Year 4 expectations

[Exileinengland1999]

Parents eve- DS is at expectation for maths & reading and at the top end of below expectation for writing- they have 3 levels of grading in each bit - Aibu to ask what it all means??

Should I be worried- they have 5 categories with well above, above, at, below, well below- so he is in the middle really but how does that translate moving forward?
To be fair, he's only really just 'got' school at age 8 but the school never explain what he should be aiming for.
Aibu to ask about levels

I would assume that, in relation to his target:

Well below/below - needs extra support
At - Achieving target
Above - bright
Well above - knows more than the teachers very bright

You should have been given a piece of paper explaining what the school's level system actually means. After NC levels were abolished it's all a bit unclear.

YANBU

Thanks - so is achieving target ok? That's what I never understand- is it ok to be in the middle?! Someone said that being in the middle means failing GCSEs but that sounds like such bollocks- how can you know?

Did the teacher not explain what the gradings mean for your son & what he needs to focus on?

Not really tbh- get better at spelling - feel a bit disillusioned if I am honest

Meeting expectations (achieving) is fine. It's not really being in the middle it is reaching all required targets for the year group. So good.

If he is meeting his age related expectation then he's fine! If he's a bit below, they'll be aware and giving him extra support to improve.
So he's fine for maths and reading but they might be giving him extra support to improve his writing as he's not quite meeting the target for his age group.

I don't think he is getting extra support - he's in the upper third of below expectation if that makes sense So complicated!!

My DS only achieved AT expected levels by Y5. He has SEN and I was over the moon. 6 months later he's Above expected levels.

Both parents evenings we've had this year have been followed by a flurry of social media posts asking recommendations for tutors. I'm just pleased DS is working hard.

You said yourself he's only just got school and I think that's true of many children.

If he's at expected levels for his age then that means he's on track. GCSEs are 7 years away and will be completely different by then, but if you must listen to other people, achieving expected level doesn't mean he'd fail his GCSEs it means he'd be expected to pass with at least a C grade.

When you say you don't feel this gives you enough information, what is it that you feel is missing? I would have thought knowing how your DS is performing relative to others was more informative than a level alone?

I think I just feel a bit in the dark about whether I should be doing more to help him to be honest. Wondering if I am doing enough - I'm not a particularly pushy parent and just want my kids to be happy at primary but then worry if that isn't going to serve them later on? DS works hard in school and does homework/ likes to read etc. But we don't do loads of extra stuff and now I wonder if I should be!

I see. Well, it sounds like he isn't sailing in his writing, if there is one area where more support might be helpful. The problem is that making kids write often has the unintended effect of making them dislike writing, so finding a way to make it fun is key. Pen pal, writing challenges, writing competition letters for stuff he would actually like to win?

Gently encourage him to read more - whatever he likes, easy stuff, strip cartoons, take him to the library and let him choose for himself.

Maybe there are fun things he likes such as playing boggle or other word games?

If you get him to do anything extra it should be easy for him and fun - anything difficult that needs persuasion may put him off altogether

The latest initiative in education in to map all pupils onto a flight path so that we can predict their grades at gcse. A pupil working 'at' is on track to get a grade 5/6. In old money this is a c/b. The trouble is, kids do not follow a set path. Some work harder and achieve more. Some are bright but lazy and under achieve. If your son is working 'at' and has no special educational needs, and his attitude to learning is good then you shouldn't worry.

The 'at' means at the national average level for his age.

Thanks- it's made me feel better. My DS is very hard working & well behaved according to teacher- I just think he has taken longer to get into school and doesn't nescessarily fit into the target driven environment of current education policy.