Low Aspirations

[IndigoBell]

Bloody hell I'm cross.

Why do teachers have such low aspirations?

How dare DDs teacher be happy with her attainment. Happy - as in rushed out of school to tell me how well she'd done in her latest test.

On track to almost get a C at GCSEs - and he's happy :(

I hate school. Every bit of it.

There is no expectation that children will do well - only that they'll make a set amount of progress each year.

Children are always told they're brilliant and wonderful - they're never told they're not doing well and they're actually going to have to work hard if they want to achieve something.

No expectations that a child will do well :(

The culture here sucks.

School thinks it's better to have a failing happy child - then a child who works hard :(

But because they make school so fun and engaging she refuses to let me take her out and teach her at home :(

"I wish I wasn't a school governor. I wish I didn't know the schools attitude to 'closing the gap'. I wish I still had faith in the school"

If this is what you think then perhaps you shouldn't be a governor of this school

I think that a teacher's expectations do play a big part. Last year was more or less a write off (Yr1)(I know I'm at an earlier level). The teacher decided that ds was a trouble maker who fidgeted and didn't concentrate on purpose and DS plummeted down to average maths and below average reading, and pretty awful writing. This year the teacher has worked out that he gets distracted so has worked on coping strategies. He's back doing more difficult maths and apparently is even towards the top (according to him at least) in writing - which is quite surprising given where we started out. Completely different attitude from the teacher has resulted in a much more positive attitude from ds and consequently improved results.

OP- Its not just teachers that have low aspirations. A lot of parents are 'guilty' of that as well. And as you have discovered, you'll get accused by various MNetters of being a Tiger Mom for even daring to raise the subject.

Wasn't there some research done many years ago where they split the classes randomly, but told the teachers that one class was higher ability?
Lo and behold, the "top" group made more progress.

I don't see any reason to assume this child will start year 7 with less than a level 4, if that is what she's capable of. - but this is precisely my point. She is not on track to make a L4.

If she makes the same progress in the next 2 years that she made in the last 2 years, she won't make a L4.

She left Y2 on 1s, and if I left it to school she'd leave Y6 on 3's - and they'd be pleased because she'd made expected progress.

Those of you who tell me not to worry, I'm not sure when you think I should worry? Y7? Y10?

Nor am I sure how it's going to be easier to help them catch up when they're 11 or 14, then when they're 9.

Those of you who think it doesn't matter if your child passes GCSEs or not, hold a very different world view than I do. It limits your life choices tremendously, and I won't let that happen to my children.

Indigo- I agree with you completely. I have a dd year 3 who has always been considered (since reception) above avaerage ability. Her teachers expect her to do well and she does. By contrast I have a ds in year 1 who was deemed below expected levels when he entered reception and he stayed that way throughout reception. No effort as far as I could see was being made to help him achieve the expected levels. All I ever got was he has made progress. Yes he did but he was still well behind where he needed to be. Now I know a lot had to do with the fact that he is shy and lacks confidence in his ability he is also one of the younger ones in the class. I decided that I would not allow him to be for ever labelled as a non achiever and took the bull by the horns so to speak when he entered year 1. I do phonics practice with him every day, reading and numeracy. For now I have not touched writing as such as I am confident this will come when his reading is firmly established. His teacher has been amazed by the transformation. I am of the firm belief that the school would have been happy for him to plod along as long as they are showing some progress but for me it was not enough progress which is why I have stepped in. I even considered home educating at one point because most of the progress he has made has been down to me. However, I havent yet because he has made some good friends and the social side of school has helped him start to overcome his shyness.

Just noticed OP's child is Y 4 , is that primary school? How can they talk about GCSE results when child is 8 or 9? Can you work out predicted GCSE results from levels in year 4 ? Sorry if misunderstood!

Read the thread fruitcorner and you'll get some varied thoughts.

Cassgate I could have written your post myself. I've done similar and I still find I have a child who is often under-estimated. Not everyone has the time or the resources to do what we are doing/have done.

So many times I've said our system often means the child that starts ahead tends to stay ahead but I always get shot down in flames and no one seems to believe me.

No, you're not alone in seeing attaining good GCSEs will give your DD more options.

Although some have said there are other things in life aside from 'academic ability' - and aren't completely wrong. The reality is that many more will have those GCSE and A-level grades reviewed on job applications - and I'm afraid lower grades often mean you don't pass that first hurdle (fair or not).

You hang in there and keep trying to support your DD.

High aspirations are just as, if not more important IMVHO than ability.

1.The parents need them for their DC. 2.The DC need them for themselves. 3. And the school need them for their pupils.

DD's school manages to get stupendous marks for their students becuase it demands all three of the above. The HT is adamant that this is key to their success.

OP - might it be worth making an ap with the teacher and having a frank discussion. Might also be time to have a frank discussion with your DD.

Indigobell- I don't understand some of the arguments given by others either. A child who is below expectations in Y4 will obviously probably not get As at GCSE never mind A-level and degrees at good universities. It is logical to work at it now when you have time (and before she's a stubborn teen). I'm surprised that anyone really thinks that qualifications like GCSEs (never mind A-levels or a degree) are unnecessary.

Have you ever met with the head or Head of KS2 if there's one at your school? Maybe you need next year's teacher (if they've been chosen) to be in the meeting too so that they can keep in touch with regards to progress early on in the next school year too.

Managed to catch the teacher tonight and he's agreed to change his tune and to tell her she has to do extra work at home. To tell her she's doing well but she could do better. To tell her she's doing great but if she tries hard she could get moved up a table :)

So I'm pleased.

I'm also pleased that for the first time ever I've been given an honest reading level for her. It is 4 sublevels below what he told me last term. But at least he's finally cut the crap.

( the reason it was so far below is because I wouldnt let her have a reader and extra time for her reading test. She only had extra time and did it in the corridor so she could read it out loud)

Watching

Indigobell Glad you have sorted it out as far as you can. Keep chipping away at it. "The finest gift you can give your child is the ability to read" as quoted by my DD aged 13 the other day. Yay! When I think about the early battles we had to get her reading fluently! But it isworth it in the end.
The only way is up!

You really are an inspiration, Indigo. Your children are so lucky to have you. Keep on keeping on! :)

How on earth can the school justify over inflation of reading ability by 4 sub levels. Thats fraud surely as they are doing this just to show progress to ofsted. If you are a governer (think i read you were sorry if not) then I would be taking this up with the head at next governers meeting. You can bet that if they have over inflated levels for your dd then they have probably done it for loads of others dcs.

You can't take up individual problems at a governors meeting.

I'm already giving them a very hard time about how they don't teach children to read :) In fact I had a long meeting (as a governor) with the SENCO and HT today about just that.

It wasn't exactly that the grade was a lie. They were doing everything legally they're allowed to do in a SATS exam.

The difference was between allowing a TA to read the questions to her (including multi choice questions!) and making her read her own questions.

Now you see why secondary school say that they can't trust KS2 grades.

I think they're far more scared of me, then of OFSTED

A child who is below expectations in Y4 will obviously probably not get As at GCSE

It isn't remotely obvious to me, sorry. Statistically, as a cohort, they might. But as an individual? No.

I talk as the mother of a child who struggled in Y4 (I don't remember his exact levels, but they weren't great), and is looking to (maybe) reach L5 in his Y6 SATs.

And I am not suggesting that good GCSE results are not desirable, but if worst comes to worst or a child really isn't that way inclined, there are other routes.

Indigo, was this a reading test? Children aren't 'legally' allowed a reader in a reading test. They aren't allowed any sort of reader at all in a reading test!

Wah! I meant they might not be likely to get As at GCSE.

Feenie - are they not allowed a reader to read the questions (but not the text) in a reading test?

Grrrrrrrrr.

Even the extra time and quiet space she had has probably inflated her level.

I wonder by how much?

Next you'll be telling me she's not allowed a writer in her writing test either :)

No, definitely no reader for anything in a reading test at KS1 or KS2.

She is allowed a scribe if she uses one in normal classroom practice.

Can't the teacher be allowed to tell a parent she is 'happy' with 'expected progress'?
That same teacher may very well be working very hard to push the child to make good or outstanding progress. I don't see why she would necessarily tell the parent that she was pushing the child, in case the child didn't make it.

Next you'll be telling me I've got 'normal classroom practice' wrong as well :)

I thought normal classroom practice was to do everything as discussions in groups, and then have the most able writer write up the results for the whole group......

Otherwise, how would you keep occupied differentiate for teach all those kids who can't write? :)