To ask whether telling pupils a level 6 at GCSE is not good enough is a good way to motivate pupils.

[letstalk2000]

Apparently DD2 year 10 have been told across the board that achieving anything less than a 7 isn't good enough and failure at that subject as far as her school is concerned . Also if a pupil gets less than 70% in a test they are given a 'detention' though not called one.

This is because the school requires a least a 7 to study any subject at A level. That being the be all and end all.

It is a grammar school but nonetheless degrading the potential attainment of grades is not the right way of motivating pupils.

I'd also add that anything less than an average performance across the year group where students (generally) do hit their Progress 8 targets would trigger Ofsted and probably result in a downgrading. That isn't an outcome any school can be complacent about.

A couple of years’ ago I taught a very high-achieving group. At least half the class had target grades of A*/A.

Sounds lovely doesn’t it? However, bear in mind that these students cannot possibly achieve greater than their target grades. If two or three had achieved a B or C instead I would have been utterly fcked. I would have needed for nearly all the ohter ‘non A/A’ targeted students to achieve their target grades in order for the class as a whole to simply make expected progress.

Luckily, they made it (on average). Three students exceeded their target by one grade and three missed it by one. The rest met them. The class was mixed ability, but it would have been a nightmare if they were all targeted A*/A. The pressure on the teacher and, subsequently, the students would have been enormous.

I am so glad to be out of it now. Don’t blame the schools....

Dd’s Grammar takes the pick of the top 30% of all the schools in the area that have passed the 11+.
It’s all about potential - i’ll Bet there’s things that your son is great at that your daughter hasn’t a clue on and if she starts remind her of this!

Dd got 75% in a physics test and her teacher said he was disappointed.

Good! That's why she's at a high achieving academic school!

I don't really understand what a teacher saying this to your dd who it doesn't apply to anyway has to do with your son at a completely different school

If your grammar school educated dd diminishes the achievements of her brother then it's emotional intelligence that she lacks.

If your grammar school educated dd diminishes the achievements of her brother then it's emotional intelligence that she lacks
This ^^

Most grammar schools are selective. So it’s normal for them to be selective for A Level students too. There are a couple of grammars where I live who prefer to receive top students from comps rather than keep existing middling students. It is what it is.

Because DS is the middle child, his elder sister is 19 (first year University student ) who aced her A levels with 2 A* and with DD2 trying to emulate her sister. DS has always felt stupid especially as he is 2 years older than sister no 2.

DS does not acknowledge that coming from an expected grade 2 to a 4 in 12 months is exceptional for him.

He feels stupid because he is taking his GCSE 1 year late as well.

Also because of his disabilities (Autism) (is IQ supposedly below 70 but academically achieving above that.) he is more similar to his younger than older sister !

OP, why is any of this the fault of your DD’s school?

I would expect a grammar school which has skimmed off the top students in the 11+ to set high targets for their pupils. They are no different to the targets set for the top sets in our comp (fortunately I Don't live in a grammar school area).

It sounds as though you have an issue within your own family, rather than with the school itself. Ensure DS gets the praise he needs to boost his self esteem, so he understands himself how well he has done. Meanwhile, if your DD2 teases or criticises her brother, pull her up on it. Academic success is great, but being a nice person is better.

OP, who is it that has led your children to believe that the ‘key’ to all their happiness in life is rooted in their academic success? You seem to place an enormous amount of emphasis on how high-achieving your daughters are and the one-upmanship of DD2.

Who has really created the situation where your son feels inadequate?

Your daughters grammar school which you presumably chose for it’s good results is motivating it’s high achieving pupils in an appropriate way

It would be inappropriate to tell your hard working but struggling son that level 6 or below is a failure, but the grammar school aren’t telling him that and neither are his school.

The grammar school aren’t responsible if your DD goads her brother about their results, that’s all her.

*OP, who is it that has led your children to believe that the ‘key’ to all their happiness in life is rooted in their academic success? You seem to place anenormousamount of emphasis on how high-achieving your daughters are and the one-upmanship of DD2.

Who hasreallycreated the situation where your son feels inadequate*

Absolutely agree with this. It's in no way the fault of your DD's school that your son doesn't feel good enough to join in the academic competitiveness.

OP, who is it that has led your children to believe that the ‘key’ to all their happiness in life is rooted in their academic success? You seem to place anenormousamount of emphasis on how high-achieving your daughters are and the one-upmanship of DD2.

Who hasreallycreated the situation where your son feels inadequate?
I agree.
Grammar school strives for high academic standards is hardly news.
Going to an academically selective school doesn't cause lack of conaideration for others.