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Original poster

English Literature - Working at Grade 1 in year 10 - is this ok?

89 replies

Lougle · 17/12/2021 13:22

DD2 had her year 10 mocks in November. Her report came out last week. She's working at level 1 for English Literature (level 3 for English Language).

Nobody has told me (and the teacher is off sick so no email reply) whether this is ok because she'll improve over time and pass, or if it's worrying.

At this stage, all I care about is her getting a 4, so I suppose my question is whether a typical student would improve 3 grades by GCSE exam time from now?

OP posts:
Original poster
Lougle · 17/12/2021 20:39

Sorry I didn't come back earlier. She has ASD, although it took until she was 9 (and 3 schools plus home ed in between schools 2 & 3) for anyone to take me seriously. She was diagnosed at 11.

She got 110 in her English SATs because they realised she'd fail so they taught her to test. They realised she couldn't infer information from text, so they taught her key words to scan the text for, with the associated inference.

Now, at secondary school, every time I have said she's struggling, they've said she's ok. But she can't read a piece of text and pick out what is relevant information. She can't infer from the text.

I was reading an extract with her and I said "the lady is excited about her skiing trip..." and DD2 replied "Well she shouldn't be because she's going to die in a minute". I tried to explain that the examiner would expect her to just approach it as a reader. She said "I am a reader - I've read it, she dies in an avalanche!" So I tried to explain that she needs to ignore that and just look at the bit at the beginning but she pointed out that she knows how it ends and she can't unknow it.

Somehow, she is going to have to learn that it doesn't matter what she knows and what she thinks - if a question is focused on one part of a text, she needs to isolate it. Or at least, if it's asking her to analyse the language, she can't say 'Well it's stupid that she's excited because she's about to die..."

At parents evening the teacher said she was doing ok. Now we've had her report with a working at level 1. She can generally talk quite intelligently but can't get it down on paper.

I have managed to get them to let her use a laptop and have a small room and rest breaks for exams but that's only been put in to play in the last few weeks.

OP posts:
Changemyname18 · 17/12/2021 17:18

Has she struggled with English in the past? OP we need some context. Grades 1 and 3 are very very low, and even gaining grade 4s (which would seem unlikely) in 18 months time would close many many doors for future opportunities and courses

RampantIvy · 17/12/2021 15:52

BBC Bitesize is an excellent resource for this.

ElizabethinherGermanGarden · 17/12/2021 15:48

It's quite unusual to improve from a grade 1 (equivalent, roughly, to the age-related expectations for year 3) to a grade 4. Having said that, it might just be that she has completely got the wrong end of the stick about the paper, or didn't finish it, or was in fact messing about on the day.

There are lots of possible reasons why she might have achieved a low grade that are not necessarily indicating a really significant concern, but I would want to have a serious conversation with your DD about whether she did her best, and if not, why not, but if so, what she is struggling with. You should also have a chat with her teacher to find out their thoughts about what the barriers are. Nationally, only about 5% of students get grade 1 or below, so it is a concern.

BlusteryLake · 17/12/2021 15:46

The language she may be OK on, but going up three grades in a year from such a low base is a lot less likely. It's not the same as a student going from six to nine. If she has been allowed to get this far at that level, then it would imply that you will need to seek external help for your DD as the school do not seem to be addressing it. If you an possibility afford a tutor, that would probably yield the best improvement.

Musmerian · 17/12/2021 15:24

That’s very very low. What’s her reading and writing like? I would encourage her to read and discuss the books/ texts with her. Are the levels equivalent to grades?

3WildOnes · 17/12/2021 15:11

Can you afford a private tutor?

Seeline · 17/12/2021 14:46

I'd say a 1 was pretty low for Y10. How is her English generally? Have you been aware of any issues previously? What grades are her other written subjects - geography/history/RS?

Cherryana · 17/12/2021 14:36

They are telling you now that she is coming out with low grades.

Options for you include:
Find out the course content and pre-read all texts with your daughter so you can discuss and help with homework.
Practice decoding poetry.
Put pressure on her teachers to provide extra support.
She will need to work harder than she has ever done in her life including going to every catch up/homework session run by the department
Private tutor
Move schools
Re-sits in college

It’s really hard because I don’t know if her struggling is to do with sen, absence, school culture, behaviour issues (which in themselves are an indication of struggle).

It won’t just be from Year 10 though - a level one in English indicates issues with organising info, decoding, a lack of complexity in language skills, reading age - which will have its roots far back in time.

Comefromaway · 17/12/2021 14:05

Language is the important one, as its English Language Grade 4 that some colleges and universities require.

sadpapercourtesan · 17/12/2021 13:58

How hard is she working, honestly? It's hard to know whether she has the potential for dramatic improvement without knowing her.

The teacher should be concerned, and should be in contact with you about it imo - it's a key subject and a big deal if she doesn't pass - but sadly it's been my experience that schools avoid any involvement with parents until it's too late Angry

titchy · 17/12/2021 13:54

Isn't a 4 in either Language or Lit ok? Which she should achieve given she's at a 3 now in Language.

TheBitchOfTheVicar · 17/12/2021 13:37

We'd say a grade a year, but often kids do pull their socks up after mocks. What grade is she hoping for?

Comefromaway · 17/12/2021 13:29

She should improve but it's not usual for a student to progress from working at Grade 1 up to Grade 4 without some serious intervention.

On average students might improve 1-2 grades over a year unless their weakness is due to exam technique in which case more is possible.

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