Teachers! Why do schools do this?

[ButteredRadish]

School report. Year 5. SEN but at mainstream Primary. Report summary included wonderful, kind words full of praise and appreciation. Not a negative word to be said! Lovely. Brought a tear to my eye, actually. Then we get to the end of year ‘scoring’ section.

Maths: WTS = Working Towards the Age Related Expectation (So in other words “Your kid is behind….”)
Writing: WTS = Working Towards the Age Related Expectation
Reading: GDS = Working at a Higher Level within the Age Related Expectation for Reading

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not overly surprised that my child is behind in Maths & Writing but ‘ahead’ in reading. My child has SEN as I’ve said, so it’s somewhat to be expected. But do all schools use this ‘That kid’s behind, that one is ahead’ system?

I’m not actually complaining or being precious about them informing me my child is behind(!) I’m just shocked that they ‘score’ primary children on their report card. I mean, fair enough behind the scenes; Just seems a bit competitive to be issuing ‘scores’ on how clever your kid is. We’ve got all that fun & games to come with exams etc in high school.
Didn’t they stop the whole Top of the Class thing decades ago?! (I know it’s not quite the same!)

I can totally see some parents feeling like shit that their child didn’t get ‘GDS’ on all three. There’s already two mums not-so-subtly bragging about their year 2 DCs getting 3 x ‘GDS’, on the parents’ group and a playground mum I speak to whose DC is in that year, is heartbroken that her daughter got ‘WTS’ on all three. She wasn’t expecting it on any of them so the bragging is not helping her at all. Could they not include it a little more diplomatically within the Report Summary to avoid braggy mums, or is that asking too much?! Is this ‘scoring’ necessary for another reason?
Would be interested to hear from any teachers about why this is done? Thanks!

There is an expectation from the DfE that schools communicate a child's attainment level to parents and this is the universally used terminology.

From @WonderingWanda

Kids all develop at different rates regardless of neurodiversity or SEN.

Very true.

It's not a reflection on you. Not all kids can get top grades, or average.

My school used to number people. Imagine being number 40 of 40. Yet some of these kids bloomed later in life. Others used it to set a target like oh next term I will be number 35 or less.
And one of the greatest advice I got as a mum was "parent the child you have not the one you want (them to be)". And grades in school or how they are expressed do not define a person's life thereafter. Unless you let it.

Definitely this! It’s not teachers who decide all of this.
It’s just another issue that some parents seem to think that teachers have some control over we don’t.

And I’m sorry for anyone who thinks that nice comments are just part of a ‘shit sandwich’, To many teachers those are the bits that are important - does your child say please and thank you? Does your child try their best? Are they someone we will remember for all the right reasons because they are a lovely person?

We don’t write it to soften the blow that they’re not academic. We write it because it’s their good points and there is so much more to life than if you are WTS or below the completely made up bollocks the government (who have absolutely no idea about child development or how to teach).

Complain to the government. Support teachers striking for funding to support the most vulnerable ie those children with additional needs and focus on the fact the report says lovely things. Because I bet those teachers writing the comments did it with pride and with fondness.

This is all standard terminology and has been used for a long time. I actually think it’s rather gently worded - ie, “working towards”, not “behind”. My child was “working towards” in several things at primary school, and in bottom sets at secondary school, but still graduated with a first class degree from a top university and is now doing a master’s.

Also, why did you show your child the report? That wasn’t necessary.

My teenage children's reports in primary were always like this. From reception onwards. It's ok. It's information most people want.

Secondary they get one word reports for each subject, a score out of 5 for attitude to learning, and a behaviour and attendance graph. Ours is delivered via an app. That's fine too.

OP, now you know that it upset her, don't let her look at any more reports and praise her up with the good parts.

Mine always get/got a chocolate bar for their effort when their reports come out.

But i would like to know if my child is on target. If not then I can take steps to help them.

I do find a numerical range much better, tells you much more, ours show pass and moderate below the expected level of satisfactory, then the levels above. And the fail level, which is important to know because then you know serious intervention is needed although I'm sure its upsetting to read. And agree that routine testing is better, makes exams mundane so children don't get so stressed about them.

This is the standardised assessment that we are obliged to share with parents. Reports are written for parents not for children it is their choice to share with the child.

We also have to be absolutely explicit so as to avoid confusion and unealistic expectations. This year alone I had 3 parents come back demanding to know why their child was suddenly not GDS when they had always been doing well in other years. Luckily I had access to all previous reports where the kids levels were very clearly stated.

Although I do know all kids want to know what's in their reports and suggest if you think an element of the report may upset them only share the personal comment section. Which is the section the teacher will have put most thought into and a better reflection of the child.

I agree! It doesn’t say “Behind”, it says they’re progressing, working hard, etc.

The real issue isn’t the report wording, it’s parental playground oneupmanship. I always think it’s unfair of parents to do this because the kids aren’t getting a say in having their achievements (or not) being put on blast.

OP, just don’t show the report to your kid! I never have.

You only have to read threads on here to see that the average comprehension skills are incredibly low. Wrapping it up in the text would mean at least half the parents would have no idea how their child was doing.

Also plenty of parents would wilfully misunderstand and decide their kid was a genius when they really are not.

i find those three buckets utterly meaningless to be honest and would like a bit more specificity. The range for ‘expected’ is massive for example and it gives no indication whether your kid is right at the bottom or just missed a GDS because of one maths concept.

It doesn't really intensify at secondary school as there is no school gate culture, school gate culture is needed for the big braggers as the need someone to hear it.

Just when I thought I couldn't read anything weirder on MN...

They not, "the".

I'm not sure it was helpful to read the scoring verbatim to your kid. You got upset by it (even if you claim not to, you clearly have) so why would your child understand it?

Maybe in future say something like "Mrs Smith says you are always putting your hand up and she enjoys teaching you. We think some extra hand writing practice would be good. It says here that your reading is brilliant. I know you find maths a bit difficult so Mrs Smith is going to help you some more with that. I'm really proud of you for this report. I especially liked the bit when Mrs Smith said you are always polite".

Some things have happened with my 15 year old this year which means his predicted grades have plummeted and he is suddenly "working towards" in all his subjects. We know why and the teachers know why. He's not stupid and will know he's not on track right now so unless he asks we won't be giving him his report. If he does ask, we'll frame it along the lines that we know it's a blip and a snapshot etc etc. and will remind him of his "good" points.

I don't get the angst. I wanted to know how my child was doing so I could give / get them help in the areas they appeared to be finding difficult. A number on its own does not mean a lot unless you put it into some context of where you would expect a child to be at a given age.

It used to be just a, b, c, d - good, average, pass, fail. But parents got angry about that and now they have to write tortuous paragraphs to say your kid is failing at something so as not to offend the kind of people who will always find a way to b be offended.

Bottom line, they have to have some way of letting parents know if their kids isn't keeping up.

Why are people sharing these reports with their children? They’re not for the kid, they’re for the parent.

Your kid has low self esteem because you were dumb enough to share the report with them? That’s on you, not the school.

It's the government mandated wording for reporting after SATs testing and moderated writing assessments and the teachers hate it as well. Feeds into 'progress 8' for secondary and ranks schools in league tables. Whole data thing is a nonsense. Read the nice comments as they are what the teacher genuinely wanted to say.

I think you’re assuming I don’t have secondary age children? I do.

You haven’t been to my kids secondary school! The bragging from kids and parents is next level. I’ve heard same from others in our area too. Maybe we live in a twatty place but when kids are given (lots of) test results directly, the gloating is a natural consequence unfortunately

edited to add parents literally screen grab the kids reports and share to WhatsApp group/ feign ignorance that they don’t know the colours mean predicted good GCSE grades.. it’s tiresome.

I’m the opposite of you OP.

Where I am, we don’t have this scoring in primary. The trend for positively worded reports meant I had no idea how much my child was struggling till I was stunned to be told, in year 2, the school was bringing in an educational psychologist for him as the school had worked through all their learning interventions and nothing had worked. I had no idea.

He’s in secondary now, and from the written report you’d think he’s a bloody genius, till you read the scores and he’s getting the equivalent of D in nearly every subject.

I wish teachers would write honestly about your child’s achievements. Falsely positive language helps no one and can be harmful if it masks from parents how much their child is struggling.

YABU

You wouldn't like our school reports then, we have the working towards etc. but it also tells you what year they are working at.

For example, child in year 5 working towards maths and currently at year 3 level. I personally like this, not only does it show what we can do to help, it's down to me as a parent to congratulate my kids on their achievements and as long as they are doing their best, that is all that matters. There is something out there for everyone, whether you are academic or not.

I do have a child that is working towards all expectations and my other is working above. It's not a competition and I make sure that I tell them I am equally proud of them both. They are both doing their best and that in itself is an achievement, I tell them this all the time.

Working above, behind or at expected, there is nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about, that is down to us as parents to teach them that.

OP my school has a huge grid on the front of everyone’s report with WTS / EXP / GD for every single subject, not just the main 3. I then have to write about the main 3 and set targets for all 3, which is where I’m explaining why they are where they are (for example “Freddie can structure a sentence now but still needs reminding to use capital letters and full stops, therefore is still working towards the expected level”. The teacher comment on mine is much more general and the broader curriculum and will focus on the positive.

Its not meant to be competitive, the children at my school never use that language and don’t discuss in the playground “oh I’m greater depth what about you?!” If the parents are out there showing off their child’s report to everyone that’s up to them. But ultimately, wouldn’t you want to know where your child sits on the scale? Then you can support your child - a lot of kids “working towards” just need to be consistent and consolidate certain areas, surely as a parent you want to know this as the next school year more expectations are going to be taught and added and you want them to keep up using this years work?

What I hate is the attendance mark - my school deliver an Ofsted style grade with your percentage - one of my children was hospitalized for a fortnight and very unwell, and prior to that had a bad case of chicken pox. Having to write “inadequate “ attendance on their form was painful for me, it wasn’t their fault, but no exceptions of course. That’s worse for us.

This.

Data is data - it doesn’t have any impact on self worth. Some people will be above average, some will be below and the majority will be average. Which category they sit in will change depending on what you’re measuring. I’m above average at academic capability but way behind in any sort of physical/sporting/fitness measure. I don’t feel like I have bad self esteem because I’m bad at things.

In fact I would attribute being acutely aware of my strength and weaknesses as being the reason for most of my successes in life, and that understand starts when you’re in primary school.

AND working towards expectations is a really positive phrasing - how great that your child is showing resilience and making progress towards those expectations and she should be applauded for trying so hard and continuing to work towards those expectations.

I say it often in here but I’m becoming genuinely concerned for the lack of resilience we have as a society, and particularly the lack of resilience we are breeding in children. I think we should be putting our children in situations every day where they need to learn and demonstrate even minor resilience, but we seem to be tending to protecting them from negativity for fear of anxiety or damaging their self esteem but actually having the exact opposite effect. Use this as a moment to teach your child not to look for validation and self esteem from external sources, it’s really important she loves herself no matter where she sits on any particular bell curve.