KS3 - KS4 Flight Paths

Is this flight path language what we're meant to use as I haven't heard about it at all until seeing it on here. Nor are we reporting predicted grades to year 7 (unless completely computer generated and I have no idea about them).

I know what you mean trout - all we want is some easy to understand language

I can't easily understand what the report says, anyway.

It can't tell if it means DS is working towards or expected to get or has already got. There is a colour code for whether he's achieving target, as long as the colour coding for achievement is ok, I am going to ignore the other number stuff. And behaviour, I like to think I can influence behaviour & attitude anyway if not aptitude.

I agree snorkel, y7 is probably too early but my DC are y8 and choosing options after Christmas. - Father Christmas himself might have a better idea what my DC should choose, not like it is anything important, just their GCSEs!!!!!

I hate that they have predicted gcse grades on all their reports from year 7 at our school.

Totally agree mummy, just use simple easy to use language.

Feel for the teachers noble I really do. It is one big pile of 💩

I'm not ranting at DC school, I understand they don't know either. It's just hard to make an informed choice with our DC when you don't have a lot to go on. 😁😁 my DSs hate writing so we really need to pick wisely

Why is it top secret beaching? I know when mine were at primary they were streamed for maths and English but the sets weren't allowed to be called top, middle, bottom. For maths they were circles, triangles, squares, English , commas, full stops and exclamation marks and so on.. Maybe a similar thing at your DC secondary school. Kids aren't stupid they know if they are in top set whatever it is called.

I get they have to make up new ways to report progress but cant they pick better jargon than 'Flight Paths, Mastery, Secure, Developing, Foundation, Entry. It just seems to turn it into some sort of Harry Potter computer game that has no meaning. Why not use English like good, average, below average etc. Are they deliberately trying to obfuscate because they are hiding something?

Flight paths at DDs school are top secret and even the DC don't know which one they are on

I'm a teacher of Y7 and have had to write reports saying whether kids are working above or below the level on their flight path towards their GCSE targets.

It's bollocksy bollocks. The targets are bullshit and my ability to say with any precision whether they will achieve those grades in 5 years time is based at looking what set they're in and thinking 'yeah, a set 3 kid in Y7 would probably be in set X or Y in Y11 and those sets normally gets Cs and Bs so I'll say that this kid is 'on target' for a 6, because it would be shitty to say they're below target already and besides no one knows what a 6 will look like yet.'

I've complained to my HOD about what nonsense it is.

Really loony we didn't get that in y7 (y8 report due in new year just before choosing options).

All I got was eg: Maths: secure, French: emerging, Geography: developing. I get that.

It says pupils should aim for securing by end of academic year but they don't say when they produce their report mid year how far away they are from achieving that or give any indication of predicted GCSE level. So for picking GCSE subjects, we may as well put them in a hat and pull them out

Yes my daughter is in year 7 and we got a progress report detailing what number GCSE grades they expect her to get and whether she's working above or below or at that level on the flight path.

I hate all this,you get one through then they change it for the second. DS is Year 8 and we have only got effort grades so far. Are these flight paths all done from the Year 2 SATs then as his school is fond of CATs tests and I think he'll get some more of them when he goes to Upper School next year?

Good luck to your DD trout, assume my DD isn't taking any this year as she hasn't said anything but then getting a conversation out of her these days is 😬😬 - she is taking BTEC Music, but not practising playing her keyboard so that is causing arguments and stress....

Not looking forward to it when DS's start their GCSEs.... and like you have no idea how to advise them, they don't want to take any MFL
which I don't think the school be happy about... Ho hum happy days

My Dd is also in yr10, she finishes 3 GCSEs this yr so still letter results for those. Then completes another 7 with number results, I guess, for end of yr11.

I haven't figure out how to advise DS what GCSEs to choose. What he'll enjoy & not get too stressed out about, I guess. He wants to try hard but is a bit last minute & easily stressed (emotionally immature)... not a true self-starter. So I'm thinking about what choices will minimise my stress, too. Might look at BTECs.

Yep trout that's it... Dept of Ed new 💩 good luck with your DS choosing his options. I have a DD in y10 so will sit new style GCSE.

I only first ever hard of 'flight path' on a thread 2 days ago... is this a new Dept. of Ed thing?? Same as this shizz? DS has had yr8 report last week & no flight paths. I could not care less. He had heaps of behaviour problems in primary & the yr8 report says 5x how polite & he is (in addition to words like pleasant & hard-working). Best Xmas present ever.

DS also has to choose 3 GCSEs after Xmas. Since I had DC1 (no work) & DC2 (constant overwork) it will be nice if DS can just be ordinary about GCSEs.

My DC (twins) are in y8 and are on flight paths. My understanding is their flight paths are set on their y6 SATS results.

As a parent I find their school reports hard to understand with their flight path info on it!! They have to choose their options after Christmas and I don't feel well informed. I realise it is hard to give a predicted GCSE grade, but it at least it would be something more concrete to base a decision on than current system....

OP, I've had one DD go through the system and another just starting in y7.

'Flight path' is just a fancy way of saying general-targeted-GCSE-grade-not-actually-specific-to-your-child.

If your child got L4 or higher in KS2 SATs and is making at least expected progress, they will be expected to pass (C min grade old money) their GCSEs.

Any other GCSE predictions at this point in y8 are finger in the air anyway.

My DD1 outdid predictions by an average of at least 0.5 grades per subject. How hard they work can make a big difference at secondary level.

Ours comes with an actual graph with MDG (minimum destination grade based on KS2 results)
My gut reaction as a parent of older kids is that there is a lot of guess work involved in plotting the flight path before y11 (especially as teachers have no data about the new GCSEs)

Flight paths? What nonsense...

Not all grammars will be 'hammered on progress'.

Seaweed
Just realised I didn't actually answer your Q! Children will of COURSE make progress from Primary to GCSE but not 'enough' under the new targets set by the government. On progress league tables (progress 8)you will see Grammar type schools lower than others. Lower attaining pupils have to make relatively less progress than higher. So a pupil starting on a KS2 level 3 only needs to make 3 lps. A 4 needs to make 4...and a 5 ..5. I need to draw you a diagram for the rest but need to set off for work!

Seaweed
All primary level 5s are not equal. Some pupils are coached very heavily and the results are for reading ability not writing. 5 levels to an 8 is a huge ask. An 8 at GCSE is the same quality as an old A*. 50% of marks are for writing... punctation and grammar. Students must be highly sophisticated writers (think publishable standard in terms of wide and accurate punctuation use,for example). A 9 is almost full marks (current figures suggest only dropping one mark on a paper marked out if 80). The marking in 2017 has also moved from 'best fit' to 'fulfil all criteria'.The papers are available in exam board websites...have a peep and then do the paper for the 'Full English Experience'!