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Original poster

Does anyone have experience of mixed ability for ks3

34 replies

lindsey077 · 07/07/2015 13:49

My daughter is in y5 and we're starting to visit secondary schools - we live fairly rurally and only really have one school in catchment along with a girls grammar which she is sitting the 11plus for in September.
We viewed our main local school yesterday which seemed fine but my worry is that they have all classes as mixed ability, including the core subjects until ks4. She's a fairly bright girl and her teacher seems to think she has a good chance of passing her 11plus but we've not been able to afford regular tutoring which in our area I'm worried will disadvantage her. With this in mind I'm concerned that being at the brighter end of a school that has had all of it's brightest pupils skimmed for grammar will mean she will not get appropriate teaching, especially in maths.
I'm hoping I'm wrong and that it's more common than I think, the head is new and seemed to think it works but didn't inspire too much confidence!
Any experience/advice would be appreciated greatly.

OP posts:
BackforGood · 07/07/2015 17:36

Not what you want to hear from me either, I'm afraid.
My dds go to a school that doesn't set for maths - they both hate it and feel there is so much time wasted in every lesson, going over stuff they grasped in about Yr3 Sad
In their school, it's down to each department what they do. My dds enjoy (and flourish in) the subjects where they are set, FAR more.

That said, if it's your only school, then what choice do you have?

noblegiraffe · 07/07/2015 16:50

I'm a maths teacher and I would not send my child to a school which didn't set for maths from Y7.

I suppose you could look at their maths results on the DFE website for the school. It will show you what percentage of low, middle and high attainers make the expected progress in maths, you could then compare this to other schools in the area. If the school has found the magic key to mixed ability teaching for maths, then it would show up in their results there.

Original poster
lindsey077 · 07/07/2015 16:08

Thank you all for your replies. I've never come across a school that sets in the core subjects before and after reading your replies it seems rare. I wouldn't mind at all for non core subjects, humanities etc. my main problem is with maths and also science to a degree. I will arrange a meeting with the head of maths, but I am worried that they can say the right things but in practice it must be difficult to teach the top and bottom of the class well enough.

OP posts:
Chokingonhollister · 07/07/2015 15:53

Ours sets for everything apart from drama and art. I was dubious about pe setting but dd has some Sen and its seemed to work for her.

Bramshott · 07/07/2015 15:44

The comp DD1 is at only sets for Maths and Languages at KS3 (and possibly also KS4?). Apparently they got better results across the board when they switched to mixed ability classes.

But I would agree that it's possibly challenging in Maths. DD1 has really come on in Maths in Y7 and I think that's partly down to being in a set with people who are at a similar level, and not with all the super Maths high-achievers where she just sat there looking bemused (all through primary)!

muminhants1 · 07/07/2015 15:41

Our comp sets for Maths and English in year 7, and then adds sets for science and MFL in year 8.

ExpressNigel · 07/07/2015 14:20

Our (oustanding) comp sets for maths, PE and languages in KS3, everything else is mixed. Teachers write lesson plans that take account of different abilities in learners and offer differentiated homework. Good schools deal with this well. Less good schools don't.

pollyisnotputtingthekettleon · 07/07/2015 14:19

Dd finds the mixed ability classes frustrating. E.g one girl in English struggles to read and her turn takes ages and distracts from the meaning, luckily Maths is the only non mixed class. Other arty things /sport/drama is ok.

TalkinPeace · 07/07/2015 14:14

Ask to speak to the head of Maths about how it works - as maths is the subject with the widest ability spread in KS3

most other subjects, well planned mixed ability is not an issue if they have really good pastoral