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Original poster

how easy/hard is it to receive a level 9 on EYFS?

54 replies

mrsshears · 09/07/2011 19:06

I ask because my dd who has just turned 5 has been graded as 8's in everything apart from reading,linking sounds and letters and numbers as labels and for counting where she got 9's.
I'm surprised dd hasnt been given 9's in language for com and thinking,writing,calculating and shape,space and measurement as imo she reliably does all of the things needed for a 9 in these subjects.
therefore i have been wondering in reality how easy/hard is it to get a 9?
thanks in advance

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mrz · 09/07/2011 19:26

If the teacher is assessing correctly level 9s should only be awarded to children who are consistently working beyond the levels expected of a child in reception (so within NC levels). In writing I would expect short stories, (spelling might not be correct but should be readable by anyone) in reading I would expect the child to be able to read most words in any age appropriate book, in calculating I would expect the child to be able to solve problems not straightforward "sums" ...

Cantabgal · 09/07/2011 19:27

Oh why do you care? She's five. As long as she is enjoying learning that's a great result. at this point.

Original poster
mrsshears · 09/07/2011 19:33

hhmmm,dd would fit a 9 for writing then imo mrz
here is a story she wrote recently as it appears

In a long way in the jungle there was a tiger and a cat.
But the cat was a baby cat and the tiger helpt him.
But the cats mummy died so she had a tiger mummy.

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Original poster
mrsshears · 09/07/2011 19:36

I should add i'm not intending to challenge the levels with the teacher because as you say cantabgal she is only just 5,i'm just interested tbh

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princessglitter · 09/07/2011 19:38

So if my dds report stated that she was a level 1a/2c in reading and above national exectations would this equate to a 9?

mrz · 09/07/2011 19:40

Obviously that is a single piece of work but I would expect more for a score of 9 but it is very subjective and some teachers would.

Original poster
mrsshears · 09/07/2011 19:49

I suppose "consistently" is a factor here regarding dd's writing as the quality does vary depending on various factors

OP posts:
Rosebud05 · 09/07/2011 20:18

Why would a 9 rather than an 8 make a difference to you?

She's clearly doing very well.

Original poster
mrsshears · 09/07/2011 20:26

I'm just genuinly interested,as i said i have no intention of querying her scores,i just wondered how difficult it is to be given a 9

OP posts:
GoggleEyed · 09/07/2011 20:33

Princess glitter - there is a pdf hanging around somewhere that show the book band colours and the NC levels. Will see if i can find it. If I recall correctly, it is 1c, 1b, 1a, the2c etc? Is that right? ANd I think orange was 1a?? Not sure, will try and dig it out.

mrsshears - my dc got all 9s except one 7, so will see if I canf ind some of the stories that dc has written.

GoggleEyed · 09/07/2011 20:34

www.oup.com/oxed/pdf/ORT_bookbands.pdf

Turquoise would be 1a, with orange being 1b, i think?

mrz · 09/07/2011 20:42

yes a child achieving 1a or 2c in reception is scoring 9 on the profile but obviously the school is using NC levels as she has exceeded EYFS levels

princessglitter · 09/07/2011 20:53

For two other areas it says dd has attained the EYFS goals - would this be an 8 or a 9?

mrz · 09/07/2011 20:56

It would be an 8
EYFS Early Learning Goals are points 4-8

princessglitter · 09/07/2011 21:00

Thanks :)

dragonmother · 09/07/2011 21:09

Dc didn't get an 8 last year in numeracy despite me having been told by the teacher he was working at year 2 levels. Not a single kid in the class got a 9 when there are clearly some bright ones in there. Sometimes teachers keep the levels low because then it's easier to show the kids have made progress higher up the school.

Some of you ask why it matters when they are only five but it's nice to have your child's achievements recognised rather than played down.

GoggleEyed · 09/07/2011 21:19

dragon mother - true. It is nice to have them recognised. I totally get that teachers have little time to write reports and it must be such a drain to have to do 30 of the fuckers, especially in their own time! BUT my DC report says that he can count to 20, as that is the EYFS goal. He can count to 1000. It would b enice to have those little bits and pieces added so that looking bak in years to come we can see where they were at, rather than just ticked a box that doesnt actually tell you iygwim? I have added my own notes to the report so we will know later on. I would never mention this to the teacher though! They have a hard enough job as it is and dont need fussy parents like myself on their back! Grin

tiggerandpoohtoo · 09/07/2011 21:46

We had a meeting in March at my DD's school about the EYFS. They kept stressing to us that it was very hard to get a score of 9 and they don't give that many. This is in a school with an intake of 90. I've not had DD's report yet, we get that next week.

dragonmother · 09/07/2011 22:26

Exactly - it seems odd when your child is doing year 2 maths and reading books at that level from school yet only gets an 8! It carries on too, into year 1 onwards at some schools the levels seem very conservative. Also annoying as really very bright kids get lumped in with a lot of others at the same level. It doesn't really matter that last bit but again, it'd be nice to have a dc's achievement and ability recognised properly.

mrsgboring · 09/07/2011 22:37

If I understand it correctly (mrz will correct me if I'm wrong I'm sure!) to get a 9 you have to have achieved absolutely everything in the EYFP as well as meet the criteria for a 9. So for example, my DS1 got an 8 for writing despite being able to write two page stories with plausible spelling and correctly using speech marks for his dialogue. I haven't checked with the teacher (because I'm trying not to be an insane nightmare of a neurotic parent Grin) but I'm guessing he can't have the 9 because he does sometimes write letters back to front still and his writing is quite large, floats off the line etc. so he hasn't met one of the more basic criteria, even though he's working at quite a high level overall IYSWIM.

DragonAlley · 09/07/2011 22:42

Dont fret - they won't have to put it on their CV.

piprabbit · 09/07/2011 22:42

I find it odd that people do not expect parents to be interested in their child's assessments.

If the school goes to the trouble of telling you what level your child is achieving, why shouldn't a parent want to understand more about what that level means?

MammyT · 09/07/2011 22:46

I have a child in the same age group but have no idea what you're all talking about when you say 1a/b etc. I am hoping all will be revealed when we do get a report or I will be lost! Do you all have older kids? If not, how do you know all this?

From someone who has absolutely no idea what the levels are, much less what is needed to achieve each level!

youarekidding · 09/07/2011 22:46

A 6 is an acceptable level for EYFS, its the expected level as with NC levels having an expected level.

I really wouldn't worry, my DS got 6's and 7's. Just finished year 2 and those (core) subjects he got 7's in he got level 3 and got national expectation for Literacy when he got 6's.

It is hard to level in EYFS as it is child led curriculum. Some children simply will not choose to do maths/ writing when they can do role play. They don't demonstrate the skills, doesn't mean they can't.

Friends DD got 4's and 5's for maths and has finished yr 1 with 1A. Grin She can do the maths just preferred to opt out when she could. Wink

dragonmother · 09/07/2011 22:51

yy to this 'I find it odd that people do not expect parents to be interested in their child's assessments.

If the school goes to the trouble of telling you what level your child is achieving, why shouldn't a parent want to understand more about what that level means?'

If we're not expected to be interested then don't give us the levels!