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Original poster

Is it harder to move TO a top set than to stay in a top set?

53 replies

whitecatsandblackcats · 23/11/2018 11:58

My DS just started in year 7. He didn't sit SATS (yrs 5&6 at a private school) so from the school's point of view he is 'no data'.

So he has been put into middle sets (he was in top sets at both his state primary and private primary).

School have assured me that they will continue to do baseline tests all through year 7 (and beyond) and that if results are appropriate, children can move sets. The tests are the same for all sets and are apparently designed to test skills rather than content knowledge.

But if the top set children are working at a faster pace with more challenging work, surely they are better equipped (better educated) to get higher grades in the tests. So from that it seems to me that it would be easier for a top set child to maintain a top set place than it would be for a middle set child to gain a top set place. So from that it seems to me that it puts these 'no data' children at a disadvantage.

Plus there is the fact that if they run out of top set places for any borderline children, I assume some will need to stay in the middle set (and then not be challenged as much which I assume would result in potentially lower grades than they are capable of).

Am I correct or is there something I'm missing? I'd be particularly keen to hear from teachers on this as well as parents.

OP posts:
Babygrey7 · 23/11/2018 12:20

This depends on the school, so ask them.

In our town there are two comps, one sets and streams in y7 , and then does not move kids. The other school moves kids all the time, even in y11 (double or triple science decision made in October of y11!)

My son went from private (no sats) to the second state school, and has been moved up and down over the years. It motivated him to try harder, so he'd get into higher sets for subjects he loved (and bombing out to bottom set for subjects he hated).

Don't worry too much,it is in the interest of the school to have the right kids in the right sets. Maybe discuss your concerns with his tutor/HoY

TeenTimesTwo · 23/11/2018 12:12

So, I guess what I am trying to say is don't worry about what number set your DS is in, but rather whether he is being appropriately challenged in his lessons. If he isn't being challenged then he should ask for extension work. If he regularly can't get extension work and is feeling it is all too easy, then contact the school.

TeenTimesTwo · 23/11/2018 12:10

At my DD's school there is overlap between sets, as some child do better being bottom of a higher set (for the challenge) and others need the confidence of being top of a lower set.

But broadly speaking I think the top of set 2 will be given as extension work the same stuff that the main set 1 is given as mainline work.
They get the same content but slightly less exposure to the harder type questions.

If I look at the tests my DD sits, her set (set 3/5) does the same test as set 1. There is only a very small amount of stuff on any test she hasn't actually covered, but some questions are conceptually too hard for her.

So it seems to me that a capable pupil in a lower set could happily shine in a test just by being able to apply the knowledge they have been given.

Certainly my elder DD started in set 7, and by the time she was in y11 she was in set 3. Although I helped her at home, I didn't teach her 'extra' stuff over and above classwork. So in our school at least set moving was very possible.

All children in all sets should be appropriately challenged. A good school will do this.

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