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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

Y7 report - should I be concerned?

35 replies

DataColour · 04/12/2020 10:11

Got my DS's end of term report yesterday and I was a bit concerned to find that he had below average progress in 3 subjects (science, history and art). They grade below average as 1, average at 2 and above average at 3. He got mainly 2's with one 3 for maths and those 3 1's.

I don't know if I should be concerned about his below average grades. Can they even meaningfully assess this in the few weeks that he's been there? The effort for science and history is "Outstanding" so he is trying his best and for Art is "Good" because the teacher has commented that he doesn't always follow instructions (true).

The report says that these grades are an indicator of GCSE grades and that he's on a "flight path", with a 3 being on target for A/A*, 2 for A/B and a 1 B/C. None of these sound like below average grades to me so I'm confused.
Does he only need to be a 3 at the end of Y7, and having a 1 now, is actually where he should be?
Any teachers or parents here have any knowledge of this grading system?

Seems bizzare that he is working at a below average level at any subject, with him putting a good level of effort in, when he's been at an "exceeding expectations" level at primary since reception with no effort whatsoever.

Incidentally my DH is a secondary science teacher and he says it's a load of rubbish, not to worry about it and that they never should have given out these numbers so early on in the year.
He is right?! Or should I be having a chat with DS's teachers?

OP posts:

marvelousmadmadammim · 17/12/2020 14:00

I always concentrate on effort and knowledge rather than 'grade'.

Are they putting in enough effort, are they retaining what they have been taught. What do they need to do to improve?

Grades at this stage are subjective and are more likely to be a reflection of the fact they are learning brand new concepts.

Doveyouknow · 17/12/2020 13:35

I wouldn't worry too much about being below average in a couple of subjects at this stage. At this stage in his education he is covering a whole range of subjects, some he may excel at, others not so much. Fwiw it sounds like a great report, he is doing well in the majority of subjects, working hard and well behaved. I'd be very happy with that report for my kids...

Original poster

DataColour · 17/12/2020 13:23

I've just bought lots of KS3 study guides....I don't know why I didn't think of it earlier! It's much better than trying to find the relevant stuff online. They will be handy for DD too from next year, so it's a good investment!

OP posts:

BoudiccaAnn · 17/12/2020 11:12

Great point about experiments! Maybe use the break to watch lots of lovely and fun science videos together and do a couple of simple experiments at home to make up for lost lab time...? Only revising definitions and facts can be boring and hopefully by going back and forth a bit it starts to gel in a more meaningful way. (You've inspired me, anyway...) I found myself buying the KS3 Science study guides from CGP to help with revision but the practical application also seems really important.

Original poster

DataColour · 16/12/2020 11:02

The most frustrating thing with DS's school work is that he doesn't understand the need to revise and go over bits that he didn't understand, and it's tough getting him to sit down to do it. It's a completely different way of working than at Primary school and he's still yet to "get" it. He is pretty bright I'd say, but not used to working hard, as he has always been high achieving with not putting a lot of effort in.

OP posts:

ScrapThatThen · 16/12/2020 11:00

The Ofqual study said that learning loss has been worst among year 7s I believe . I think what you are doing is great.

Original poster

DataColour · 16/12/2020 10:56

@BoudiccaAnn we had similar with Science. I went through DS's papers and went over the bits where he'd lost marks (quite a lot of marks!). Like you said, sometimes he wasn't precise enough/not giving full enough answers and I feel that either he hadn't understood the lessons or the teaching hasn't been that great. I'm a scientist myself, so I went through a topic with him (plant and animal cells) and he claims that he understands much better now. Another topic was about setting up and running experimenst and they've had no lab time at all because of Covid, so his understanding is limited, only a theorical knowledge which wasn't enough to answer the questions in the assessment test.

Looks like we will have to keep an eye on things...making sure he understands what he is learning. I didn't realise that Y7's needed this much input into their work. I have another DC going into Y7 next year....at least I've got a more of a clue now!
I've not had much time to be on top of DS's work this term, naively thinking that he's doing Ok. I've had to prepare DD for her 11 plus this year (no tutor)and it was delayed till mid Oct, then she had a piano exam in Dec and our online piano lessons weren't that great so I had to top up both DC's piano lessons myself(I'm music educated) so I've had a lot on my plate this term!

OP posts:

LolaSmiles · 07/12/2020 12:35

DataColour
Its typical to report 3 times a year and that is usually once a term. By leaving it until the back of the autumn term they've probably already altered the calendar.

I wouldn't worry too much about it.

BoudiccaAnn · 07/12/2020 12:09

We're finding ourselves in a similar situation (at comp though not grammar but also Y7). DD devastated to be assessed as 'off target' in Science in Q1 given that it is/was her favourite subject and she thought she was doing well, raising her hand to answer questions in class at every lesson. We've sat down with her to go over why her Q1 exam didn't go as well as she had thought - a lot of it had to do with answers not being complete and precise enough and her not wanting to state the obvious due to 'repetition'. In one case she said she knew the correct answer but was second-guessing herself so didn't write anything down which was a mistake. So we've reviewed some test-taking skills and also tried to quiz her more as she's revising for Q2. Even if her next result only improves marginally, we're just trying to keep her motivated to not give up so early on Science now! (If anything, I was hoping the experience would give her more of a 'fighting spirit' to prove what she actually can do - let's see.)

Oblomov20 · 07/12/2020 06:55

I feel really sorry for Y7's. The disruption. Starting school is such a big deal. Covid mucked up the Y6 SAT's, celebrations , trip away, and then the whole starting school, which IS a big deal!

Original poster

DataColour · 06/12/2020 14:11

It's interesting to read these comments. I feel a bit annoyed that they have sent out these grades so early in the year, after the disruption the Y6's have had this year. As if they are are "judging" them before getting to really know these kids and giving them grades that seem to indicate they are already falling behind.
I might email his for tutor and ask if the low grades are "normal" at this stage or whether he is only a handful of students to get them.

OP posts:

BlueMarigold · 06/12/2020 09:10

My DD2 goes to a grammar school and the grading system there also doesn’t cater for children getting less than a 5(C). My DD gets a ‘low’ mark for a lot of subjects but actually she’s on track to 5s and 6s for those subjects if she was to continue them. She’s in Year 9 and will be picking options after Christmas.

I expect next years reports to look much better once she drops all the subjects she is not that good at.

noblegiraffe · 04/12/2020 19:41

Oh no are schools still using these?

He's in Y7 and just suffered massive disruption to his education. He didn't sit his SATs which normally are used to generate GCSE targets. Any estimates of how he will perform in 5 years time based on any sort of assessment right now will be a big steaming pile of made-upness of unprecedented proportions. I just made up a bunch of GCSE targets for my Y7s, I hope the parents didn't pay them too much attention.

If they're saying he's working hard, be happy with that for now.

Witchend · 04/12/2020 14:06

Thing is those are subjective.

What you really need to know is the spread in the form.

If you find 95% get 2s, then it sounds like he's doing okay, very well in maths, and not so well in the 3x 1 subjects.
If it's 75% get 3s, 20% get 2s, 5% get 1s, then he's struggling.

What the best thing might be is ask (email's often best) the 1s subjects why he got a 1.

It could be something silly like I can remember dd1 getting indignant over a grade in one subject. Turned out the teacher had only been there a week when they did the reports so gave everyone the same.

mumonthehill · 04/12/2020 14:02

Slightly different grading in wales but year 9 ds got a very high grade for creative arts, which quite frankly was a surprise. When I asked him how he managed it he said “ mum, all you have to do is learn a few lines and tap a bit on a keyboard and then they think you are great”! Not going to take this report as that accurate!

CloudyGladys · 04/12/2020 13:54

If the school has called these “progress” grades, then they are looking at how much he has improved this term, which influences but is a separate measure from predicted outcomes. A child could be working at a high level but coasting so their progress score is low. They may still be on target for higher grades, but not as high as they could potentially reach.

If there are no extenuating circumstances to explain the lower progress grades in some subjects (absence, frequent changes of teacher, not covering the usual breadth of topics due to being on a post-Lockdown Recovery Curriculum), then the teachers are giving you and him an early warning of a potential lack of effort on DS's part in some subjects and what the effect, if it continued, could be on his final grades.

You know DS and whether you need to act on this, and the tone required for any resulting conversation with him, or if you just need to undertake some watchful waiting to see whether things improve.

TeddyDidIt · 04/12/2020 13:23

Also, your DS might not even do 2 of those 3 for GCSE

TeddyDidIt · 04/12/2020 13:15

I assumed from your OP that it is a grammar school. As a PP said, 'average' is now compared to all the other very able children.

My DS is also in Year 7 at a Grammar School. We haven't had reports yet but he has had several assessment scores. There are two subjects (art and DT) that he has never really had a natural talent for that seem likely he would get a 1 for, if graded like that, but it is in the context of a very strong cohort.

silkiecat · 04/12/2020 12:30

We also have data in for times the children weren't at school, DD has some y7 data and joined school in y8 and didn't start the subject until y8, she was apparently developing but not handing in homework.

DS recently got 3 reward points for his "Fantstaic engagement and conduct during the PSHE sessions" which he was very amused about both the spelling and as he wasn't there.

The y10 data does seem better and I think lockdown and cancelled GCSEs last year may have helped the focus on good KS4 data.

CoconutGrove · 04/12/2020 12:26

That's funny Rainexpectedsoon

LolaSmiles · 04/12/2020 12:04

As a teacher my view is that most KS3 flightpaths are a pile of bollocks.

I'd be concerned if DC wasn't putting the effort in, or if their report suggested they were substabtially underperforming, but otherwise I'd not be concerned as long as I had faith that the school was doing its bit. If I had concerns that teachers in certain subjects weren't doing enough for them, and/or I'd had no communication to raise concerns about DC attitude then I'd be calling up with concerns.

lanthanum · 04/12/2020 12:00

@rainexpectedsoon

Have just received a report for DS...from a school he no longer attends

. Apparently at least 8 teachers haven't noticed he hasn't been there since September... Despite not actually being there he's allegedly doing really well in Art, but needs to work harder in History! Based on that, I would tend to agree with your DH.

Art: haven't noticed him, must be okay. History: no marks in my markbook, obviously not doing much.

I'd forgive the art teacher, who probably teaches hundreds of pupils - ditto music, RE, etc. But wouldn't you think that someone relevant (HoY/form teacher) ought to have read the reports before they went out, and realised that this one shouldn't have been there?

rainexpectedsoon · 04/12/2020 11:38

Have just received a report for DS...from a school he no longer attends . Apparently at least 8 teachers haven't noticed he hasn't been there since September... Despite not actually being there he's allegedly doing really well in Art, but needs to work harder in History! Based on that, I would tend to agree with your DH.

Graciebobcat · 04/12/2020 11:29

DD2's school aren't assessing progress yet. They put something like "secure" or "working towards" in terms of attainment and said that for most things they would be "working towards" at this stage and hopefully "secure" by the end of the year. DD2 only got "secure" for PE, which she is very good at. I said to DD2 that all I really care about is the effort grade, and she got all fives and fours for that (five being the highest).

silkiecat · 04/12/2020 11:28

Our grammar school data was very accurate so may not be the data in that case. The grammar DD was at taught at a very high level which was great for those who understood it and followed it and meant grades went up but it was tough if you didn't understand (and maybe as all the kids are bright children don't want to admit they don't understand something when they've previously been top). I would e-mail the teacher and see and ask your DS. It'll probably be very solvable but needs a eye on it and maybe a bit of help.

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