
Many many times and not got anywhere, I know they have to go on what they are seeing in the classroom but it is still very frustrating for us and dd, I think she is bored and turning off a bit at school.

[basildonbond]

From ds2s experience I think the ks2 maths curriculum must be stultifyingly boring for someone with natural maths ability. Ds was level 4 at the end of ks1 and we were promised all kinds of extra input for him which never materialised. He was level 5a in year 4 and then apparently plateaued as according to the school he made no progress at all from then on until the end of year 6. He was constantly complaining he was bored but we were told it was a spiral curriculum and they would continually revisit topics

Fast forward to the first few weeks at secondary school and despite the long summer break ds had miraculously made 3 sub-levels of improvement and was 6a with a target of 7a for the end of year 7. He's now in the accelerated maths group and will be taking GCSE early and the doing further maths.


The curriculum and teaching suit him much better and he finds it a lot easier to learn as all the children in the class are very good at maths so they go at a ferociously fast pace which he enjoys

Don't give up hope for your dd - she's still v little

[coppertop]

My ds started enjoying maths for the first time when he moved into Yr7. The tests he did at the beginning of Yr7 showed that he was at a higher level than the one his primary school had assessed him at, and he was put into the top set.

His school are keen on entering the national maths challenges. If any of those are available at primary school level, they could be a chance for your dd to show what she can do.

(I know very little about them but there are a lot of MNers who would know more.)

[Drunkendonut]

My dd was pretty average at maths during primary school and is now working towards an A grade for GCSE in May.
She has a good attitude and works hard, I think that's the key.
In my experience primary attainment isn't a great predictor of attainment at secondary. In fact, I often think the kids who struggle a bit are used to putting the extra effort in and end up doing better than those who have a natural ability.
Obviously not always!

[SirChenjin]

Yes - DD really struggled with maths in primary school, and is now doing National 5 at High School. She still doesn't find it easy as such, but she is motivated and works hard unlike her wastrel of an older brother who is really ticking me off at the moment

[BaconAndAvocado]

Yes DS1 really struggled with Maths at primary school but achieved an A (was one mark off an A*) in Maths GCSE in Year 10.

He's now in Year 11 and predicted an A* for his Further Maths and wants to do 2 Maths A levels.

We honestly don't know know how this has happened. He does work really hard and is very focused on getting to Uni, so achieving high grades is part of it all.

He has AS but was never exceptional at anything educationally until very recently. We are very very proud And of course, pray that his interest/obsession with studying continues!

[coco44]

MY DS1 was on the bottom table at primary for maths, and in the bottome set for maths at his selective school in Y8 and 9.
When he started GCSE courses he started trying harder and practising a lot at home.As he started to improve he found he enjoyed it more which made him try even harder.He ended up with A in maths at GCSE.At A level he took maths and, against all school advice , further maths
.At A2 he ended up with an A * in maths and A in FM and is now doing an engineering degree at a RG uni.

[soontobeslendergirl]

I'm in Scotland so it's a different system, but I think the Maths in primary seems to be more geared to knowing your times tables and arithmetic rather than actual maths.

No1 son struggled in primary and sobbed on occasions when faced with a number grid to complete.

He went to high school and won a silver award in the National Maths Awards!

He can do Maths, not arithmetic.

[Kez100]

My two had the same scores at Primary. One managed a C at GCSE but was definitely not cut out for higher. Son is doing very much better and choosing Maths at A level. So, yes, there is anything to play for at secondary!

[trader21c]

yes my DC did get 5 in her sats in Y6 but she was always firmly middle set - now she's comfortably top set - wait to see what she gets in gcse though

[BaconAndAvocado]

coco44 your DS sounds like a carbon copy of mine! My DS also wants to do Maths and Further Maths at A level and go to a (preferably) RG Uni to,study Engineering.

Well done to your DS for all his achievements.