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Original poster

To ask what school report means...

33 replies

TableFlowerss · 31/03/2021 20:02

Posted here for traffic. Got DC (Yr 7) report today and it had a ‘Target GCSE’ column and a number (I won’t say what number) the number was the same for every subject and the next column was progress towards target (Or similar) so below, expected or above. (Expected in all except Art and PE)

My question is, who sets these ‘number grades’ for the ‘GCSE target’ and what do they base them on?

I assume under normal circumstances they would use SAT scores from y6, buy tgey didn’t do SATS.

I will ask school but I know they’re busy and sometimes it’s easier to talk over phone than email.

Thanks

OP posts:
OverTheRainbow88 · 31/03/2021 20:03

Did they do CATS tests in year 7?

00100001 · 31/03/2021 20:03

The teacher and their colleagues will have set it based k. The work produced, test results and their own judgement to a degree..

Why, aren't you happy with the report?

GoWalkabout · 31/03/2021 20:05

Usually cats or sats. Maybe year 6 teachers passed on a grade? These 'flightpath' grade guesses are not all that meaningful, as I am sure you have guessed.

OverTheRainbow88 · 31/03/2021 20:05

Is it a FFT grade?

00100001 · 31/03/2021 20:05

Or they will have done a test like MidYIS, which will accurately predict their grades at GCSE, it based in 100,000s of tests and is ridiculously accurate.

OverTheRainbow88 · 31/03/2021 20:06

@00100001

This isn’t the case. Teachers don’t write the FFT grades for year 7 students to ‘predict’ GCSE results.

maddy68 · 31/03/2021 20:07

As a teacher , let me tell you it's all bollocks. They generally have some sort of assessment maybe cat or data baseline. Which gives a prediction. It is nonsense. They give a target grade which they can't meet until their actual GCSEs it's literally a paper exercise so the school can "show" they've made progress

42isthemeaning · 31/03/2021 20:08

I'll bet they're based on computer tests taken at y7 and y9.
Most schools pay universities money to provide these computer based analyses which then use an algorithm to show what grade your dc should be capable of.

42isthemeaning · 31/03/2021 20:10

I've often wondered how problem solving, maths and vocabulary based tests can predict a GCSE art grade...

MadMadMadamMim · 31/03/2021 20:10

@00100001

Or they will have done a test like MidYIS, which will accurately predict their grades at GCSE, it based in 100,000s of tests and is ridiculously accurate.
It really isn't.

There is a whole heap of things that can happen to a student from the ages 11 - 16 that will affect the GCSE grade they get in subjects.

user1471530109 · 31/03/2021 20:10

It's likely to be an FFT grade which is various factors. Without SATs, it would (I think) have been teacher assessments for prior attainment.

Just wanted to add that it doesn't matter what that number is. I have had many students achieve 3 or 4 or even higher than their FFT grade. likewise below by a grade but thankfully usually not as many. Don't feel he has been assigned by this. I hate them personally (said as a secondary teacher).

camsue · 31/03/2021 20:12

yr 7 tend to get 1,2 or if high flying 3 in our school, then 2-5 year 8, 3-6 year 9, etc. Does that seem to fit?

user1471530109 · 31/03/2021 20:12

Sorry. Fischer (I think sp) Family Trust

grafittiartist · 31/03/2021 20:13

My advice- ignore!
My sons were so out of reach it was demoralising. I never looked at them.
The fact it's the same number for every subject just shows how crazy it is!!
(Teacher!)

BurbageBrook · 31/03/2021 20:14

Hi OP they are usually based mainly on SATS data but some schools take other elements into account.
For what it's worth, many teachers and education researchers strongly disagree with target grades for end of Y11 being provided to Year 7 as it can provide a sort of psychological ceiling for student progress unless their target is really high.
In other words, these data things often should be taken with a large pinch of salt at Y7 level :)

MrsPnut · 31/03/2021 20:14

It’s done on an FFT grade based on their SATS score in year 6. DD2 really under performed in year 6 and has exceeded her predicted GCSE scores in every subject in year 10. It’ll be awesome for the schools progress 8 score.

BurbageBrook · 31/03/2021 20:15

Oh and as @grafittiartist rightly points out it can also be demoralising for students to get high target grades in some instances.

Original poster
TableFlowerss · 31/03/2021 20:16

@OverTheRainbow88

Did they do CATS tests in year 7?
Not sure? Not heard of them to be honest and there was no mention of them at all. By all accounts they hardly hand in any work for teachers to mark because of covid

DC tells me they do tests now and again but for example but that’s it really.

OP posts:
mineofuselessinformation · 31/03/2021 20:16

Just to add, FFT is correct for 80% of grades, for 80% of students.
Especially in early secondary years, I'd ignore that and just look at progress.
I have to say, though, that I'm surprised the school has been willing to give a progress level given that most of the term was spent in lockdown!

RBKB · 31/03/2021 20:17

Teacher here. Some schools use very early day assessments and then project right forward to what their gcse gade will be. 1-3 are not passes. 4 is a pass. 5 is a good pass. 6 is an old high B, 7 is an A (kids tend to then be allowed to choose that subject for A level) and 8/9 are very high grades.

A great great deal happens between year 7 and year 11...overconfident kids who 'wing it' can drop right down. Grafters can start to shine. The brain really changes, altering their comprehension drastically. They give a rough idea, though.

Original poster
TableFlowerss · 31/03/2021 20:18

@00100001

The teacher and their colleagues will have set it based k. The work produced, test results and their own judgement to a degree..

Why, aren't you happy with the report?

That’s true. Yeah I’m happy with it, I’m just wondering how they got they got their ‘estimates’ really as I don’t feel like they’ve been there that much.
OP posts:
ThrowawaySecondarySchool · 31/03/2021 20:19

FFT for this year's year 7 were based either on their year 6 teacher's assessment or on CATS testing. Hard to say how OP's school's target grades are calculated if OP wasn't told.

What you'd want to know is, are the grades a "year target" or a "end of GCSE target". (Lots of it bollocks though as stated by previous.)

Original poster
TableFlowerss · 31/03/2021 20:19

@OverTheRainbow88

Is it a FFT grade?
I had a look online before i came on here and I seen that FFT mentioned so looked on website but I couldn’t make ahead nor take of it 😂
OP posts:
Original poster
TableFlowerss · 31/03/2021 20:20

@00100001

Or they will have done a test like MidYIS, which will accurately predict their grades at GCSE, it based in 100,000s of tests and is ridiculously accurate.
😮 I just thought they would have mentioned it. Perhaps they have been assessed with DC realising.
OP posts:
OverTheRainbow88 · 31/03/2021 20:21

I would email your child’s tutor and ask for clarity.

I’m sure they would be happy to explain how the grades are calculated.

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