Going backwards in levels

[angelstar]

Its it usual for children to drop a level in year 3. Dd got levels 3's for everything in year 2. She is in year 4 and has just come home saying she is on kangaroo level 3c, when I asked her about it she said she was 2a last year in year 3. She has targets to get to 3b level (ladybird).

It doesn't seem like she has made very much progress since year 2 really. Our school has recently had an ofstead and while it did very well, the weak area was years 3/4. The y3/4 classes are mixed, all the other year groups are single years.

A level 3 in year 2 is easier to achieve than a level 3 in year 3.
seems weird, but anyone who achieves higher than a 2a (even by 1 point) in the much practised for sats gets a 3. whereas in year 3, the levels become 3c 3b 3a, are more specific, and there is less focus on practising for sats etc. iyswim

having re-read your post, it seems odd that she was a level 3 in y2, but only 3c in y4..

At our junior school we do tests for the Year 3s early in the autumn term & it's very common for those with level 3 T KS1 to get 2a or even lower.

This is the problem with the SATs/ QCA tests. It is often the case that children seem to go backwards when they first go into the junior school. Level 3 in ks1 sats is easier to get. Just like in QCA year 3 optional sats, it is far easier to get level 4 than in year6 tests. Testing system is a farce. They should have 1 test for each level that children take when they are ready regardless of age. It's the only fair way.

Thanks, I thought it may just be the norm. She is happy at school anyway so I am happy. x