End of year targets not challenging?

[singinggirl]

My DS's (years 4 and 6) school has just (for the first time) sent home mid-year 'report cards' briefly stating their NC level targets in reading, writing and maths for the end of the year, plus a line saying that they have already met this target/ are on course to reach this target/ are not on course and you should make an appointment with their teacher.

DS2's card is all 'on course', with targets all two sub-levels above those he had achieved in last summers' report. DS1's though is bit of a mess; it says he has already achieved this years' target of 5b in maths, so is now aiming for a 5a, is on course for a 5a in reading and a 5c in writing. I know this sounds good BUT last summers report already gave him 5b in maths and reading, so it looks as if they are not really planning on pushing him at all this year in these areas, particularly the maths! I don't see how a level he was already working at last year can in any way be a target for this year.

My instinct is to go in and kick up a fuss, but this has never been my way. I am concerned that he just be coasting this year which will not be good for him next, when he is going to get the shock of his life being amongst lots of other equally bright children (he had passed 11+ with flying colours). But another part of me says these are still really good grades for his age. WWYD?

It could just be that the school is one of those that believes there is a cut off at 5A and that, because SATs papers don't measure above that, then no-one ever gets to level 6!
Which is obviously complete baloney!

I would ask if there is any chance he could sit the level 6 paper as he got a 5b last year, as it will be possible this year. Level 6 is rare but not uncommon at ks2, I had 6 children out of 75 get it one year. It does need different teaching and a lot of it is the child being able to use and apply their knowledge to a much high level as well as having a firm understanding of geometry and algebra. Hths. By the way if you do it in an interested way rather than in a telling the teacher how to do their job (which I doubt you will do) the teacher maybe more receptive, although remember it is building up to quite a stressful time for year 6 teachers.

Referring to previous post, out of interest, how many pupils do the teachers on here expect to achieve L6 this year? Did any of you use last years optional paper in maths, and if so, how did your students do? I ask because DD has just sat this paper and done surprisingly well.

Thanks

At the parent's evening we told our Year 6 teacher that DC was finding the work too easy. She said that her job was to bring the whole class up to the national average as opposed to teaching beyond that.

He left school on level 5 but only because we taught him the extra material. At least your school seemed to have put some effort into getting your DC to Level 5.

I'd see the teacher.

If he was just into 5b territory at the end of y5 and a secure 5a at the end of y6 then that would be excellent progress.

My son is in y6 and a level 5 and I have found that they school are focusing on getting the children who are nearly level 4 and nearly level 5 up to that level.

Thanks for the responses, tried to see the teacher today but she was off sick, hopefully I can catch her later in the week.

It is probably the top 5% who can achieve level 6, but it really depends on the children they have to be gifted in maths really to achieve it. Level 6 has been tested by tasks in recent years and teacher assessed so not as much focus has been placed on it. Unfortunately due to league tables and Ofsted the key focus in a lot of schools has been on progress. Might I add also the key thing with more able mathematicians is not necessarily pushing them up but helping them to diversify their understanding, use, apply it and then to be able to explain (which they often struggle with as they just know). Hths!

Saw the teacher today, she apparently didn't know the levels he was given in his report last year. In fairness, she said that her assessment folder was at home, she would look at it and get back to me tomorrow. She did however agree that he should be aiming for Level 6 in both maths and reading based on grades last summer of 5b, so it looks as though he slipped under the radar and they have been letting him coast. I hope to find out more tomorrow.

nmason - thank you! Totally agree about the diversifying rather than pushing them on - no point in being bored at secondary school!

Hopefully they wouldn't be bored at secondary school as they should be being challenged at all times in their education. What I was trying to say is sometimes we think we're doing the right thing by teaching them the next level when actually they haven't had the chance to fully assimilate what they have learnt. After all maths is only useful if it can be applied to new situations. I've seen many a child who got 2a/3 at ks1 because they knew the process, loose confidence and crash in maths because they can't apply it.

Finally got an answer - they had overlooked him, and given him the wrong targets! Very cross about this, since as well as the SATs levels last summer he achieved the top standardized scores of 140 in all his 11+ papers - one of two in the school to do so. So not as if they didn't have any reminders.

After half term they will be doing some level six work with selected children, and he will be in those groups for both Maths and Reading. I'm very glad I went in and asked, since he should be given the same chance as others of hie standard. I'm also rather sad - the school has been fantastic for the last six and a half years and I'm sorry that this teacher has let him down in his last year. I will now keep an eye out if DS2 is in her class.