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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to not understand EYFS age bracket things?

15 replies

QueenofKelsingra · 03/11/2014 20:16

Ok, shamelessly posting for traffic really!

DS started reception in September. Just had his mini report thing that tick boxes for reading, writing, maths and PSED. He is ticked as 'expected' in reading and psed and 'exceeding' in maths and writing. the thing is its logged as in the 30-50 month bracket? surely he should be in the 40-60?? so is he actually a bit behind as he isn't even 'emerging' in 40-60 or do the age brackets not really line up with the kids actually age and he should be in the 30-50 (and therefore doing quite well)

help! confused!

OP posts:

LollipopViolet · 03/11/2014 20:21

Right, maths not being my strong point (not good as I want to work in Early Years!) I think it will go on when his birthday is? So if he's 4, soon to be 5 he'd be over 46 months so in 40-60 months, if he was just 4, he'd be the one below?

I'll be honest, I have no clue, I'm just guessing.

skylark2 · 03/11/2014 20:28

Not an expert, but I suspect that's the assessment they did when he started? If so, I'm not surprised it's 30-50 months because that's the playgroup age range which is what he's just come from.

Seems a bit odd that "exceeding" in 30-50 isn'teven "emerging" in 40-60?

Pipbin · 03/11/2014 20:28

Well how many months old is he?

When I grade children like this there is a very small difference between exceeding in one age bracket and then emerging in the next.
Also, the statements that we have to judge against are not brilliant.

The other stupid thing is that children are expected to be working within the 40-60 age bracket at the start of reception, but there is only that age bracket left, IYSWIM. How are we expected to show progress when there is no space for them to move? Therefore it might be possible that some children will be graded slightly lower than they are really performing so they can show progress over the year. Not what should be happening but I will say that if I am not sure at the beginning of the year then I tend to grade slightly lower as I'd rather be cautious.

If you are worried talk to his teacher.

LynetteScavo · 03/11/2014 20:29

If he's in reception he "should" be emerging in 40-60.

Don't panic if he isn't.... Sounds like he very nearly is and there's plenty if time for him progress before Y1.

Flopsy28 · 03/11/2014 20:29

When was DS 4?

Pipbin · 03/11/2014 20:32

Also - the teacher can only really grade the child on what they have seen them do. They might have not seen the full picture of him yet.

Look though this document from page 8 to see what the descriptions are for each age bracket: www.foundationyears.org.uk/files/2012/03/Development-Matters-FINAL-PRINT-AMENDED.pdf

Pipbin · 03/11/2014 20:36

Seems a bit odd that "exceeding" in 30-50 isn'teven "emerging" in 40-60?

There is a tiny difference between them. A child who is exceeding in 30 - 50 doesn't have to achieve much more to get emerging in in 40 - 60.

HalfSpamHalfBrisket · 03/11/2014 20:37

In reception, he would only be 'exceeding' if he was working beyond the ELG s (end of year expectations, ie, working in the KS1 national curriculum. This equates to a 3 in the end of year data return.
For 30-50 and 40-60 band he would be judged as 'working within' or 'secure' over the year, which enables us to show progress over time. (...any of those would get a score of 1 at year end)

hollie84 · 03/11/2014 20:39

How old is he?

Original poster

QueenofKelsingra · 03/11/2014 20:39

He will be 5 in January. so of course by his actual age he should be working in 40-60.

it's not that I'm panicking, just a bit confused! and to be honest, he has made such progress in this first half term I would be surprised that he isn't even 'emerging' in 40-60 if that is where he should be. I don't think my child is a genius or anything but he seems to be doing so well!

pipbin I wondered if there was some thing that they stay grading them in the 30-50 for the first term or something?

He was 'expected' in all areas in his end of year report for pre-school in the summer in the 30-50.

I'm not 'worried', I actually think he's doing really well, which in itself is worrying if he actually isn't doing well IYSWIM?

OP posts:

HalfSpamHalfBrisket · 03/11/2014 20:41

God I thought that made sense but it doesn't sound right when I read it back!
What I mean is that we only use 'exceeding' for end of year summative judgments.

Pipbin · 03/11/2014 21:10

Ultimately, I wouldn't worry about it. If he was below those levels then worry, but at the moment don't. He's got time to get to the Early Learning Goals.

WooWooOwl · 03/11/2014 21:23

If you think he's doing really well, then it's likely that he is. You will be able to tell just from being his Mum if he's learning well or not. If you're worried then do chat to the teacher, she will probably be able to reassure you easily.

I work in the EYFS and as a PP said, the statements teachers have to judge against aren't great, and it would be easy for two great teachers to make a different choice over 'expected' and 'exceeding' with the same child. If your son has a few 'exceedings' at this point in the year, it sounds like he's doing well.

Marcipex · 03/11/2014 22:03

Honestly, it's all so woolly.
The EYFS seems to have been a first draft accidentally printed as gospel final form anyway.
We're always told to mark low and then show progress, rather than mark high and then stay static.

Pipbin · 03/11/2014 22:23

That's the problem Marci. I had a girl in reception last year who joined as a good reader. If I had marked her where she should have been then there would have been no way for her to show progress. So I marked her as slightly lower than she should have been at the beginning of the year.
Naturally I did work with her and she made progress but I had no way to show it and all OFSTED care about is showing progress.

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