To feel quite sceptical whenever someone asks to explain their children's SAT levels

[megapixels]

especially since they almost always seem to be top levels for that stage? There's been so many threads of the sort and yet people keep asking.

Kind of like those "Please help, my 6 month old ds is doing my 18 year old ds's algebra homework, does this sound about average for his age?" posts. Obviously not everyone has an ulterior motive (i.e. bragging) when posting something like that, but AIBU to think that a lot do?

I love the fact that this thread has descended into disagreement as to what the levels and sub-levels actually mean.

Feenie is always right on the education threads though - I've noticed.

yanbu. at all.

I really do not give a shit about the SAT levels and I couldn't tell you what their levels are.

Why thank you, verygreenlawn.

Actually, I do always have to be right. It's not a terribly attractive personality trait, come to think of it!

lockets

I'm still hoping they might be abolished before DD has to do the Year 6 ones next year but I guess it isn't likely. She isn't changing school until Year 9 as she changed this year and I just can't seen the point of them at all.

Have dug out the reports for the last 3 yrs. (fuck me i am obsessed.) All reports have the same format that i stated earlier.
ie 3 (3a) is the lowest and 3** (3c) would be the highest.

DSD's on the other hand just have a numeric score. (she goes to a different school) Hers don't say what the score is out of or where her scores sit against an average. So there you go. Highly confusing.

LOL lockets - if there's one other thing I like about Feenie it's that she can spell

Go and bollock speak to them about it, idranktheteaatwork - tell 'em they embarrassed you on MN and you demand recompense!

Thanks, lockets! Lol - trate, jeez.

That's really odd, Idranktheteaatwork. I've had two children go through the primary system and both of them have worked from, to give an example, 3c->3b->3a->4c, and so on.

I guess it doesn't matter provided the grades they give match the explanation they give in the letter.

idranktheteaatwork - I too suggest telling the school they are getting this totally wrong

Its confusing enough without some schools making it even worse

Look at this link for sublevelling in Maths, Idranktheteaatwork - first one I grabbed, but one of a million that shows that, for example, 3c precedes 3b, which in turn precedes 3a.

Um, well i wouldn't say i am embarassed Feenie.

I will email the teacher as it does seem a little confusing but then again, i have to agree with SoupDragon, i can't see that it really matters that much as long as the explanation matches if you see what i mean.

On the other hand, we would love to know what DSD's nueric scores are all about.....

One more teacher here confirming that a is highest and c is lowest! As a secondary teacher, I can confirm that teachers, pupils and parents will be even more confused next year when secondary switches from a,b and c to l(low), s (secure) and h (high) !

numeric. See? Disagreeing with Teacher does you no good.

See i would prefer low secure and high though. That at least gives you an instant indicator.

well somewhat belatedly I am at Corys

.... ANd they say modern education isn't working....

Herbietea - I know, but we resisted it when it was first suggested(can't even remember why - think it's because primaries weren't so it was too confusing) and next year it's pretty much that we all have to now, in our area.

idranktheteaatwork just wondering if the askerisks have added to the confusion? What are they for? Were results written like that in the report?

One idea for not explaining much about the levels on reports could be to avoid labelling children as average or below or above at an early age. School may prefer to use the text in the report from the teacher to show how much progress each child is making as an individual rather than in comparison to the population.

YABU

I for one was really confused by the SATS results and posted a similar message - can assure you it was not a bragging one - DS is about a year behind i reckon so not everyone understands them - school dont really provide any info on them and i didnt have time to look elsewhere - some kindly people gave me the answers from my message