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Original poster

"He's in top sets for everything"

241 replies

isitanywonderthat · 17/07/2022 10:11

How do people know this? Genuine question, I have 2 dc now in secondary school and I haven't a clue what art they are in for anything. Never have at secondary or primary. Never been given this information and never asked.

How do all the mners with DC in top sets have this information?

OP posts:
Original poster
isitanywonderthat · 17/07/2022 10:12

Argh

TOP sets that should say.

OP posts:
NewIdeasToday · 17/07/2022 10:13

Once they are in secondary the kids themselves know which set they are in. Plus you get info in their reports and at parents’ evenings.

StrictlyAFemaleFemale · 17/07/2022 10:13

Presumably the dc tell them.

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Original poster
isitanywonderthat · 17/07/2022 10:14

NewIdeasToday · 17/07/2022 10:13

Once they are in secondary the kids themselves know which set they are in. Plus you get info in their reports and at parents’ evenings.

My kids are in secondary. They only know what maths set they are in.

I've never been given information on sets at parents evening

OP posts:
overmydeadbody · 17/07/2022 10:14

They're making it up? The kids know and tell their parents?

I'm a teacher and I never tell parents, but I know some of my top set kids know that they are the most able in the class. So they tell their parents.

Camomila · 17/07/2022 10:14

The kids can tell them by that age.

Plus when we were in secondary school DBro and I both had our weekly time tables stuck up on the fridge door.

Sirzy · 17/07/2022 10:15

ds timetable code has a number at the end of the subject so it is clear (so MA2 is set two maths)

Original poster
isitanywonderthat · 17/07/2022 10:15

Camomila · 17/07/2022 10:14

The kids can tell them by that age.

Plus when we were in secondary school DBro and I both had our weekly time tables stuck up on the fridge door.

My kid's timetables don't have information on sets on them?

OP posts:
BrieAndChilli · 17/07/2022 10:16

Mine have it on their timetables so eg maths is Ma1 or Ma2, same for all the subjects

Pruella · 17/07/2022 10:17

I my son’s class (year 2) they know which is the table that does extra maths and stuff.

Camomila · 17/07/2022 10:18

I think ours had some sort of code after the subject, it was a big school so lots of different sets/subject groupings.

Fruitteatime · 17/07/2022 10:19

We only had sets for maths and science at secondary, it may be that they don't set for certain subjects

sunshineandshowers40 · 17/07/2022 10:19

Mine know and have told me, it is also on their timetable although they are only set for maths, languages and PE. Even in primary school the children knew who was set harder work and who needed help.

Borka · 17/07/2022 10:19

I know because it's obvious from the way the sets are named on DS's timetable.

QueSyrahSyrah · 17/07/2022 10:20

Do they have more subjects with sets than Maths? It was back in the olden days now but my school only put us in sets for Maths, and if memory serves maybe English too for Y10 & Y11.

Everything else was entirely mixed ability.

If the system has changed now and everyone is in sets for everything then please ignore the pointless info above.

RewildingAmbridge · 17/07/2022 10:20

Why wouldn't students know which set they are in?! Is this to protect the feelings of those in lower sets 🙄
Even without stating the obvious, it's clear which are the brightest children and if they all get put in the same class and those who struggle are in a different class, the pupils will know how they've been split anyway.
I'd find it unusual to not know how your child was doing and which set they were in for each subject, especially year nine up. Some schools don't band academically for some subjects until year nine.

123rd · 17/07/2022 10:20

Our high school only set maths. And those who choose triple or double science

Mueslikid · 17/07/2022 10:20

Secondary - both pupil and parents get an email setting it out, at the end of the year for the following year.

Eg “in maths there are 6 sets numbered in order of ability. You/ your child is in set 5”

If they move up or down during the year we also get an email.

Mymoneydontjigglejiggle · 17/07/2022 10:20

Where I teach we used to have sets but now only maths set and everything else is mixed ability.

GCHeretic · 17/07/2022 10:20

isitanywonderthat · 17/07/2022 10:11

How do people know this? Genuine question, I have 2 dc now in secondary school and I haven't a clue what art they are in for anything. Never have at secondary or primary. Never been given this information and never asked.

How do all the mners with DC in top sets have this information?

It’s generally pretty obvious. You know which are the able children overall, and they will be in one set together. I just asked my husband and the sets when he was in school were numbered from 1, with one being the top.

RandomDentist · 17/07/2022 10:21

I guess your children may be at a school that doesn’t put them into sets?

LovelyYellowLabrador · 17/07/2022 10:21

Kids know this themselves as young as year 3 when it starts

aSofaNearYou · 17/07/2022 10:22

I never get how people don't know this. When I was at school it was always mentioned by the teachers both to the parents on parents evening and to the students regularly. I don't know if they'd have mentioned it to parents of/students that weren't in the top set - perhaps it's that?

Heckythump1 · 17/07/2022 10:23

Pruella · 17/07/2022 10:17

I my son’s class (year 2) they know which is the table that does extra maths and stuff.

I was going to say, My kid is only in Y1 and she knows she's on the 'top' table as hers is the only one that works independently without the teacher or a TA.
Have no idea what level any other kid in her class it at though.

wonderstuff · 17/07/2022 10:23

My school only sets for maths. Could be all the other classes are mixed?
My dc school set for Eng, maths, science and PE and the kids definitely know which set they are in.

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