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Original poster

How many sub-levels progress a HALF academic year in yr1?

37 replies

dragonmother · 15/07/2011 16:35

One of ds' levels (year 1) has not changed since parents' evening at early March half term.

How many sub-levels of progress should the average child make and if they haven't moved sub-level at all is that worrying?

Background - I don't think the school teaches him at his level (in fact the guided reading group he is in does books a band below the one he is on and he finds the one he is on VERY easy anyway)
Also they could possibly be massaging the figures too! I.e. someone has gone oh we can't have a year 1 child up at 2a or 3c we'd better keep him at 2b to show progress!

Any thoughts from teachers or others welcome.

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basingstoke · 15/07/2011 16:37

I think you have chosen your posting name well...

bumpybecky · 15/07/2011 16:38

they are supposed to go up two sub levels per year, on average anyway

so for half a year, one sub level would be average

but if they've not moved I wouldn't be worried. It might well be that they were a very low level 2c before and are now a very high 2c, so progress made but not showing when you just look at levels

apart from that though, dd3 is in year 1 and I've not got the first idea what level she's working at. I know she's making progress and is happy at school and that's fine with us. Knowing the precise level your child is it is daft in year 1 (or most other years IMHO)

Original poster
dragonmother · 15/07/2011 16:38

Oh bugger off Basingstoke. Is it unreasonable to expect a child to make some progress in half an academic year?

OP posts:
iggly2 · 15/07/2011 16:39

Think it depends on the school! My son's school have not held with the gradesWink but I do think teachers do worry about people criticizing lack of progress, so there maybe an element of underscoring going on to help next years teacher.

Original poster
dragonmother · 15/07/2011 16:40

Thanks Bumpy - that's a much more sensible answer and a good point about being a low level 2c or whatever and moving to a high 2c.

It's really because it underlies my concern that he wasn't challenged at all (e.g. homework never differentiated, books without a single new word in). I'm no Tiger Mother and his happiness is more important but a bit of progress would be nice.

OP posts:
activate · 15/07/2011 16:42

you are obsessed madame

drop it, drop it like it's hot

"how many sub-levels in half academic year in yr1" - seriously have you listened to yourself

madness

bumpybecky · 15/07/2011 16:42

I think it is unreasonable to expect to make progress in every curriculum area in half a term in year 1

If you're going to insist on looking at levels, has the level gone up in at least one subject?

iggly2 · 15/07/2011 16:43

How long does the homework take? If it is really too easy and you have not noticed any progress I think you are right to be concerned.

activate · 15/07/2011 16:43

differentiated homework?

Shock

you play with that mudpile and I'll play with that one and when you go to bed we can read your differentiated storybook

activate · 15/07/2011 16:46

learning and grading is not linear

it is leaps and plateaus and sometimes backwards sliding

there is no should have, could have, there is a national basic grade expectation at end of Y2 - 2B, Y6 - 4B, Y9 - 5A-6B which something like 80% of kids acheive

Original poster
dragonmother · 15/07/2011 16:47

Bumpybeck, yes it would be unreasonable to expect that in half a TERM. This is half a year.

OP posts:
bumpybecky · 15/07/2011 16:48

I see your differentiated homework Hmm and raise you with a homework Hmm

we've not had homework in year 1 (just reading and an optional maths game once a week) let alone differentiated homework

[asking very gently] dragonmother is this your first child?

Original poster
dragonmother · 15/07/2011 16:49

Iggly about two minutes usually.

Believe me he gets PLENTY of time to play and is probably one of the least hothoused kids I know. I want him to learn and progress at school (as well as being happy there and having lots of fun).

OP posts:
iggly2 · 15/07/2011 16:50

I think what OP is worried about is that they are not teaching to her son's level and have not been doing so for a lot of the year. Reading is frequently differentiated so why not other work. Also homework is one of the few things parents see through out the year.

bumpybecky · 15/07/2011 16:50

sorry, I meant half a year. You can't expect progress in all subjects all the time.

I think they often get to a certain point in one subject and sit there for a bit while something else gets better in another subject. So as long as there has been some progress somewhere (and that might be in something like listening skills, or handwriting rather than something that can be tested and graded) it's all ok :)

iggly2 · 15/07/2011 16:51

2 minutes is ridiculousShock

Original poster
dragonmother · 15/07/2011 16:52

Yes exactly Iggly and I don't personally think that's pushy parent type territory.

But bumpybeck I accept your point and can see what you mean. He has made good progress in one of the areas at least.

OP posts:
basingstoke · 15/07/2011 16:52

Blimey yes. Tiger mother! So that may have been ruder than I intended, sorry.

Anyway, you can't judge on sub levels alone. In my subject we assess using APP and there are the giving away of foci and strands which together overall give you the level and sub level. The teacher should be able to show you exactly what your DS can do now that he couldn't' do in march if you ask to see his profile.

Original poster
dragonmother · 15/07/2011 16:53

Of the 10 spellings they got a week, only about one a week was ever a word he couldn't already spell. Frankly I'd rather not bother getting homework at all as it was pointless.

OP posts:
iggly2 · 15/07/2011 16:53

bumpybeck good point about certain areas improving at cost to others (due to child's interest).

karma22 · 15/07/2011 16:54

How do you know the homework is not differentiated?

bumpybecky · 15/07/2011 16:55

I can see why you might be worried that the homework is too easy if it only takes 2 minutes. However, I'm also very happy that we don't have any homework at all in year 1 :)

Have you had a chance to look at the work he's doing in class? it might be that the homework is much easier and is being done as a positive thing to get them into the habit of doing homework for the sake of it rather than to teach anything specific IYSWIM

Original poster
dragonmother · 15/07/2011 16:59

Could be that - this is why this thread is very useful to give me perspective.
I have seen work at open day and it was fine but there wasn't much evidence of extension work.

He had a worksheet of maths once and he did it as quickly as I would have - maybe a minute to do the whole thing.

In a way I guess none of this matters as we'll have a new teacher next year and hopefully they will be better at teaching to his level in the areas he needs it.

OP posts:
iggly2 · 15/07/2011 17:00

Be honest what level do you feel he is at (do you know what the guidelines are for levels?). I think children often underperform at school compared to what they do at home due to distractions but there shoudn't be a huge discrepency. How many in a class?

karma22 · 15/07/2011 17:02

What level is he? Highly unlikely that a year 1 child would be a 3C. They just haven't had enough years experience to write at the maturity of a 3C writer.