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Original poster

School Reports

104 replies

Glovesick · 15/07/2019 19:49

It is my first year as a school mum. I went to school abroad so have little experience of the English Way.

Our kids got their reports today (end of Reception). One of the mums keeps going on about how their PFB got "exceeding" on everything and that her kid is top of the class, if not the best in the whole country.

This is the same mum that told me she could run faster than me and everyone else, but sadly there was no parents' race on Sports Day to prove it.

Is this as exceptional as she says or do lots of kids get these results?

Not got my dd's report yet as she accidentally brought home the wrong bag. No idea what her report will say.

OP posts:
Stoptheworldpleasethankyou · 15/07/2019 21:30

Our school do exceeding they also share the percentage expected nationally and locally so in theory you could work out if your child is say within the top percentage of the country.

Original poster
Glovesick · 15/07/2019 21:31

Can someone point me to the official stats on what % of the country gets all exceeding? The child in question is a Sept born girl, so suspect this might be part of it.

I would like to be able to quite objectively say that this child is nothing special.

As for the running thing, that we just ridiculous. She looks pretty sporty, but one of the other mums is a professional athlete, so Hmm

This woman also signed her kid up for a dance class for older kids and then told everyone her DD was too talented for the younger class and had to go with the more advanced one. Turns out the kid got chucked out after 2 weeks for being, well, not very good.

I feel sorry for the girl.

OP posts:
Wincher · 15/07/2019 21:38

Interesting to see the stats about how many kids get all Exceeding in reception - my DS2 has just got Exceeding for everything (chance to boast here as I can't in real life!). He's September born so that probably explains it. He had a lovely gushing report from his teacher! My older son has a summer birthday (only a few weeks between my kids' birthdays so it's interesting to compare one youngest and one oldest in year, well almost). I was very proud at the time when he got exceeding in three of the 17 areas in reception at still only 4 at the end of the year. He has usually had a couple of exceedings (normally writing at least) every year since then, and in the mid year progress reports this year, but in his end of year report he got all expected and one emerging which he was a bit disappointed by. I've told him it's good motivation to work harder next year!

arethereanyleftatall · 15/07/2019 21:39

I would think if you're a September born girl and you're not exceeding in the early years when you're 25% older than some of your peers, then that would be a worry.
I would imagine it comes almost entirely down to month/season of birth at the beginning.

HarveySchlumpfenburger · 15/07/2019 21:43

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/748814/EYFSP_2018_Main_Text.pdf

There you are OP. It’s the graph on pg 5. There are 17 ELG and exceeding has a score of 3pts. So exceeding in all areas would give a maximum score of 51.

2.6% works out as just under 1 child in every class of 30. Those won’t be evenly distributed among every reception class though. Some schools will have more than that and others will very rarely get a child get exceeding in every area.

arethereanyleftatall · 15/07/2019 21:48

I am really really surprised at that graph. I had assumed a good few of each class would be exceeding in everything.

HarveySchlumpfenburger · 15/07/2019 21:51

Tbf, I was surprised. Mostly by the massive spike at 34. I kind of assumed it might look more like normal distribution.

There’s the same dip at 33 that you get in the phonics screening check at 31 as well.

RockinHippy · 15/07/2019 22:05

IME parents who boast like this are usually bullshitting. Just check the G&T threads to see how those parents of DC who are genuinely very bright, keep very quiet because it's not really acceptable to have a bright DC & god forbid you actually say so.

Original poster
Glovesick · 15/07/2019 22:07

Thank you for the link - 2.6% of about 800,000 reception children is about 20,000 children, so I have an answer now for "probably the best in the country". Lets just say I wouldn't put money on a bet with those odds...

OP posts:
MissEliza · 15/07/2019 22:09

People who boast about their dc's amazing grades both irritate and baffle me. Ive also noticed the dcs of such people tend to end up not doing very well in the end. I actually think children peak at different times. Some children stand out in the early years and their parents think they've got

MissEliza · 15/07/2019 22:10

Oops! They think they've got a genius on their hands but over time other children develop and surpass them. And yes, those parents frequently blame the school despite the fact that other kids are doing well.

namechangedforthis1980 · 15/07/2019 22:12

Drives you mad doesn't it Grin

I have a FB friend who not only likes to discuss it but takes photos of the report to post online. I get she's proud but that seems a little over the top.

I've had a teacher tell me DS2 had achieved something that put him top of the class in a test. She told me they don't normally, but it was such an achievement for DS ( he has learning difficulties). We didn't tell anyone, but it was lovely to hear, and gave him a little boost.

TokyoSushi · 15/07/2019 22:16

We got ours today, there is a mother in our class who has put a picture of her DC's report on FB, she's put a massive spiel about how this is the best report in the whole world, what an incredible child, so proud, very #myworld #ourlittlefamily

I'm so tempted to put a picture of my DC's report in the comments where she'll see that the teacher has done 'save as' as my DC's is word for word 100% the same 😂

LolaSmiles · 15/07/2019 22:18

RockinHippy
Or parents of really smart children know how and when to celebrate success without being the sort of annoying baggy parent.
Or parents of really smart children know their child is bright, their friends and family know and they're busy supporting their child to achieve their potential without needing to spend lots of time reminding others of their child's brilliance.

Very few reasonable people have a real issue with children or adults being bright.
Lots of people have an issue with irritating braggy or smug behaviour.

Purpletigers · 15/07/2019 22:24

She sounds like hard work . Just nod and change the subject . Competitive parenting with regards to education is tedious and painful to watch . It’s a marathon not a sprint .

TestingTestingWonTooFree · 15/07/2019 22:28

The best in the country and the running makes me think she’s a massive bullshitter. Don’t take any of it too seriously.

RockinHippy · 15/07/2019 22:31

Not necessarily Lola, though of course it's going to vary according to who, what, when, where, but I remember the bitching that went on pre DD starting primary. This was over other friends brighter DCs, especially one girl in particular that they all seemed to have a bee I their bonnet about. I don't remember hearing the DM brag about her at all, just on occasion answer honestly about results, reports etc. The other mothers were really venomous though & IME that seemed common place. I'd already been warned by friends in other areas who had picked up that DD could read before starting school about the competitive bitching & back biting that went on with primary school, so I watched it unfold from a distance & avoided direct questions about reports etc & then had mothers trying to bitch to me about how xxx & yyy aren't really bright, they have extra tuition, are a year older etc etc

They often all level out in the end anyway, so the whole thing is daft, but it IME it definitely happens

RockinHippy · 15/07/2019 22:33

My post was confusing, I agree with the first part of what you say

Ihaventgottimeforthis · 15/07/2019 22:46

My DS in Y3 got Exceeding in everything this year, even in French, and I don't think they even do French.
In his teacher's defence, she is fairly soft hearted and DS is an absolute angel child who said his best friend is the Class Dog (which belongs to said aforementioned teacher) so I don't think she can refuse him anything.
Next year is a different kettle of fish!
Glowing school reports are nice and a good excuse for a meal out, but really not an indication of future genius.

Ihaventgottimeforthis · 15/07/2019 22:48

I mean, he doesn't even know what bonjour means. In what world is that Exceeding?!?!

HeadintheiClouds · 15/07/2019 22:56

even in French, and I don’t think they even do French. Grin

pickme · 15/07/2019 23:00

Lol, bless her, I have a 14 year old and I didn't understand it either I fact I am pretty bemused by the whole system as my son I have been told several times is exceptional at Maths but never seemed to get anything better than a expected. Then this parents evening his teacher said well as we are aware pickme junior is pretty hot at maths and keeps exceeding his target... but lucky for him I just move his target, three times this year! Which is why he has never been more than expected. Got an explanation that normally the target is predicted on previous years achievement so 3 raises is not normally needed but my son was new to the school tail end of last year. They raised his target 4 times by Feb but they raised it so high the 4th time he was on his report last week as emerging.
Teacher said the important fact is to look at the target level and the outcome and you are looking for a expected or exceeded by year end (no point raising the target at year end) this means you child has worked really well within what is expected for them. so my sons best friend who is still working at a primary level on maths also exceeded as he did better than his expected target. (Not stealth boast about my son his friend blows my son out of the water with English, he is amazing especially at poetry)
It is a good system as I understand it as it measure the child against themselves as well as their peers.

I am hoping to goodness I understood this correctly? But primary might be different to secondary?

missmapp · 15/07/2019 23:07

Ds2 for his yr 6 report today. Some parents have shared that there children were greater depth in everything, and were so proud of their achievments, going to grammar etc. Ds2 was not assessed at greater depth, but made such progress and had such lovely comments we were so proud. He has a genetic disorder and SEND , so his 'expected' grades were worth much more than 'average'
Every child is so different. Do not compare just value your own child s talents and progress

MissEliza · 15/07/2019 23:21

Last year I found an old report in my parents house from when I was 7. I was 'satisfactory' or 'needs improvement' in everything. I graduated first in my faculty from an RG university and have a masters degree. As long as my dcs emerge from primary school with basic literacy and numeracy, I'm not going to worry too much.

Pandamodium · 15/07/2019 23:24

My DD year 2 aced her phonics, I am so, so proud as she just 2 year ago she had a massive stammer and could barely speak we didn't even know it mainstream school would be a fit for her.

Have I shite put anything on FB as other parents have and will not be bragging at the school gates. It's not nice when some of her classmates will not have passed for whatever reason.

I may have rung round close family in tears.