Interesting parents evening.

[Rowgtfc72]

Just had dds parents evening, she's yr 2 and turned 7 last Friday. The teacher told me she was clever, I said I suppose she is quite bright but then she said,no, clever clever.
She's predicted level three for everything at the end of year two. Now don't get me wrong, I'm all for dd doing well but this didn't strike me as being particularly able just capable. Or have I got this wrong?

Levels are just numbers on a spreadsheet, ignore them. If your DD's teacher is saying this, take heed , she must be outstandingly and noticeably talented.

That isn't necessarily stunningly clever. We have also had DD1's parents evening, (7 later this month) and she may get level 3's. At the end if the day, If she works hard and does her best, that is more important that what she achieves.

I wouldn't pay too much attention to the level 3s by the end of year 2 thing - I think about 15-30% of children get to level 3 in the KS1 assessments, so it is good but not exceptional.

But if the teacher has noticed she is clever and is telling you about it, that is probably a good thing because she will make sure that your DD gets given work at the right level to keep on challenging her.

Thanks. The teacher is very on the ball. Dd loves reading and I've known for a long time she's ahead there, its the good at everyone else that threw me as she doesn't really do schoolwork at home and she's not nerdy( like I was) if you see what I mean.Will just keep encouraging her.

Whisper it, but some children do get by quite well with whatever they do at school plus the homework they get given, and the rest of their time devoted to a relatively carefree, playful childhood.

Apart from the routine stuff including sensibly rationing time with gadgets/screens, all we've really had to fret about with Y6 DD in recent years is helping with the books she reads for pleasure i.e. the balance between enjoyability, difficulty/vocabulary and whether they contains some more adult concepts that can wait a while yet.

Some infant schools are not very good at assessing above a level 3 for Y2 IME, as others have said L3 is not exceptional generally but if she was a 3a for instance across everything then this is pretty high.

I agree with the others I would be more interested in what the teacher is saying, she would not say it if she didn't believe it!

My DS got 3cs/3b in Y2 but was assessed as a L4 in the autumn term in Y3 as the infant school just did not assess him above a L3. The teacher always said he was very bright but only ever set him a target of a L3 in spite of being L3 in Y1.

Mmmm..... for the school to have said your dd is 'clever' I would agree that she would likely be achieving higher than a level 3c. Many schools will not level higher than a 3c. They did level my DS at a 3a, in one subject, but that was because he was actually working at a level 4a/5c.

If they level higher than a 3 they do not get such a high value add figure (or it is harder for them). Some sats/ofsted/outstanding obsessed schools with unscrupulous HTs, simply fiddle the figures. The levels given in KS2 are likely to be much more realistic.

My DS went to a new school for yr 3 and his levels leapt by 4 sublevels in one subject and 5 in another, when he was assessed there - the new school were visibly shocked when I told them the levels. Interestingly, they said that his previous records never made it to the new school!

So, I would say ignore the levels, they are not necessarily a reflection of ability. The fact that the school said she is 'clever' speaks volumes.