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Original poster

Streaming/setting in Year 7

9 replies

GoldenVoice · 14/01/2011 21:41

DD is due to start High school in Sept, at a school which takes 300 children a year (yikes!).

She is on course to get 5's in her SATs. Will these be used to stream/set her (what is the difference?). Does this happen before she starts, after a term, a year, in all subjects? The school haven't mentioned anything about it in their brochure.

With such a large intake, do they do other assessments to get the children in the right sets?

As an aside - and no doubt causing offence where none is intended - the school is the only one we can get to, and has a reputation for anything apart from the top groups being a bit of a bear pit Shock. I want to know how/when the decisions are likely to be made...

TIA

OP posts:
MaureenMLove · 14/01/2011 21:48

Schools in my borough do their own assessments at different times, during Yr7.

My school, do CATS before the new intake join, so that they are streamed as soon as they arrive.

DD's school, streamed sometime during the first year and because they have a Grammar stream, are constantly tested and moved accordingly, throughout their school life.

The only person that can answer your question therefore, is the school.

Give them a ring, if you are concerned. Smile

AMumInScotland · 14/01/2011 21:53

Short answer - it depends! Some schools will use the SATS, some will do their own testing. Some will only set for some subjects to begin with and not do other tll later.

If you want to know, you need to ask the school direct.

Setting is done separately for each subject, and is the most usual thing to find. Streaming would be for all subjects - so she'd be in a "top/middle/bottom" tutor group and stay with them for all subjects. But that's not the norm these days, as it doesn't take account of children being better at some subjects than others.

RatherBeOnThePiste · 14/01/2011 21:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

RatherBeOnThePiste · 14/01/2011 21:58

Sorry. In neither case were the sats results used.

MaureenMLove · 14/01/2011 22:00

Thinking about it, I wouldn't worry about what set he might be in.

The fact is, she will be put in a set when she starts in September. If it transpires after a few weeks, she is clearly in the wrong set, she will be moved.

I have always told DD, that she is in a particular set for a reason. It's not top, middle and bottom, it is the right set for her ability and designed so that she is in the right set for her to get the help she needs.

Ingles2 · 14/01/2011 22:03

our local comp had an assessment day recently for setting the current yr 6 when they start in Sept.
Obviously you haven't heard anything yet... why don't you ask her current school / teacher how they set, I'm sure they'll know.

Original poster
GoldenVoice · 14/01/2011 22:09

Thanks for all your help - interesting that the schools all seem to have different strategies.

DD has a day visit there in July, but nothing has been mentioned about any tests, so I am assuming they will have to go on SATs results or test once she is there.

One fear I have is that DD is quite quiet and gets overlooked in class. She is also easily distracted and I know she won't show what she is capable of until she is settled in school. I have a fear that she will be put in the 'wrong' set for her and then not be able to move. She would be quite happy coasting! However, I worry that once in the middle sets, with all the behaviour stuff that I have heard, she would find it even harder to show what she can do and be stuck forever.

I am overthinking this a bit aren't I?

OP posts:
MaureenMLove · 14/01/2011 22:22

Just a smidge Wink but totally normal! You are as nervous about her going into the big bad world of secondary, as she is!

It is only January. Chill a bit or you will be a nervous wreck by September and it won't help DD!

If you have issues once she's there, then phone the school. They should be more than happy to know they have a parent that cares and supports. Smile

roisin · 14/01/2011 22:40

Ask the school: lots of different possibilities.

My school set (not stream) on the basis of KS2 SATs, for Maths, English and Science. Then re-jig the sets at Christmas on the basis of additional data obtained/observations over the term.

The boys' school do not set at all in yr7, but teach mixed ability throughout. My boys both got all 5a at KS2, but they really thrived in this environment and made fabulous progress in mixed ability classes. (They then set at the end of yr7 for most subjects.)

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