Do you mean you think your DC is capable of 9s?
A good number of DC are capable and get 9s. For them, yes to be satisfied with 7 is to lack aspiration.
We don’t know the ability of this DC.
A lot of people do lack aspiration and have a lowest common denominator attitude. ie lots of people do well to get a 4, so everyone should be thrilled with a 7.
Thats not right. We should all hope and want our DC to fulfil their potential and achieve the best they can. For some that is 9 and for others 7 and for others 4.
The UK is beset with many parents who have limited aspirations for their kids. They say they want their kids to be happy and often this means that if they don’t want to work hard, then that’s okay and if they underachieve it doesn’t matter. They often think that any suggestion that a DC could do better is a form of abuse and to be shot down or discouraged as kids can’t cope with that. A very few can’t, but most benefit from a healthy level of aspiration and encouragement to work hard, push themselves and have high expectations.
Its unclear from OP if she is having this healthy expectation and feels the school lacks aspiration - and this is often the case where schools focus on getting people to L4 or 7 and don’t seem interested in the able who could get 9s. Or it could be a pipe dream and unrealistic for this child.
But lots 9s are achieved in state schools. In many subjects around 8-10% of kids achieve 9 in that subject. That’s thousands of kids every year. Most schools have reasonable numbers of such kids. Some are under undue pressure but lots aren’t. And some could do much better than the grades they get. Often a 9 is achieved with less than 70%.
Thisvisnt to belittle lower grades which might be a huge achievement. But 9scsre not like hens teeth.