Curriculum for excellence grading

[lulufruit]

Just got my end of year school report for my 7 year old who is finishing P3 in Scotland - he was graded as achieving early years on all fronts. The report was very praising of how well he’d come on - he’s confident in reading, writing and maths. I’m now worried that the report is BS and he’s actually really struggling- I can’t make sense of why he’s been graded as working at 3-6 year old level when the report talks of all his achievements. My guess is he’s about middle of the class - he’s the youngest boy in the class and second youngest child. If I’m right and he’s about the middle doesn’t that mean half the kids are failing to make the C of E grade of “First” which is where the p2-p4 are supposed to be. Any thoughts would be helpful,

A “typical” pupil should be expected to have achieved early level by the end of P1. But, and here is the bid but, in Curriculum for Excellence there is 8 Curricular Areas the most important being Numeracy and Maths, Literacy and Health and Wellbeing. That end of P1 statement is only a guide, a child may achieve early level in some areas before the end of P1 or after P1. He's working at first level which is where I would expect a P3 to be for his age and stage and he will be expected to have typically achieved first level by the end of P4. If he’s making good progress in reading, writing and maths I would say he’s doing fine.

Sorry I just re-read your post, hope my answer is clear, the children aren’t failing first level they are working in first level just now P2-P4 (although some may achieve it earlier done later) most will achieve it by the end of P4. Your DS sounds as if he is where he should be.

@sweetkitty That’s really helpful and wasn’t at all clear in any of the info from school. Thanks for your reply it’s very helpful

They really should have changed the wording to ' working within' first. Next year it will say he's achieved first. The levels are ridiculous. CfE is ridiculous!!

@Iwanttoraceacrosstheworld that’s exactly what I said to my husband after I read the response from @sweetkitty . It feels like a very clumsy system!

@lulufruit as a parent and a teacher I agree it is a ridiculous system and doesn’t get any better once they are at secondary school.