to be disappointed that school is only interested in getting students up to level 4 or 5 in sats.

[angeleyes72]

Not a stealth boast but ds is quite able in one subject. Just ordinary in the rest. Anyway the school is running extra lessons to get people up to level 4 or 5. However, they are not doing anything to prepare students to sit a level 6 paper. He is already bored in class as they sre rightly covering level 5 work.
Aibu to be disappointed

DS went to small primary, 13 in year group. He was easily capable of Level 6 maths but as he was the only one, school never entered him for it. I was told by his teacher that there was no point in one child in the class sitting Level 6 SATs as it had no benefit for the school as all it showed was that they had one able pupil out of the 13.

Fast forward to secondary, the top Maths set is full of pupils from other larger primaries who did obtain Level 6 Maths. DS is in the second set, bored with the unchallenging work and becoming disengaged with the subject.

I thought education was supposed to benefit dc not school!

Huge debates over level 6 maths as apparently its needed for 11+ and of course private schools will cover it and therefore help their pupils get in where as state refuse too, then blame in eqalities of private going to grammar!

"Fast forward to secondary, the top Maths set is full of pupils from other larger primaries who did obtain Level 6 Maths. DS is in the second set, bored with the unchallenging work and becoming disengaged with the subject."

How did he do in his CATS? It would be very unusual to have enough SATS level 6s coming into year7 to fill a top set. And it's very unusual for a school not to do its own tests. What does the school say about how he moves into the top set?

If that's the case the school is rubbish.

My son's primary made sure that those who were capable of a level 6 got there.

His current secondary make sure that those who are capable of getting A*'s get them.

Both non-selective state schools.

DS did excellently in his CATs, but all of the pupils in the top set achieved Level 6, without exception. One of the catchment primaries is very hot on it and they do after school booster classes for those taking SATs. We have been told by Secondary that they use Level 6 as the main criteria to set to begin with and then review after they take exams in the summer.

So how big's the top set then? If you are convinced he's in the wrong set then approach the school again. He should at least be given extension work in the set he's in. Incidentally, I have never before heard of a secondary school setting by SATs levels alone. You should continue to challenge.

Don't worry, we are sending emails to HOY and Head of Maths on a regular basis! They did tell us he would be in set 2 before he started there as he hadn't been entered for level 6 . I think it is their blanket policy, perhaps enabled by the catchment primaries. DS went to an out of catchment primary. Am not trying to derail thread, just point out that some schools, like DS' primary are more interested in the results of the cohort, not the individual.

Really Hak I have.

Ours does,have friends teaching in secondary who do and who also worry re the levels their dc will leave primary with because of it.

Primary schools can't win, can they? If they push SATS work it's "oh,not only matters to the school- ignore them, secondary schools don't even look at the SATs results". If they don't, it's "Why don't they push SATs work, secondary school use them for setting and children are bored rigid without SATs booster groups"

I am still reeling abotu the comprehensive school with a top maths set at the beginning of year 7 with all level 6s though.......

Reeling seriously.

Would have thought there were several small level 6 top groups across the country in comps.

Several kids going for it at our primary and ours is by no means pushy,it is but one feeder school.

I thought only about 2% got level 6 maths on average?

2% is still a fair few children who will probably be in small groups.

DS's secondary has 11 catchment primaries. That possibly makes it different to a lot of secondaries. We are in a rural area. If an odd one or two get a level 6 in each primary, then you would soon fill a set up.

Have you seen a level 6 paper though? It is imo v.hard. Schools don't give it to children for a very good reason, most are not capable of it.
Your dc may be very bright however and able to cope with it. Why don't you see if you can get hold of some papers yourself and see what they make of it.

Level 6 isn't that hard for the very top of an average top maths set, I don't think. They might not actually pass the test, but they can certainly tackle the questions with support. My DD didn't pass it, and I think was only included in the booster lessons as they slightly inflated her predicted SATs to help our appeal for a school place, but she wasn't stressed out by the lessons.

I wonder what % in good private schools get - to level 6.

In normal state is there a need for dc to get to it, be pushed for it, put forward for it? They have no interest in the 11+ so what is the point?

"I wonder what % in good private schools get - to level 6."

A lot. But private schools are selective.

I think we are going to invest in some study guides and practice paper. Spoken to asst head who gave me party line of we want to be sure they are secure level 5 etc. Well ds scored 97 out of 100 in mock so I would say secure.
Thank you for replies.

Some primary schools will not have a maths teacher capable of teaching level 6 maths. This is probably why they don't enter children in the exam. Doing the level 5 work, at the top end, is not the same! Level 6 is an extended syllabus. Many children would not be able to pass the level 6 without the tuition. There are plenty of children at the grammar schools around here who don't have level 6 and a few years ago it didn't exist anyway. We are in a rural and affluent area. It is not a deal breaker in most schools because they set according to their own tests and take no notice of SATs.

My DDs prep school didn't do SATs and neither did their independent senior schools. The better ones don't bother with these tests because they are focused on a parental market that does not care. They are too busy with CE, GCSEs, music, sport, drama etc. thank God!!!

A lot. But private schools are selective

Private schools perhaps have simply more aim and purpose.

"A lot. But private schools are selective

Private schools perhaps have simply more aim and purpose."

Possibly. We don't know that, and can't find out. We do know they are selective though. State primary schools that are "selective" often get better SATs results too.

I think its obvious they are a business with a clear aim to educate the children as well as they can for what the parents want which is mostly entry to good schools.

We do know state primaries are not allowed or are unwilling to help students pass selective exams.

We do know, private schools are very open about what they do to help or not...students pass exams!

Private schools are not only selective but will also weed out children whose academic abilities do not fit with what they are trying to achieve.

So if you want a high number of your pupils to achieve Level 6 and it's in your literature as a selling point for the school then you are not going to keep little Matthew who will achieve. Level 4 if he is lucky and with the additional support. No...you will write to his parents and suggest he needs a different school and then make sure that the move from YOUR school happens.

That's not to say that State schools get it right either....there are clear issues with the system as it stands.

Private schools educate the children as well as they can to get entry into good schools.
Or you could say they hothouse young children in order to boost their position in league tables.

Private schools have aim and purpose. Or you could say that they teach to the test.

I'm fairly sure that private schools get better results than state schools because they are selective and have much smaller classes.