Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Flip

Original poster

Can anyone explain the KS levels so I can get a better idea of where my DS is at?

19 replies

RockyAddict · 26/10/2011 12:27

In a nutshell... DS is in Y4. At the end of Y2 SATs he was graded as a W for numeracy. Which I know is not even at level 1. He is now at the beginning of Y4 and on the front of his Maths book the teacher has written 2.3 then crossed it out and put 2.0.

I'm seeing this as good, in the way that he's at least a level 2 now, 18 months after his KS1 SATS. What is he aiming for by the end of KS2 (a long way off I know). Is it a 4 that they are aiming for? help!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

KatAndKit · 26/10/2011 12:33

4 is the average level for the end of KS2, since your son was not at level 2 at the end of KS1, this would be a hugely optimistic target.
Children are expected to make two levels of progress in each key stage. I would be astounded if he has done this in 18 months! One level would be good progress in that time. Are you sure the level 2 wasn't his target? I would think that he is unlikely to get above a level 3 really but it depends on the reason why his score was so low in Yr2, kids make progress at different rates after all.
Does he have any special needs? If he is at W at the end of KS1 he should be getting extra help with numeracy.

Original poster

RockyAddict · 26/10/2011 12:41

I think it's optimistic too. Hence my question as I wanted some clarity about where he is aiming for by the end of KS2.

He is on School Action, he has had extra help in school and outside of school with his maths. However, he seems to have less intervention at school now because he has made such progress to level 2. At home we still push and encourage him but he no longer has a tutor (he was getting fed up with it and the money was an issue for us too).

OP posts:

KatAndKit · 26/10/2011 12:55

Well, if he is genuinely level two now it seems the intervention in and out of school has done a good job as he is not that far below average now. Obviously you need to talk to his teacher about what level 2 actually means so you can see if you think he actually can do those things yet.
Given that he has had problems in numeracy to such an extent in KS1, I think that you should be realistically looking at a level 3 by the end of KS2, but if his teachers say he is capable of exceeding that then obviously look at what else you can do at home.

IndigoBell · 26/10/2011 13:00

Start of Y4 a child should be a 2a or 3c (depends on the school....)

So if we assume by '2.0' they mean a 2c that means at the moment he is only 1 year behind - so fantastic progress in 1 year.

In 1 year he's gone from being 3 years behind to being 1 year behind :)

(A W being the expected level at the start of Reception, and a 2c being expected level for start of Y3)

You are aiming for a L4 at end of Y6. So he only needs to make 2 levels of progress in 3 years - which (in theory) is totally do-able.

merrymonsters · 26/10/2011 16:38

I'd ask the teacher. She knows best what the 2.0 means.

The teachers at our school don't write the children's NC levels on the front of their workbooks, so it may well mean something else.

KatAndKit · 26/10/2011 16:55

2.0 will mean 2c. They use the decimal thing because it works better on progress tracking computer spreadsheets than using numbers and letters. 2.3 is a 2b and 2.6 is a 2a I think. The computer can then do fancy traffic light spreadsheets to show who is making good progress and who is stalling.

But definitely ask the teacher. I suspect it might well be his target for the end of year 4 so he knows what he is working towards.

lovingthecoast · 26/10/2011 17:00

I agree with the computer thingy. IME, computers don't like 2C but are ok with 2.0. It could be his starting point or it could be what she and he are working towards getting to by the end of the year. I'm sure if you ask, she will tell you.

mrz · 26/10/2011 17:09

I would definitely ask the teacher what it means.
I've never seen NC levels written as 2.0 or 2.3 but that doesn't mean it isn't the system in other LAs/

teacherwith2kids · 26/10/2011 17:22

I'm with merrymonsters, in that the 2.0 and 2.3 are not 'standard' ways for a teacher to indicate levels so may in fact refer to something else.

Check with the teacher before drawing any conclusions.

lovingthecoast · 26/10/2011 18:51

I have never seen it written that way by teachers either nor have I ever used it myself but I have seen it used to enter level data onto a spreadsheet. But it could be referring to something completely different so as suggested, I would speak to the teacher.

bruffin · 26/10/2011 18:58

At dcs secondary levels are always written with decimal places.

Santac · 26/10/2011 19:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

teacherwith2kids · 26/10/2011 19:19

Or that 2.0 is the TARGET level for this year rather than the ACTUAL level that he is at at the moment?

Original poster

RockyAddict · 27/10/2011 14:47

Thanks for your input guys. I have double checked his reports and IEPs etc and he was definitely a W or ungraded for KS1 SATS and he acheived a 2.0 at the end of Y3 with a result of 2.7 for his 'exam' at the end of Y3. There is a comment in his report that he's made outstanding progress in maths. I think he just didn't get maths in the infants and now like santac says, it clicked and he's flown.

But I really just wanted to see what he was aiming for by the end of KS2.

I shall speak to his teacher just to clarify the 'jargon' about the ratings, but I reckon it is a version of 2a 2b etc.
If he achieves a 3b for KS2 I think I shall be content!

OP posts:

mrz · 27/10/2011 14:50

The expected level at the end of Y6 is level 4 sounds as if he is doing well but I still haven't a clue what 2.7 actually means sorry

bruffin · 27/10/2011 15:50

Mrz
2.7 means 2A.

mrz · 27/10/2011 16:14

Thanks bruffin I've never come across it written that way.

bruffin · 27/10/2011 16:33

Now DCs are at secondary all their reports and homework is often marked like that ie DD got a level 7.17 for her history report the other day . Which is a low level 7.
That is in KS3 obviously once they go up to KS4 it is A,B,C etc to coincide with gcse marking.

mrz · 27/10/2011 16:55

I've not seen it in either primary or secondary to be honest only A B & C

Flip