Y5 school report: CAN this be my child?

[Erebus]

Either there's been some mistake or their standards need some serious 'looking at'!

DS2 is struggling a bit. He's your usual thoroughly pleasant chap, as simple and honest as the day is long, but not about the shift the world's axes academically. He's 10 years 2 months.He was independently assessed 4 weeks ago as having a reading age of just over 8, and a comprehension age of 8 1/2. I am confident these figures are correct. Yet the school gives him a B for both, 'attaining at level'.

No he isn't. He's below what I think any one of us would expect for a Y5 10year old. He can just about manage Jack Stalwart books. He could no more spell the days of the week or months of the year than fly to the moon. He reliably gets that and what, there and where wrong (yes, there are some mild dyslexic tendencies but i can't afford the £400 needed to 'convince' the school so we do what we can).

So do I want a more realistic appraisal of DS's ability or a more realistic measure of 'average?!

Is he at a private school..I don't know of any state schools that grade A, B , C etc. What do they mean by attaining at level. What level? The NC levels I presume. What tests gave him those age levels? Soory i can't be of much help but you need to get hold of more specific information I think.

B for below?

Do they mean attaining at his target level as opposed to age appropriate level?? I am clutching at straws, surely they didnt give you the wrong report!!

Do they mean that he is progressing at his current level. Think of a chart and the line is steadily moving up? He might be below where most 10 year olds are, but is he progressing frm previous years

You probably need to ask the school to explain their markings

'B' is attaining at NC level (ie in line for a 4 at the end of KS2). A is above, C, below. State school.

All I can assume is that NC levels are pretty 'non-demanding' if that's considered 'at level'!

Before anyone comes here berating me for not assuming my DC are G&T, my issue is that it's all too easy for a school to claim a DC is 'doing OK' ('attaining at expected NC level') so they don't have to actually address the reality which is that DS isn't doing particularly well, as evidenced primarily by my own observations, and by the independent assessment he had!

I don't know if all primaries grade reports in the same way, but this year DS2 (primary) report was all about age appropriate levels, so how he did compared to his peers, and DS1s (secondary) report gave me no clues at all about what level he 'should' be at, and was entirely related to 'his' levels, so the progress expected of him in relation to his achievement in KS2 sats and what that 'should' see him achieve at KS3.

Maybe your DS's school does that, so his progress is on target for him compared to his previous achievement levels?

I think NC levels are pretty 'non-demanding'.

80% of kids will get a 4 or above at Y6 - so if your child is in the top 80% he is on track.

So yes he can be both below average and on track :)