To be a bit disappointed year 9 dd is in bottom set for maths?

[awaywiththecircus]

Dd goes to a grammar school. She loves school, cried when it shut for lockdown and was excited to go back.
I know I’m being unreasonable as Dd is definitely no maths whizz. It’s not something that comes easily to her but she gets there in the end. I’m the same so don’t know why it’s bothered me. Her older brother (15) is brilliant at maths and going to do further maths GCSE and A level. Please talk some sense into me.

I can totally understand your disappointment, but at least the class will hopefully be at a pace she can follow.

My ds is like I was at school - always in top set maths but definitely on the bottom end. He has struggled to keep up with the really fast pace in a class of kids also doing further maths and going on to do maths degrees.

No she is Year 9, not 9 years old!

Bottom set at a good school normally means you need more support to get there plus a smaller cohort.

Her brilliant brother should be helping her if he can.

Going over maths examples with someone would make a huge difference.

I was in bottom set Maths too at a grammar school, albeit 50 years ago now. I loved the class and teacher as nobody went too fast. I wasn't good at maths and came from a family where everyone else was good at it.

My Dad was an accountant in the days before widespread use of calculators etc and if I couldn't add up quickly enough he would say, when I finally got it, "I should cocoa!" which made me all nervous and flustered. (BTW I know that's just arithmetic rather than Maths, but it set the tone.)

I loved the set I was in and did make progress, but I was still unsure and my parents got me some extra tuition in the last few months which really helped as it was one to one. My brother was 2 years behind me in school and often helped me with my homework by reading the text book and then explaining - I couldn't even understand the text book.

Anyhow I finally got a pass at O Level as it was then, and was just glad I didn't have to study it any more. My friend was in a higher set but didn't pass and ended up having to resit twice which was a real pain as it interrupted her A level studies. I reckon my extra tuition just tipped the balance for me.

Oh and I went on to go to university and become a teacher myself - but not Maths.

Does she want to improve and move up a set? If so could you spend more time with her? 30 mins a night perhaps doing an online course with her will definitely help (BBC bitesize for example). Or could you get her a tutor? If she has no interest though I wouldn't waste my money!

I think you need to put this in perspective, if shes bottom set at a grammar school, that's not the same as bottom set at a comprehensive. My son is bottom set at a special school and will be lucky to her a grade 1. You really have nothing to worry about, although it's never great to know your child is in the bottom sets. Theres bottom set and the theres 'bottom' set. One good thing about having a child with SEN is that you see this bull for what it is.

It's early days yet hon. And they have had a lot to cope with getting back to school at all.

A lot is about confidence, so make sure you praise her achievements, tell her you llove her regardless of how she is doing. Encourage her perhaps to do little everyday maths challenges, such as checking the shopping receipt maybe?

Make it part of everyday life (following a recipe, weighing out ingredients...

And I'm sure all will be well

gg

Oh and Mathletics is good.
Just google it.
They have a free trial period and it really is quite fun and adjusts to whatever level they are at.

I went to grammar school and was in the bottom set for maths. The bottom set were taught by a very kind, experienced teacher with the patience of a saint. Most of us passed O level Maths, thanks to her sheer determination.

I am in the minority here. I can understand as no mum wants their child in the bottom group. It was worse at the primary school son went to, gosh some mums were witches . He went to a secondary school and did well and all was good.
Dd went to a grammar school which was similar to ds primary school.
Not everyone needs maths nor is good at them.. Focus on her good subjects and praise for that. It's not easy this parenting lark.

DD was bumping along the lower end of the middle set for maths for ages, with a less than inspiring teacher who simply couldn't understand why children like her struggled. Eventually, very apologetically, the school put her into the lowest set. There she encountered an absolutely brilliant teacher who knew how to explain maths so that it made sense to her, and at last she began making progress. At the end of the year the school announced they were moving her up again, expecting us to be delighted. We absolutely begged that she be allowed to stay where she was and they agreed, and she ended up with a B in maths. Moving into the bottom set was the best thing that ever happened to her in terms of her maths.

If she’s on track to pass maths then I wouldn’t be worried. Try not to compare her to her brother either and focus on her strengths. Does your DD like her class? This may raise her confidence as she won’t feel “left behind” by children who are faster at maths. Could you do a little maths session with her a few times a week?

My DD kept being put down in maths sets, and ended up in the bottom set, she was devastated. However, she was then top of that set, and was given extension work, to do at her pace. She got an 8, two marks off a 9 (2019). So it definitely worked for her.

I think its easy to lose perspective at a grammar. I used to teach at one and also went to one.

Those friends of mine in "bottom set" maths were made to feel they weren't v good at maths but came out with As and Bs. I have another friend from a comp who got a B at maths A level and became an accountant. Had she been at grammar shed have been told she wasnt good at maths, but as she was relatively good at a comp she was encouraged.

I had many students coming into 6th form thinking a B at gcse was disastrous yet a B in another school would be a success.

I think its v important not to label them as failing and remember they'd often be top set elsewhere! If they rhink back to primary, here they'd be top 10% of the year and def top set. Its relative.

Get a grip.

You're being ridiculous! But you know that. Bottom set in a grammar school is likely top set elsewhere.

I really really hope that your daughter doesn't pick up on your disappointment

Someone's got to be in the bottom set and you can't be good at everything

My DDs were both in the bottom maths set at their grammar school and both managed an A at GCSE. I wouldn’t worry about it OP.

My daughter is in bottom sets for every subject except hair and beauty and still struggles. She’s artistic and musical, plays violin beautifully, and brilliant with hair and make up. I’m bit disappointed in the slightest. I’m proud of how amazing she is.

*not Disappoint - not bit 🙄

@Bluepolkadots42

I went to a grammar and was also in bottom set for Maths. As someone else said bottom set in a grammar is closer to a middle set in a comprehensive school. No one in my bottom set got lower than a C grade- I got a B. As an adult I've taught bottom sets (in a different subject) in a number of Comps and majority of students had target grades of Es and Fs. The 'top performing' students in those bottom sets were on track for a D (now grade 3 ish), It's better she's in a group that's taught at a pace she can deal with and bottom sets often have a smaller number of students so student/teacher ratio allows for more teacher support.

How can Es and Fs be target grades? Genuinely curious.

@BarbedBloom

This was me. I was superset for everything else, got full As for all my exams and failed maths. I just don't get it. I can't even work out how much change I should get in my head.

My dad was horrible about it and I was really ashamed

@BarbedBloom Have you considered that you may have Dyscalculia?