KS2 teachers: criteria for sitting a level 6 paper?

[Iamnotminterested]

Given that there will be such little time between the standard 3-5 SATs and the optional level 6's for marking, would a child be chosen to sit a level 6 paper based on their continual TA though the year?

And would that child have to be continually at a 5a level on TA or does a teacher have the choice to play a wild-card and enter a child slightly below that level?

My DS sat a mock L6 paper a few weeks ago.

He did well in the maths paper, so they'll probably put him in for that (if he agrees).

He didn't do well enough in the reading paper, so he won't be doing that. (Despite being on the G&T register for reading :) )

The teacher can put in any child they want for the L6 paper. It's a one off exam. If they pass it on the day, they get the mark (providing they also get a L5 in the 3-5 paper) - regardless of what their TA level is.

Hi Indigo, well done to your DS . So, if a teacher has decided to put someone in for the L6, without obviously having the marks from the L3-5 papers first, they would have to get a L5 to qualify to get the L6 pass? Does the L5 score have to be 5a? Sorry if I'm sounding a bit thick here! Could a child in theory get a 5c on the reading but fluke passing the L6 paper too?

You don't get a sublevel in SATs. you just get a 5. So yes, your child could (in theory) scrape a L5 in the 3-5 paper, and then get a L6.

However the L6 paper is really hard. I looked at the mock paper, which is online - and it was a lot harder than I was expecting it to be.

DS only reads adult novels, including all the classics. He doesn't read trash. And he reads about 3 books a week. And he was nowhere near getting a L6.

I suspect it'll be a lot easier to get a L6 in maths than in reading, and virtually impossible to get it in writing.

Right. Thankyou. There is no L6 in writing though, is there?

Indigo - could you signpost me to the level 6 mock reading paper. Have written lots on DD and the maths, but now reading is being talked about.

Thanks

My ds only reads children's books- he is 10!- has only read a couple of classics (unless you count Sherlock Holmes!) and is a comfortable 5a for reading and has been for some time. You don't have to foreswear trash to score well in SATS.

The L6 paper is here

But absolutely don't show it to your DC, because it is the only one school have, and they will do it with them. So if your DC has seen it before it will ruin it.

Thanks for that!

Have no intention of showing it to DD, just want an idea of what's involved myself. whole story has been around school wanting to enter DD for L6 papers but offering no help or support (apparently all time is being put into getting L4s). Therefore, I'm having to do some of the work, or, as is the realistic alternative, refusing to allow DD to be entered.

DD2 did a trial maths test paper and is now practicing for L6. Several good mathematicians in her cohort, so it's worth running a practice session.

No idea if any of them are going to try English. That's normally her thing and she'd have got level 5 last year I'm sure.

However, she doesn't read grown up novels, could but won't, so it sounds like 6 reading would be a big jump.

Indigo your brilliant, and no I won't do it with DD2

Very useful to see a higher level paper, because DD1s English grades are all over the place.

kS2l5.- why are those your choices? Why not just let her have a go and see what happens?

And why in earth should 10 years olds be reading adult books? Unless they want to, obviously - but even then.........

The main focus for most schools is getting all the kids to level 4 so it is really great your DC is going to do it. Both my DS and DD did level 6 but only because I asked if it was possible, the teacher was not overly happy about it but they both got level 6. We did not look at the mock paper beforehand, mainly because I wanted them to achieve a level 6 without studying for it, the same way they did the rest of the SATs papers without studying, I just wanted to see if they could do it. My DD now 14 still says it was the hardest test she has ever do e in her life lol

I don't think it's that hard to get a 6 in reading, 3 out of 12 in dd's yr 6 class did last summer, including dd and she is not remotely gifted in literacy/reading (her writing is pretty mediocre, she ended up with a 3 in the writing sats paper, just to show she is really no budding literary genuis).

She reads lots, a book a day, but not anything other than normal 11 year old stuff, though quite a few children's classics in that. Never any adult classics.

seeker - those are my choices because of woeful standards in teaching at the school which mean that a reasonable portion of the KS2 curriculum has not been covered so I can't just assume that L6 will be an extention of what DD already knows. Looking at the paper, I may agree to DD having a go as she has always been a prolific reader and the questions don't seem too out of her comfort zone. The maths was always more of an issue as I was told by class teacher that topics such as ratio, proportion, etc. and others, would not be covered as they are too busy getting the less able up to L4 (last year only 35% of students at this school achieved L4 in English and Maths.

That's exactly what it was like at our school, year 6 was spent going over everything that had already been taught so everyone would get level 4 and look good on the league tables. They even had study classes after school. When I suggested to the head they should have extra study for the top percentage of the class then they could practice for the level 6 paper she said "what for?"
I didn't say another word, just left.

Back to the OP's question, in our primary they put quite a few children in for the level 6 papers, around now they seem to be doing practice papers (I have another dd in yr6 this year) and the ones who do reasonably well on the level 5 papers then try out level 6. But I don't know how other schools do it.

What I meant by "just let her have a go" was that if she doesn't get level 6 it won't be a disadvantage to her, so why not just no do any prepqration and give it a punt?

Why do people want their 10!year olds getting level 6 anyway? Is there any waynit will advantage them?

Well, the secondaries won't like it . They will still presumably still have to make 3 levels of progress at high school.

Yes, it will ruin the secondaries value add.

The kids won't be able to make 3 levels of progress, because levels only go up to L7 or L8 (depending on subject).

However some people don't like their children stagnating in Y6. So you win some you lose some.

I'm quite happy for DS to do whatever school recommends. If school want him to sit L6 I see no reason to refuse.

It isn't that we want our kids to get L6, it's that they have ability that is not being met in primary schools and this may help convince schools to provide for the more able. Afterall, every child should be entitled to receive an appropriate standard of education according to their ability - we're not asking for anything more than this!

Read this thread with interest as my DC did SATS in 2008 when this L6 paper not available. Had it been available have no doubt that DC would have been entered as achieved level 5's across the board and in Reading and writing papers near enough got full marks.
We wish this had not happened because on entry to secondary school raw scores were used to put children in sets,then they receive an end of year target which for DC for Maths was not achievable as highest grade achievable was 6a (which was achieved) But target given was 7c this leads child to feel never going to hit target as it is not physically possible even with 100% marks . Would much prefer DC to have got level 4's in KS2 SATS but primary does not want that as it makes them look good in the league tables if kids are regularly achieving L5's and now with this new paper potentially L6's

Why was 7c not achievable?

And you're not stagnating just because you're not doing tests!

Because the Maths papers set for each key assessment in Y7 only went up to level 6a so even with 100% highest could achieve was level6a (bear in mind this was 2008 dont know if now things are different in Y7 as they dont do KS3 SATS in Y9 any more