Why don't some teachers like to tell parents how their Dc is doing compared to classmates?

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Just wondered really. Is there a difference between practices in private and state on this? Ps not asking from position where answer is likely to be "top of the class".

I'm really sorry, nametqkenagain- I just don't understand your last post. In every case I have ever heard of, kids are given actual predicted GCSE grades. Did that not happen in your child's case?

At my sons' prep school at the end of Y5 -Y8 parents are given, for each subject, their child's exam score, the average score and the quartile their child's score puts them in.

In ds2's end of year report for each subject we got told his exam/assessment scores, the average score for his class (top set of partially selective comp so expected to be reasonably high) and the average score across the year. We also got told whether or not they'd met their targets for the end of the year.

seeker, making progress is one thing. Making the progress as fast as others are is another. You can be making progress, but the gap getting wider and wider. Again, I don't think progress is hugely helpful unless you know how quickly the progress SHOULD be happening. It would have to be a very naff school or a massive special need for NO progress.

In my son's pre-prep, I had always known what position my elder son held in the class. It was very helpful as it allowed us to gauge which schools to target for prep-school entrance. It would have completely unhelpful to compare to the national average as the vast majority of the class was at or above the national average The prep-school scene in London is fiercely competitive and if one's child is not in the top quarter, it really does not make sense to look into the most competitive preps.

At his prep, they only give an indication of average, below or above average in the class.

Teachers don't discuss other children's results with parents because they are NONE OF THEIR BUSINESS! I would be furious if any teacher discussed how much better/worse my child was than someone else's in test performances and as a teacher myself I completely respect the individual child's right to privacy..if they want to share their results with their peers that is their choic, but I refuse to make that choice for them.

Take it a term/year at a time and every time you think about the fact that you could have a holiday/get a car/improve your home or actually move to a big enough house etc... with all the money you would save on school fees if they went to a state school, just remember what you are buying and why you chose private in the first place. And if along the way you are not happy with the choice, change it!

Oops...somehow posted the last one in the wrong thread! Supposed to be in another one to do with paying private school fees for the next 12 years!

Schmedz, I would never ask for Johny's grades, or Matilda's grades or any individual kids' grades.

However, if the teacher had told me that he scored 15 out of 100 for litacy, and most kids were in the 50-80 bracket, that would have really helped.

Do you see what I mean?

I would agree with Chandon. DS's school's KS1 results look great so it is safe to assume that pretty much all children in his class are above the national average. That's the reason why a more concrete indication is required. I am able and willing to help him so if, for example, his handwriting looks noticeable less neat that of many others I don't see why I should settle for "he is doing fine" rather than getting him to do some extra practice at home.

In our case, DS is bilingual so I sense the expectations of him at school maybe a bit lower. FWIW, I don't think this should be the case - so knowing how native English children are doing (without calling any names, obviously) would be very helpful.

I don't believe you can help your child develop any better skills by knowing how his or her performance relates to others in their cohort (or even nationally). If they are scoring low in literacy there are obviously specific issues which need addressing to improve, regardless of whether this is average/above or below for the class. Children develop at different rates, so no amount of worrying about how they compare to others is going to change their ability to learn at that stage in their development. Knowing what needs attention and development at ANY ability level is what is important and is a practical step you can take to help develop the skills they need.
If a teacher refuses to identify any weaknesses which need support, that is a different matter!

And PS Chandon, you are obviously a lot more restrained than some of the parents with whom I deal who want to know EXACTLY how Johnny or Matilda are performing!

Seeker - he was not given predicted gcse grades until mid gcse, which I imagine is usual. Until then, the reports (which showed him achieving what the teachers expected) gave the impression to his parents he was doing well, and they assumed A levels and University were the natural progression.

I am not suggesting rank in class is useful but I think his case is an example of parents needing a bit of context on his expected grades a lot earlier.

It truly never fails to amaze me how interested folk are in the progress and achievements of other children which is essentially what this is about.

I'll tell you why OP.
Son was g and t at primary. Top of class. Went to secondary grammar. Us lower middle.

That alone shows how pointless it is.

It's not usual at all to only be given a target mid GCSE. Targets in core subjects at least are based on KS2 results, so will be fixed from that point on. Projected grades maybe, but if I were given just a comment on whether my child was working above, at or below target, I would be asking what the target was. I do realise that I am clued in to education. However, I am surprised that schools get away with giving inadequate information.

Tfm- I think your response to questioning the target is the right one, but you can see why many a parent might simply think " oh that looks complicated, I'm not sure I fully understand, but it looks okay, if he's on target".

Perhaps this is uncommon, and most schools are much clearer with parents about their children's potential and achievements. I'm not in a position to comment.

In my DC's state primary school her teacher told me that she was a long way ahead of the rest of the class (comparison).

In my other DC's private school the school report tells you where they come in the class in each exam, and overall. I was also told by the art teacher that DC was doing well in art, and she demonstrated this by showing me drawings by several members of the class, and pointing out how my DC's drawing was better than theirs. This was useful, as I am not artistic and didn't get what she was talking about.
In my nephew's grammar school they put up class results in order of achievement in the form room, in order to spur them on.

So it's possible to find comparisons being made in all sectors! To be honest, I think it is useful for parents to know this. For example, my DC is not strong at maths (natonally speaking). If she were doing well compared with the other children in her class, then I would be concerned about the school. As she is doing relatively badly in comparison with others, this tells me that at least part of the problem lies with her.

"I'll tell you why OP.
Son was g and t at primary. Top of class. Went to secondary grammar. Us lower middle.

That alone shows how pointless it is."

Sorry- posted too soon.

If you know what you dc's NC scores are, and hat the national average is, you know that p, even if he is G&T qt primary, once he gets to a selective secondary,he's going to be in a different cohort, so probably not top of the true any more. Whit is that pointless?

I think that the position of a child within their class is of huge relevance. Let's take year 2 - the children in the class have received 2.5 yrs worth of identical education so far. The child at the bottom of the class has a problem IMO.

Not necessarily. What if that is the only bright child in a class of geniuses?

Also what makes you think their education is identical? Teachers should and do differentiate work.

seeker - You know how you keep saying how you never mention your DS and how others keep dragging him into a thread? Please note the time and place where you dragged your DS into thread.

We get it that you are pissed off that your DS, contrary to your expectations, didn't get into the GS but why does it have to be the cornerstone of all your postings?

I mean, your bright son didn't pass the 11+ therefore it's a crap way of selection. And now it's 'pointless' knowing where a child is in the class because hey, look at your bright son who didn't pass the 11+.