Problem with Year 6 Level 6 writing test - help

[BizzyLizzy70]

DD devastated with not getting Level 6 in English. Her teacher took me aside and said that she personally had marked her internal assessments and she should have a 6. She got a high 5 (?) in the external reading paper. Somehow the Head decided she should get two 5's. Her teacher said we should ask for the Head for the raw scores. I've searched in vain on the net to make sense of this on the internet. Her teacher is very professional but knows much more than the Head about Year 6 assessment and must feel strongly that the Head has over-ridden her on this to have discussed it with me. I need to know what I'm talking about, as I believe there is a formula for the internal writing assessment. Any one out there to help????

I wouldn't have minded had DD1 scored a L6, obviously or a whole bunch of them, even. But on balance I'm quite chirpy that she hasn't had someone binding with briars her joys and desires, and generally squeezing the pleasure out of learning for her.

It's not the schools, it's the bloody parents!

And seriously, look, they have ONE WEEK left at their current school. In her next one, she may be known as 'the writer'. Or as something else. She may find herself the life and soul of the party, or discover an unexpected talent for something new (I am sort of hoping this will happen with DD1's maths once she has specialist teaching, personally ). The whole shakeup of secondary means you get to redefine yourself. And have a bunch of new English teachers, too.

motherinferior - please excuse the blatant hijack! Are you providing specialist teaching for your dd1's maths or is her high school? If you don't mind me asking.
I have a dd who has made no progress in maths at middle school and is about to start high school at a very low level.

The reason level 6 tests were stopped in previous years is they are much harder, not just a step up from level 5, it is a shame good 5's are not seen as reason to celebrate

For reference - Dd1 is on the G&T register. Her target for last year (Yr 8) was 6A and this year 7B. She attends a comprehensive school. I had to ask her this btw. No idea what her targets are. I'm looking for her to make progress and be happy and healthy. Everything else is window dressing.
Level 5 represents achievement above the expected level. Why are some children being coached to achieve a level above that? It's absurd and, as this thread shows, it's damaging.

amen to that missmapp

And once all the pushy parents start thinking that level 6 is what year 6s should get (because some obviously do) what then?

Well, seeker, her y7 teacher put her on the "gifted" list. She has won various story writing and poetry competitions etc, but maybe she is weaker in areas such as argumentative writing and so on, which is why she is at level 6 and not higher. I don't know. She obtained level 7 for a number of other subjects, which I have not been told she is "gifted" in.

As far as the budget for the exams goes, mrz, that is what my colleague told me. Maybe that was just the school fobbing her off. It's quite possible. But I would rather the school's budget be used for things other than testing for level 6, if that was the choice, certainly.

The government have announced they are scrapping levels altogether so I wonder what people will stress over next.

Thornrose - I meant in terms of dedicated qualified maths teaching, not extra maths. But if she needs it yes, we may well think about a bit of extra assistance at home (probably paid for, not by us). Her maths isn't that bad, but it could be better.

Of course the g & t list is meaningless (for many reasons) but mostly because it just means the top 5 or 10% in that school. So obviously in a less academic school a level 6 at year 8 might be g & t - it certainly wouldn't at our grammar school where maybe half are level 7 at year 8 with a lot of those on target for level 8 (I know it doesn't officially exist in English but teachers award it anyway) at end year 9.

But the difference in maturity between an 11 and a 13/14 year old is so great that I truly don't believe there are many 11 year olds who are a genuine level 6 (in English) across the country. I think it should be available only in Maths.

Writing is overrated anyway. Only leads to English degrees and journalism. Far better to concentrate on real subjects like brain surgery and international law.

Look at it this way. 10% of each primary school year 6s could be called g&t should the school so wish. (Top) 25% (theoretically) of each primary school year 6s go up to grammar. So now 40% of the year 7s think they're g&t at the grammar school. But they have to redraw the 10% boundary, so suddenly 30% of the intake (or their parents) think they're no longer any good at nglish when it's really just a relative status not an absolute one. (And some kids at the secondary modern or comp find they're suddenly g&t because their cleverer peers are no longer there in competition with them). Madness.

Agreed, motherinferior. First class English degree from top 20 Uni and....I've never earned any decent money:-(

I always thought "gifted" was different to "does well in exams". I didn't realise people assumed a certain NC level meant "gifted". Many great writers, John Irving is an example, are dyslexic. So they may not have done so well in English at school, but may still be able to make a more than adequate living being writer.

I agree with NorthernLurker - making progress against targets is the most important thing, along with health and happiness.

I only mentioned my DD's levels because I wanted to point out irrelevant they really are.

Sorry, not irrelevant. Obviously it's important for children to reach a certain standard of literacy and numeracy, and to be obtaining levels commensurate with their abilities.

But why would you "cram" to sit a level 6 exam in y6. What does this add to your DC's education?

So, will level 6 be the new level 5?

Discuss.

It will among a certain type of parent. It has already!

Agreed.

What has become apparent to me is the lack of consistency across schools WRT the level 6 papers this year; Either ALL schools offer them or NONE do, not a postcode lottery or "Stick so and so in, they might scrape it"; unfair on those kids who are a solid/high level 5 who have had the bar raised.

" unfair on those kids who are a solid/high level 5 who have had the bar raised."

I think it's bonkers- but not unfair. Why on earth is it unfair?

SATs are not GCSEs why does it matter if some schools offer level 6 and others don't?

my DD did L6 writing- she didn't get it and was a tiny tiny bit disappointed but not much.They did no extra revision classes or special work for it though

Writing is overrated anyway. Only leads to English degrees and journalism.

That was meant ironically, right?! I can't think of many jobs where good writing skills aren't extremely useful. Good writing is essential or at least highly enhances success for most high achieving jobs. I will supply an obvious list upon request.

Agree with Handmaidtail. Hans C Anderson, Agatha Christie, F Scott Fitzgerald, G Flaubert and AA Gill would not have got a Level 5 or 6.