Secondary Y7, no room in top sets so DS kept down any suggestions on how to approach the school?

That sounds like streaming (same pupil group for all subjects) rather than setting (different pupil groups in different subjects). It's much more difficult in that case. If he is not considered able enough in all areas to be in A or B, I'd actually be considering moving to a school with a more sensible system. We had setting at my secondary and I was top set in English but one from the bottom in Maths. With your school's system I'd have been in bottom groups for everything and had no chance of achieving my potential. Ridiculous.

Ds has been in lower sets a few times due to numbers, it has never concerned me because the school are good at challenging them.
And often ds would prefer to be top of the lower set, than bottom of the top set.

The effect of setting is interesting. In our maths situation I spoke about up thread, in the November exams there was quite a bit of result overlap at the boundaries of the two sets. By summer only one set two boy beat the bottom set one boy - the two groups really pulled apart.
I don't know whether this was because inherent differences of ability came through a the work advanced or because of the different pace and style of teaching in the two classes

I think there is always a bit of this. My DS's school sets for maths in year 7 and there was lots of rhetoric about it all being to play for in the Nov exams, no one should despair or be complacent etc. In the event, the reality is that if someone goes up, some has to go down as there are two classes of equal size to begin with and whilst it is lovely to tell a child (and his highly involved parents) that he is going up, it is pretty grim to demote someone.
In the event ds came third in the year in the exams so they really had to put him up, so top set ended up 2 boys bigger than set 2 and all the overlapped results were ignored.
(Selective independent)

Having the same sort of problem with my Yr 7 child OP. Unfortunately, her secondary is an Academy, and make the rules up as they go along. I have got absolutely nowhere - emails, meeting after meeting etc, and they will not budge. Unfortunately I have nowhere else to go. Dof E aren't interested, neither are Ofsted. My next step is my MP. This may sound dramatic, but absolutely at the end of my tether with it all. Hope u get better results than me

I think you need to talk to the school and find out exactly what's going on. I have never heard of a school with a system so inflexible that a child who was, say, good at maths couldn't access a higher maths group because their geography and mfl grades weren't great.

It doesn't matter what his set is called but it really matters that he is possibly not being extended.what does his teacher think about his progress?
They all do the same GCSE

How bizarre that there could be no room in a set, so a child has to work in an ability set below their actual ability. That's awful.

that isn't what happens though, the children are put in order of ability and achievement, the ranking is translated into sets, and each set is taught as appropriate, so if there re 60 top set children, then there are effectivley 2 top sets, or if there are 45, then half the second set is doing top set work, etc.

The top set won't be doing anything different to what your son is doing in the set below.

DD2's school started running a parallel second top set last year for their Yr 9s - because a lot of the children had made stronger than expected progress in an already strong cohort. It can be done.

Do you know why he was put in sets C and D in the first place?

By the way as a Head of department, I'd want you to raise the concern about the boredom etc too. Sometimes it just raises an issue which might have been missed and sometimes it gives me an opportunity to reassure / explain to a parent.

And yes to raising the concern about him being bored.

You may find out all kinds of interesting things you didn't know about your sons behaviour and work ethic following that! However, the school should also look for ways to stimulate him and if you raise it, it will be on the radar.

Definitely email the school. However do not approach from the point of view of assuming he is doing fabulously and should be moved up. You don't actually know he should be, because you don't know where he sits within the overall year group results.

So approach with two queries. Firstly ask how he is getting on and how he is performing. In relation to his set and to those in the sets above. Feel free to say you have thought his results indicated him doing well and want to confirm that and put him in wider context.

Secondly, ask about school policy for moving students. Ask IF a child is performing at the level of the higher set if they will always be moved up. Say your son has said a teacher has said people don't always move up due to lack of a place and you would like the school to confirm that if he is at the right standard, he will be moved up.

So approach as queries, not complaining or assumptions about how he is doing. And state that you are happy to come in to discuss and would like to get this resolved before the end of term.

If you don't hear back in 3 or 4 days, email again.

Of course, it might be that he is already in the right group, which will disappoint you, but better to know. Or perhaps he should be in a higher group. If they say this, but that there is no room (unlikely) be clear that it isn't good enough and you expect them to provide for his educational needs. So,etimes you do have to assert yourself.....and school usually respond. Keep it polite, friendly and clear throughout.

Are you talking sets (for individual or groups such as humanities) or streams as in you cannot be in top set for maths and bottom for English due to streaming?

e.g. DDs school runs parallel halves for y7 and y8, and only streams from y9, adjusting streams in y10. Within halves or streams they are then individually set for maths, science, English, humanities

Either way, if the school is any way decent there should be overlap so the sets/streams do not compromise the attainment your DS can reach.

Yes fine to speak to them.about your concerns. It's best they are aware.

Definitely go in. Ask for a meeting and insist on it. If the school's any good, they will want to hear that he's feeling so demotivated. The real problem is that he's feeling so negative, so go in about that, then see what they say about the sets, etc.

Definitely ask for a discussion with the head of year. Focus on your concern that he is getting bored and that you want to keep him motivated to work properly. Maybe ask how many "top sets" there are - potentially if there isn't enough room in a large school for all the students that should be in them, maybe an additional class should be managed as "top set". Hope you get the answers you need!

True...

Flogginmolly unfortunately it happens. I've taught top sets of 35 to accommodate everyone we felt should be there, but that 36th child...? Just had to draw a line!