How good unusual is a level 7 in primary school?

[BrieAndChilli]

DS1 has just come home and said his headteacher told him his writing was a level 7. He’s in year 6.

[Notintheframe]

Just read the document and it is clear from page 16 that for KS2, level 7 is not exceptional. There is a level 8 in between. So there is level 1-8 and then above that, Exceptional.

So as someone said above, the levels apply regardless of the stage. The description may be different (ie, expectations) but the levels are the same. I guess it is equivalent to A-E grades. An A can be awarded at any stage but what gets awarded an A* will vary by stages.

[Madmarchpear]

Lolling at how quickly the stealth boast was detected. Good old mumsnetters 😂

[Notintheframe]

Not necessarily exceptional

[Notintheframe]

If at end of KS2, the majority is between 3-6, then that would represent the average. So 7 would be above average.

[user789653241]

Anxicious, I don't know if the link is up to date or not, but that's what it said on the link somebody provided up thread. It said Welsh NC, and levels are explained in details. But I must have misread something? I don't know. Sorry.

And sincey, this is an appropriate place. It's G&T section.

[sinceyouask]

Op, you clearly know exactly what a level 7 represents, why not just post somewhere appropriate to say how proud you are?

[anxious2017]

You're talking about Welsh KS2 levels, yes?

Average is 5, 6 and above is working to or above expectations. In Year 6, it's not uncommon to be at a Level 7 at all.

Last year, out of 33 year 6s, 24 were at level 6 and above, and my moderation was spot on.

[user789653241]

Really, anxious?
The link provided says,
"By the end of Key Stage 2, the performance of the great majority of learners is likely to be be within the range of Levels 3 to 6, and by the end of Key Stage 3 within the range 4 to 7. Level 8 is available for very able learners and, to help teachers differentiate Exceptional Performance at Key Stage 3, a description above Level 8 is provided."

Op's dc seems to be the higher end level for end of KS3 at end of KS2, which must be quite exceptional.

[anxious2017]

Not unusual in Year 6 at all. I'll have a few Level 7s every year.

[Tomorrowillbeachicken]

I was tested with sats in year 9 in the mid 90s. There were also lvl 7-10 papers in maths in year nine.

[mmzz]

If you google a bit, you'll find level 5-7 and level 6-8 official past papers. They were never meant for primary school, but for Year 9. Testing at year 9 must have been tried and then abandoned at some point. I think the last time they were sat officially was around 2010.

My year 11 DS sat the past papers in ks3 at secondary school as unofficial intra-school assessments and the results were used to describe attainment and progress until he started his GCSE courses. However, my year 9 DS didn't sit them at secondary school so the old national curriculum levels must have been abandoned 2-3 years ago.

From memory, Level 6 in old national curriculum levels equated to the top 10% in maths (maybe a little less), about 3% in writing and it rounded to 0 for reading. No one did level 7 at primary school, but DS2 did a 5-7 maths paper unofficially in year 6 to see how he would get on and he got a 7 on it. Everyone thought it remarkable. He's top set now, about to start his GCSE courses, but he's not shooting the lights out.

[Etymology23]

If these are national curriculum levels still, a level 7 is the same required standard whether 14 or 11.

Well done to your son, Op, that’s very high!

[user789653241]

Totally agree with Hidden. This is the place you are allowed to be a proud parent!
Well done, that's amazing.

[Hiddeninplainsight]

Would perhaps have been easier just to say 'I have just been told my DS y6 is working at the level of a 14 year old - I'm super proud!'

It is the sort of thing you can say on the G&T board (and most people will say well done).

So, assuming that you were just too shy to say that, I'm going to say well done to your DS, he is clearly doing very well at school.

[DonkeyOil]

Your ds is obviously doing very well at school, op. I hope you congratulated him, and didn't pretend not to know how good a level 7 is!

[Davespecifico]

Selective Independent schools will be looking for solid level 5s across the board.
So if his Maths also good I’d have entered him for independent exams in the hope of getting a bursary based on academic ability.

[Bluntness100]

Ah op,sorry I misunderstood you, a level seven for a 14 year old and a level seven for an 11 year old will be different.

[Bluntness100]

Yes that is similar to what I saw, 8 levels, and an exceptional level above that. I think the mid point is the average or the min they should be expected to achieve, so he is exceeding that,

[Addy2]

Exactly, MyDcAreMarvel.

[sportyfool]

My dd say level 6 sats in year 6. She is now in year 9 and predicted grade 8 and 9 in her GCSEs if she continues along the same course so I guess yes it's a great place to be .

[EskSmith]

learning.gov.wales/docs/learningwales/publications/150717-nc-english-en-v3.pdf

From this document
Level 7
Learners’ writing is confident and shows appropriate choices of style in a range of forms. Writing is coherent, sustained and developed. In literary writing, characters and settings are developed and,
innon-literary writing, ideas are organised and coherent. They sustain arguments and offer convincing evidence in support of their views. A range of sentence structures and vocabulary are accurately
and effectively used. Spelling is correct, including that of complex irregular words. Paragraphing and correct punctuation are used for clarity and effect. Work is legible and well presented.

Level 8
Learners’ writing shows the selection of specific features or expressions to convey particular effects and to interest the reader. Flair and originality is evident within their written work. Literary writing
shows control ofcharacters, events and settings and shows variety in structure. Non-literary writing is coherent and gives clear points of view. They structure their arguments, offering evidence
consistently. Theuse of vocabulary and grammar enables fine distinctions to be made or emphasis achieved. Writing shows a clear grasp of the effective use of punctuation and paragraphing. Work is
legible and well presented.

Exceptional
Learners’ writing has shape and impact and shows control of a range of styles, maintaining the interest of the reader throughout. Literary writing uses structure as well as vocabulary for a range
Performance of imaginative effects, andnon-literary writing is coherent, reasoned and persuasive. A variety of grammatical constructions and punctuation is used accurately and appropriately and with sensitivity.
Paragraphs are well constructed and linked inorder to clarify the organisation of the writing as a whole. Work is legible and well presented.

[MyDcAreMarvel]

So just a weird stealth boast then.

[BrieAndChilli]

.

[BrieAndChilli]

Founded this in a local school website (secondary) that shows level 7 as exceeding the expected level for a 14 year old!

[Bluntness100]

I think it does exist in wales, a quick look at wales on line says it is marked between 1-8 and then above an 8 is the "exceptional" level.

Op, I'd speak to thr school to see what it means. I'd guess a low A or a high B in old money.