Advice needed - maths sets

OP, our school works as Lola describes. In KS3 all sets are doing the same 'topic' at the same time, but higher sets may move onto more advanced stuff on that topic if they get through the basic stuff quickly.

He needs to:
a) ask for extension work if he finishes stuff early - which should always be available - if it isn't push for it.
b) make sure he revises for tests

At our school there was quite a lot of room for movement in maths sets in y7 as some schools prep for SATs much more than others so some have over-high SATs and some over-low.

Most likely it means there's the same KS3 curriculum but they'll work through it at a different pace. There will be some extension material at the top end that goes beyond the curriculum, but they don't have the bottom sets doing reduced curriculum coverage (e.g. only teaching foundation topics). It should mean there is movement between groups.

If he's lazy then that's the thing to change more than anything else. If you can sort that out , then everything else will most likely sort its self out.

Just another perspective, but both my dcs (different schools) found year 7 maths very slow paced. Both teachers said it is a consolidating year, as they make sure that the pupils are at the same point, with no gaps before they move on.

DS1 was very frustrated, DS2 was bored, but it got better in year 8.

RedskyLastNight
Very valid points.
If people (not OP here talking generally) choose to send their children to schools that have a more able intake and higher than average outcomes, it shouldn't be surprising that the sets reflect this.

As I said, we could easily have 105 in a middle ability class. I've had students on 95 entry in a bottom set before.

The issue with sets (anecdotally) is that parents love them when they think their child will be in a top set, but suddenly get twitchy about them when their child isn't in the set they like. It's why we get millions of requests to move up, but if the same child who has been moved up isn't managing and needs moving down because they are performing below the top of the next set down, the same parent will kick off and defend their child's right to be in the higher set.

Oh gosh I wasn't suggesting he was.... I just didn't want him to think he was.

I'd talk to him about how the children in his school are obviously above the national average and that means in most schools he would be in set 2. Also try and explain that a smaller school means that he could be 121st in the year and still end up in set 3.

Hopefully with hard work and decent class work he will get into set 2. Do they stay in parallel sets all the way through? Ours go 1-8/9 from year 9 so lots of students move "up".

80% getting a 4 or higher is above national average so the school probably has a higher achieving intake at SATS level. This would explain 105 being in set 3.

Give it time OP, remember school is a marathon and not a sprint. The tutor will do no harm as long as your ds sees it as "fun" and not a "chore because I'm thick".

Those results suggest a high performing comp (so not really "comprehensive"). So it's very likely that a child with slightly above average SATS score (even with tutoring) and poor CATS would end up in the bottom third of the year.

I think this is the side of sets that people always ignore when they say how much they like them. It's actually now sounding highly probable that the OP's DC may never move above this set unless they set across the year group when he gets further up the school (might be worth checking, OP) and yes, I can see how he would get demoralised very quickly. The other question to be asking is how they ensure that the range of abilities is catered for in the top set (with 80% + getting Level 4 or above, there are children even in the bottom third doing pretty well).

I'd keep the tutor he's already used to having on and see what December brings.

If it brings no change I'd look at more support - possibly on line sites like conquermaths, hegartymaths , IXL,www.whizz.com/ or Mathsfactor winter school possibly more tutoring depending on his whole work load.

Though it does depend on the school - if the cohort he's in is high achieving - selective school where they all do well in GCSE I'd be less concerned even if he stay where he is. My children attend a comprehensive where only top third really do well in GCSE so I'd be more concerned than many others on here.

I think the start of Year 7 can be a bit dull anyway- they tend to do a lot of recap to make sure everyone is up to the same level.

The HoD has already told you that if he does well in tests this term he will move up at Christmas. Yes, that will mean someone else moving down, but that will happen if someone else in middle set is doing less well than your son. If you're not seeing movement between sets, then that is an issue, and you can raise that with the HoD.

DS2s school splits itself into 2 populations and top set in one is equal to top set in the other. It's primarily a timetable management thing I think.

In DS2s school there was a bit of movement in sets throughout Yr7, they also did end of year assessments.

Perhaps focusing on exam technique/test conditions, if it was the nerves/pressure that threw him on the CATs.

My eldest has ASD and is in a set below where he tests due to his processing and the class pace and that works for him. Apparently his class is very loud etc but he still prefers it to not being able to keep up in the middle set.

Marypoppins19
There's no right and wrong on what to do at home, though as a teacher I would caution against doing so much that it leads a child into feeling they're being punished or not good enough. Sometimes really well-intentioned parents can do things with the best of intentions and then the children come to school and tell us they feel they're thick or they're no good or they disappoint their parents, but I know from talking to the parents that's the last message they'd want to send.

I'd have expected some homework by this stage in the year, but if they've done CATs and just regrouped then maybe give it another week.

You could call the teacher and just say you'd like to support your child more in maths at home, what would they suggest. That way you can have a joined up approach.
bcnamechanger
Your reflection is refreshingly honest. I've heard that before from parents who've said "we were really worried DC was in bottom group, but actually they've come on leaps and bounds and they've benefited from smaller classes and a slower pace. They'd never have done as well if they were 1 of 30 moving quickly as it would have been too much".

I think you're going to have to have a wee bit of self reflection here. It sounds like the school have confirmed that he's correctly set based on the data they have (which sounds like he cocked up his cat) but in your mind this a bit of a disaster (evidenced by the q on Mumsnet).

He will know you feel this and it puts more pressure on him, as does the hiring of a tutor - it's a signal that "being in bottom set is a BIG ISSUE". It isn't and although I understand you're concerned, your behaviour in response is part of the problem.

There's some real potential positives in here - if the pace is slow he should be able to get full marks in December and move up a set. If the pace is actually right he'll do ok and likely stay where he is. Being high up a lower set should work well for increasing his confidence - he'll be doing better than his immediate peers - that confidence seems to have been lacking when sitting his cat.

If you're going to be all "mind-set" about it, you can encourage a growth mindset by highlighting the importance of effort over achievement. And if you're looking for "things to do" sit beside him when he's doing his homework, have a look to see how it's being marked, talk to him about where he's gone right/wrong, all him to explain stuff to you and praise him for his efforts (not his achievements).

{I threw a wobbly just like this when my DS got low streamed for English - this is where I've got to through self reflection: if he was better at English he'd be higher set and my egotistical need for him to be higher set is reflection of my shitness as a human. He will do better with the lower pace and I should be proud of him for working hard to overcome his difficulties in the subject}

I'd let him settle personally.

He could have the same class make up but a number 2 on his timetable and you'd not be worrying.

True example here. I taught a middle ability set once at GCSE. They were set 3or4 I can't remember now. They had a mix of targets grade 5/6. They were middle ability students. I had a parent worrying sick that their child was in a low set so wouldn't do as well because it's a lower set. The set above also had 5/6 targets. My lower set got higher grades in the end. It made no difference at all to their performance, but they had to have a different number on their timetable and for some parents that was the be all and end all

Let him get settled, tell him he has to work regardless of what number is on his timetable (as not working hard because you don't like being in a lower set only proves to the teacher you're in the right place because you're not performing well enough to move). Then, if it's anything like maths in most places I've worked, they'll move termly and he can hopefully move up.

Exactly - that is what I was trying to say.

To return to your original query OP, I would not arrange extra tutoring at this stage. He's only 11 and he's probably knackered from starting a new school a few weeks ago. Give it some time and see how he progresses this year.