Upset about sons school test scores

[Lillybanks]

My son is 7
He did the Progress Test English and Progress Test maths test at the end of school and we got the results.
He did below average in Maths and just in the higher end of average in English.
The tests are done on a computer and my son mentioned his teacher said to skip any questions he thought were too hard and I think he took as he can skip through without trying.
His school report he does well in these areas and would be in the top reading group. They've never raised concerns and when helping with homework he always seems very capable. Any advice? To add he's one of the youngest in the year and not sure if scores are adjusted.
He got 80 in maths and 110 in english

Honestly OP, the tests are more to track the effectiveness of the teaching than your ds. At that age, they are absurd.

My ds was put in the lowest set by his equally useless primary school. He was also a summer baby.
At 10 his teacher said she didn't know how he would do in his SATs. That summed it up. After being in her class for 2 years, she didn't have a clue. He then returned scores of 117,114 and 113 and they were surprised and said he'd "pulled it out of the hat". No, they just didn't know their own pupil.
He now has 10 gsces and is forecast A star, A,B in maths physics and DT a'levels.

Forget about the tests. At your son's age, focus on a summer break with lots of fun interesting outings to the sorts of places he likes. Do a summer nature project or arts or something. It will be far more benefical, and much more fun.

If you have a decent teacher.

My brother fell behind due to poor teaching and was informally assessed by the primary school as having special needs, my parents disagreed changed his school. He went to a grammar school and became a chartered accountant.

Parents know their child better than teachers.

Parents do know better than teachers and the OP knew her son to be fine until this nonsense test raised doubts in her mind. It is totally iniquitous.

As long as y0u realise that you and your child are a small % of the class and its mummies. I honestly think that parents should make appointments to see a class teacher, just as they do for other professionals, you don't roll up at the end of a day demanding to see your dentist, doctor etc.. Teachers do have stuff to do at the end/start of the day.

Parents do know better than teachers

Ah, bless! My mother used to trot this rubbish out too.

If these test results upsetyou, you need to give yourself a shake.
You were wrong to quiz your son about it and upset him too.
He won't always be the best at everything. Get over it. He is only 7!! Enjoy his childhood. It goes fast.

Just consider it is not a reflection of you or your ds, just a random test. Does your school really set at year 4? Some of these tests build the difficulty of questions according to those answered correctly. Next time he does them he will know not to skip so quickly. It is a learning process and does not define him.

Ignore these results.
Fifteen years ago one of our DS was described as being ‘not exam material’ by his form teacher. In fact we were told our DS would probably never pass his GCSE’s. He was 9 years old!
Fast forward, all was fine, GCSEs, A Levels & Degree.
Seven is ridiculously soon to start labelling children.

He's 7, it's one test. Don't worry about it! Make sure you sit with him when he has maths homework and see what he knows and help him learn the bits he doesn't. He sounds like he's flunked one test because he hasn't really understood the way to do it. It doesn't matter. There will be hundreds more maths tests before he's set-ed for secondary school.

Am I the only one that thinks that result is fine? he’s just outside what is expected for his age, or do all mumsnet children have to be genuses?

At his age you should not be telling him the results of the test, you should just say he did great and even then, only if he asks.

You can't start putting the idea in his head that he's not good enough!

Gently OP, this really really doesn’t matter. He is still very little.

My DD always scored either average or just below average in primary school despite being bright. She just matured later than some of her peers and saw school as more of a social experience than learning experience!

She was a little better during the first half of secondary school but still far more interested in the social aspect rather than knuckling down.

By year 10, she was on it, full steam ahead and super focused. Achieved all 8’s and 9’s in her GCSE’s.

As long as your child is happy, has some friends and is well behaved for his teacher, I wouldn’t worry about anything else at this stage.

You told a seven-year-old that he wasn’t as good as you thought. you better start making it up to him because that goes deep.
Don’t get him those CGP books - they are demoralising and dry and don’t aid learning

Well I said his scores weren't what we were expecting but I do see this was wrong and im seeking advice.
Haven't ordered the books and lots of reassurance and positivity now

OP primary schools don’t pick out the clever kids. It’s all about mastery, practising their handwriting etc. It’s just a test of compliance aimed at ensuring everyone can read and do simple maths by the end of it. The clever kids at secondary aren’t the same ones as at primary, honestly.

If they put them in the wrong set they do move them anyway.