Help understanding school grades

[Mumofmanychores]

My ds is currently on 4a in English and 5a in maths and is in year 9. Does that look right as I'm sure that level 4 is the scores you get when you finish your sats in tear 6 which he got level 4 but just passed with tuition.

He is predicted 5c for English and 6c for maths for his gcse. The English teacher has said he is not working to gcse level yet and us not ready for it but no explanation on how they are going to prepare him as year 10 us only round the corner.

But if background info, ds did not learn to read or write til year 2. It was only picked up when he started a new school and they noticed this. Since then he has struggled and support classes had been put in place until tear 6 when he left. Was due to get a statement but never happened now to late.

I'm wandering whether tutoring him would help. But at the same time it could make things worse come a levels as unable to keep up. We tutored him through his sacks then since stopping tuition he has struggled ever since.

Sorry for the long post

[TheSecondOfHerName]

Is the school measuring progress with the old national curriculum levels, estimates based on the new GCSE grades, or something else?

I would email someone at the school and ask what his current grades mean, and what extra help is going to be offered in Y10 and Y11.

[noblegiraffe]

If those are national curriculum levels that he's currently on and new GCSE grades that he's predicted, then he is highly unlikely to meet those predictions. However there's no such thing as a 5c or 6c at GCSE which suggests his GCSE predictions are given as national curriculum levels which is weird.

His current attainment suggests that he is unlikely to pass either maths or English GCSE, so you need to talk to the school about intervention. If he doesn't pass either he will need to resit until he passes or leaves school so it is worth going all-out now with tutors.

[teta]

Has he been assessed for Dyslexia and other learning difficulties?Because this will have a bearing on the way that he's taught and tutored .This will also mean he will be eligible for extra time in exams,help such as typing rather than writing or maybe a scribe .Can you have a discussion with the School Senco?

[Mumofmanychores]

Sorry I've just seen these are end of year predictions. So he is predicted to get these grades at the end of the academic year which is very unlikely as the year is nearly over.

No assessments have been done and I'm concerned if he is not going to pass math or English. He won't be passing any subject as he is in the same for the majority of the subjects. Think I will have to make an appointment with the teacher

[BertrandRussell]

I think you need an urgent meeting with the school. Ask for a clear explanation of the figures, how they were arrived at and what they mean in practical terms. Make sure you don't leave until you understand properly.

[eyebrowsonfleek]

GCSEs are usually taken in year 11.

I have children in year 10 and year 8 and their grades haven't been 5c etc since primary school. They have been assigned a Minimum Destination Grade based on year 7 CAT tests and what GCSE grade they'll get if they continue to progress at their current rate despite teachers for both years admitting that the measurements are not accurate at all since they lack info about new GCSEs and children tend to progress in bursts rather than straight lines.

Do you know what sets he's in? What grades do people in that set normally get?

[TeenAndTween]

In my view it would be worth tutoring to get the 'good pass' in English and Maths.

Then be sensible and realise that someone who needs tutoring to pass GCSEs may well not be best suited to doing A levels, and may better suit a Vocational BTEC or Apprenticeship.

Also, if struggling with maths and English be sensible regarding GCSE options and don't choose too many hard ones just because they sound 'better'. It is preferable to pass slightly less academic GCSEs than fail harder ones.

[littledrummergirl]

In ds2 school they give the number they are working to at GCse level so 5 is a pass. They then add a letter, c is just on that number, b is secure and a is just short of the number above.

[TeenAndTween]

little I am somewhat amazed they think they can do that given that:

• the new numbers haven't even been rolled out yet
• new syllabuses not yet in operation for most subjects
• even predicting current GCSEs the term before isn't very exact

More accurate would be predicting 5s with error range on 5+/-4 (ie range 1-9)!

[littledrummergirl]

I guess that as 4/5 is being pegged to the current c they are using this as a base. I hope they are right.

[noblegiraffe]

They are lying to parents. Putting a, b, c on the end of a guess to give it an illusion of accuracy. Total nonsense.

[Mumofmanychores]

I've sent an email to his teachers and head of year which they are going to pass on to the school Senco.

Options have already been chosen, computer science, Pe and art. Also religious studies which is compulsory as it's a religious school.

He starts his gcse in year 10 not sure why they start early and the school only offer gcse, not btech or other coursework based courses.

If he is not good with English then neither exams or coursework would be good and although tuition is a good option, it is a long term commitment financially.