your Y8 top set children - what levels?

And Hakluyt ir right about parent translations - DD2 is in Yr7, did a test on something in science which really engaged her and scored 7b on it. Great. I am under no illusion that this is the level she is working at, though. The bigger picture is what matters.

DD1 had almost identical levels at the same time point in Yr8 (is now in Yr9) and was top of the top sets. So your DS is doing well. However, I would be looking at what his teachers have to say about his effort and input in class to get the full picture. DD1 isn't just bright, she's also thorough, ambitious and diligent. The ability to put in the hard work really matters going into GCSEs and beyond.

Great.

Thanks The first. Sounds the same as the +/- thing then.

My ds is in Yr 9. I have found that his grades seem to be played down, but over the year build up to the higher levels. This must be to show the progression and the difference that the teaching is making.

He'll start at a 6, then go to a 6+, then a 7- then a 7, etc.

B means they are at the middle of that level. A means they are nearly working at the level above.

Can I ask..... What are the a, b etc after the levels?

My ds is in year 9. I've not seen these before. They do a +/- after the level. Is that the same thing?

I'm in Wales if that makes a difference.

Thanks.

Read this just out for interest - my dd is in the third (middle set) in year 8 and her latest grades were 6a in maths and 6b in English and science. I wondered how well the top set at her school might be doing, so interesting to read this. Sounds like she is doing ok. She is in a good comp where about 90% get 5 GCSEs A*-C inc maths and English.

kitnkaboodle from reading this and other threads and IME it seems to me that individual teachers and schools will vary in how they award levels (probably based on very few pieces of marked work and topic covered) and predict top GCSE grades. I suspect schools with staff that are able to consistently achieve the top GCSE grades with their able pupils or selective schools will be more realistic with appraisals of pupils' achievements in relation to their peers and may mark with relatively lower levels. Higher levels and predicted GCSE grades would seem meaningless if given to quite a few pupils but only a small number do very well at GCSE for that subject (particularly if also in some cases that is achieved by outside help).

If you are concerned about him underachieving in relation to his ability Hakluyt's comment about challenging work makes good sense as does the previous post about looking at the quality of work in his exercise books (and expectations from the marking comments). You might find it helpful to have conversations with parents of older able DCs in your DS's school (year 11 upwards) as retrospective experience can be useful information to be forewarned if needs be.

Hakluyt- dd felt that she wasn't in science & after the quick word with the teacher her report has changed from on target to below target & down a whole level.

She had already taken matters into her own hands though & registered on Khan Academy.

"Well that's a bit worrying..I have been led to believe ds is doing really well. He has done some pieces of work in English at level 7 but has level 6c on his report . Haven't had parents evening yet ."

That is more than fine for the first term of year 8. Honestly. The people on here are absolutely not typical. My DS is in year 9 and is only now scoring consistent 7s in most subjects and he is doing very well and predicted As and A*s (or whatever their equivalents will be) for GCSE. I'm not saying that anyone on here is doing this,obviously, but I find in real life that quite often, one piece of work with a very high level is translated by proud parents as "working at".

Is your child being given work that they find challenging most of the time? If yes, all is well. If not, time for a word with the teacher.

Dd didn't do SATS

She is in year 8 & is

6B English (target 7b)
6B Maths (target 7a)
5B Science (target 7B) However her October report said 6c for Science & it seems funny when the new level was given just after dh at dds request raised concerns she wasn't being extended/was doing a lot of work she had done before)

There are no sets, it's mixed ability but she is in a maths extension group.

My son is in y7 and got 6s at ks2. Has been assessed at 7a in maths, 7b in science and English. He is one of the top for maths though (large comp, 210 students in y7)

DS3 is in top sets for maths, 7a, science, 6c and second set for English, 5a. These are based on probably one or two end of topic tests, so I'm not too worried. DS1 was similar and managed A*s in maths, further maths and the triple sciences at GCSE and As in English language and lit.

Well that's a bit worrying..I have been led to believe ds is doing really well. He has done some pieces of work in English at level 7 but has level 6c on his report . Haven't had parents evening yet .

My daughter is in bottom set with 6A English. She has passed the PET so we aren't really worried. The teacher said there is nothing to worry about it.

Well just checked out ds levels
Maths 7b
Science6b
English6c
From teacher comments and test results he appears to be doing well pretty much at the top of his class and he finishes work quickly and easily.
However I can see some levels above are quite a bit higher than this..maybe the school doesn't push things v much as he seems to find the work v easy, is given extension work and gets above 95 % in most tests and exams. Difficult to tell what's going on to some extent.

My Ds is top set science at a grammar - currently 7c. In maths he is middle set 6b and bottom set for English at 5a/6c (writes well, but not enough).

No idea! School doesn't use NC levels - they no longer match the NC requirements so are pretty much useless on the whole.

The thread title says 'top sets'?

If its any consolation dd is rubbish in her opinion at Spanish, drama, art and PE and is getting levels 3&4 in those subjects

Then again , there are very few average people on Mumsnet. It does not really cater for average parents, those without higher academic qualifications approx 70% of the population.

For the record DS (YR9) last year in year 8 was level 7 A or B in all subjects except French/ICT which was a "poor" 5B, 5C respectively.

Yes..these levels are all extremely above average.

It does make me smile. Expected average grades are - Ks2 is a 4, KS3 a 5 and GCSE a C.
You never hear a parent on here saying 'my Level 4a DS is in year 8 will she get a L5 as is average in Year 9?'

'The highest is Level 8, which is attained by the most able pupils at the age of 14. There is also a description of ‘exceptional performance’ above Level 8, which only a very few pupils are expected to reach. Children move up through the levels at a rate of approximately one level for each two years of school....At year 9, the expected level is Level 5 or 6.'

Clearly most children of MNetters are way exceeding the levels quoted by the Nfer.

DS1 is in YR8 at a local comp - they set from yr8 in most subjects but not all. He is in tops sets for everything that is set apart from PE.

His end of term report is English 6B, DT 7A, French 6B, Geography 6B, History 6B, ICT 6B, Maths 7C, Science 6B, Spanish (new this September) 3B.

His end of year targets for YR8 are a spread between 6B's and 7A's.

He has said he thinks he is in the top half of most of his classes. There aare a few boys he knows in his sets that have got 7A's across the board.

School used to start top group maths GCSE in yr9 then do further maths in yr 11

I'm not sure they've worked out what they are doing ref the new GCSEs but they are still doing options this year