Level 3 sats targets in year 2 - why haven't the school told us?Why do some schools hold back able kids?

[earlycomputers]

My dd is in year 2 and at a recent parents evening her class teacher gave me a list of the year 2 attainment levels for maths. There was no mention of sats or anything. I then discovered she has sats in May and so looked at what she needs to know for these tests. I am truly shocked at how little she has been taught so far just to get through the level 2 tests. She is a bright girl and she could easily be taking the level 3 tests but she hasn't been taught anything for the level 3 standard and very little for level 2 - both in English and maths. For example she's never covered division in maths or the digital clock or fractions. She's barely covered any joined up writing or using punctuation. Is this a cop out for the schools so they dont have to work as hard (ie it's less work to teach level 1 and 2 than it is 3?) Dont they have a duty to try and extend able pupils? Needless to say I have been introducing her at home to the stuff she needs to know (taking her out of school to do so so she doesn't have to do stuff in the evenings).
They wont even allow her to read harder books even though we have proved she can read to a certain level with almost 100% accuracy and comprension. Why do some teachers do this? I am seriously thinking about moving her out of the state schooling system. sorry for the long rant!

I'm shocked that you are keeping her off school to teach her things at home tbh.

I think you need to find a way to solve this with the existing school or move school to one you are happier with as keeping her off in this unofficial way (different to official flexi schooling surely) is giving her a bad message about attending school.

AT DS's school the divide the year into 2 for numeracy based on ability (and have a very good record of getting a high proportion of Level 3 by the end of the year ). DS is in the higher group but he has also not yet covered the digital clock, division and has only just started on fractions. Have you asked the school how they deal with more able children? It sounds like you might be somewhat jumping the gun ...

You can ask the school what proportion of kids reached level 2 and level 3 last year.

Your poor poor daughter.

QueenGigantuaro - err why is she poor exactly? I feel sorry that she is being held back, and is bored because she is not using her abilities. I am surely not the only one who wants the best for their kids? Is she 'poor' because she gets to learn stuff at home (which she loves by the way) and surely one to one tuition is better than being ignored in a class of 30. Please elaborate on your very unhelpful comment

IndigoBell - good point, - I will ask the school.

PixieOnaleaf - I find it hard to believe it's good for them to apparently cram into 6 months 90% of what they need to know!

Whether you agree or disagree with SATs, they ocurr at the end of Yr 2, and now is just the very beginning of Yr 2, so I wouldn't worry if she hasn't yet covered much of the syllabus. By all means keep an eye on it, and check again after Christmas.

It sounds like you have other issues with the school though. Does your DD enjoy it there?

What are the school's SATS results like?

OP you set out your concerns in a very strange way.

If you have concerns about your daughter's schooling generally, then I'm sure that you'd get support on MN for finding a better school, or home ed or whatever.

If you have concerns that your daughter is unlucky enough to have a weak teacher in another wise good school then I'm sure that you'd get support for approaching the head teacher.

But you're concern that your daughter is not being pushed/stressed to pass an exam at the age of 7 concerns me. Do all your concerns centre on the sats or did you previoulsy have concerns about the school.

Am also a bit at taking her out of school for 'cramming'.

This has got to be a wind-up!

Please?
Otherwise, I'm with Queengigantaur. Por, poor girl.

I think it would be useful if you told us what you thought of the school previously.

Were you happy with your DD's progress last year and in Reception?

Maybe you haven't given us the full story?

Most of the work will be covered between now and SAT time. I remember looking at the paper when my oldest was at the start of Y2 and thinking that the maths teaching wasn't good because he'd struggle to pass the test but they covered things before SAT time and he easily got a 3.

I think that your decision to take her out of school to teach her is strange but that could be because you have omitted information like how your dd feels about school and schoolwork. You have made judgements like she is being held back etc- are you a teacher? Doing work that is "easy" can help confidence and encourage thinking about problems laterally or in different ways rather than the more rigid methods used when we were kids.

Clam - wtf?this post is about stretching able children - not about passing exams or cramming Bosch. No different to complaining about kids who are behind who need extra help.
If I was 'cramming' I would be studying with her for loads of the time - I am saying the opposite actually - I just want to a bit with her instead of her spending all day at school learning nothing. fyi I dont believe in homework at this age - I think they should do all their school stuff in the day at school when they aren't tired. A typical day with her learning at home would be an hour or two of academic learning in the morning followed by going to the park or swimming in the afternoon - hardly going to wreck her childhood - especially if its only once a week.
The school itself is rated as outstanding on all fronts by Ofsted but I am having my doubts. Her year 1 teacher went awol sick for most of the year which didn't help. Her reception teacher seemed very helpful. I think her current year 2 teacher is 'normal' and my dd seems to like her.

So what is she? Is she behind, so needs to catch up, or ahead so she needs stretching?

I'm happy to help if I can, but I don't really understand.

I feel deeply sorry for any 6 year old who is being hot housed by a mother so ignorant she believes that pressurising a child into obtaining a higher level in an assesment programme designed to test the SCHOOL is somehow beneficial to her.

You are the sort of mother I. Would rather hand my children to ss than become.

Well as someone who taught Y2 for many years I can tell you that even in the most pushy academic schools the attainment in the autumn term always seems so low compared to what they can do by May. Every year I use to say goodbye to some very able children with excellent maths skills and the ability to write fluently and for purpose. Then September would come and I was always shocked to remember how little they could do in the autumn term.

This was not just because I was an excellent teacher! It was mainly due to maturity and the fact that Y2 is one of those years where 'it all comes together'. Things all fall into place and can be built upon much easier than takes place earlier simply because their brains have matured slightly.

If you assessed some autumn Y2s and looked at the results you would not believe who many of them get solid 2As or 3s.

Is she missing one day a week every week? Without (I assume) the school's permission? Stand by for a visit from the attendance officer.

how many

I'm a bit confused by your post. How do you know she is so able and being held back? Why would a school hold someone back?

Yr2 sats are so irrelevant I wouldn't worry. My dc3 is in yr2 and no mention was made of the sats tests next year. Why would they mention it - it's nothing to be stressed about.

If you're doing such a great job why not Home Ed? Letting her miss school is setting such a bad example imo.

I too am by your approach, earlycomputers. Speechless in fact.

Pinkjello - many thanks for your reply - yes that would make sense then - 6 months seems a very short time to me but perhaps is actually a long time to a 6 year old as they develop quite a lot in that time.

QueenGig - learn to read properly and u will then realise that I dont want to cram or hot house. And if a child is capable and willing to learn new stuff then this should surely be encouraged?Why is that a crime fgs? why dont you just lurk silently or better still do sth else better with your time?