Y1 NC levels

[christinarossetti]

I know, I know, I shouldn't have allowed myself to get caught up in discussions about Y1 childrens' levels but I did. Bloody idiot.

Anyway, was informed by one mum that her dd is 'top level 2/cusp of level 3 across the board' at this point of Y1 although 'they' don't usually award L3 in Y1 etc etc.

I wasn't that bothered at the time, but have been brooding on it, especially the bit about how her dd is now on target for level 6s in Y6. They don't start trying to predict where children will be at the end of primary in Y1, do they? Or maybe they do, as 'demonstrating progress' is all the rage these days?

What noisytoys said. DD is nudging a level 3 in a couple of areas (Y1, this was last term's assessment) and I wouldn't dream of even telling anyone else - unless they asked, and why on earth would they? Other mother sounds like someone best avoided.

Oh- and most children I understand are not on the cusp of level 3 at the end of year 1 and mine certainly was not yet considered bright.
Sometimes people get a bit silly round reading levels eg not unusual to be a precocious reader but generally everything evens out in time and not a big deal.

I love how the OP was asking for reassurance and half the posts are, 'well my child is already a 2a in reception but I'd never be so vulgar as to mention this to anyone'.

Quite farewelltoarms.

Most children are level 1 something at end of year 1 I think and 2b expected level at end of year 2.

Well, surely that is the exact point? It doesn't matter what level anyone else's child is on and how much or little progress they have made. What matters is that the adults involved behave reasonably sensibly about it and don't go round bragging about a result that, while good, will have little bearing on how well or badly they are doing in a few years' time. Maybe other mother's kid is a genius in waiting, in which case good luck to her. But her mum will do neither herself nor her child any favours by showing off about it. People mentioning their children's levels here is not quite the same, IMO.

I only mentioned DD as she is high in one level only (although I don't know her writing level but it won't be anywhere near her reading) so therefore making the point that is is very unusual to be level 3 in everything in yr1.

Also IMO there is a big difference between the top of level 2 (2A) and cusp of level 3 (3C)...

Level 3 in Y1 is not unheard of but IMO there is quite a jump from 2a to a solid 3c so she is not likely to be a level 4 or anything at the end of Y2.

If a child was a level 3 in Y1 then they would say they were a L3, levels aren't awarded, they are assessed based on where the children are comfortably working at. DS1 was a L3 reader and writer at the end of Y1 and we were given his levels. It would be odd to say a child was a 2a if they were in fact a 3c.

I can't imagine that the school would have said they would be on track for a L6 at Y6 but maybe suggested that if she carried on at that level of progression that is what she'd achieve.

Agree to be a L3 in everything at the end of Y1 would be unusual, IME often children haven't covered enough to be 3c in numeracy at that stage.

farewell the responses were to the OP/posters who suggested it wasn't possible. It isn't unheard of but at the same time is not that common.

Equally they usually haven't usually written in enough genres to be a good level 3 before ks2. All our grade descriptors begin 'across a range of texts they can...'
In ten years teaching at a v high achieving primary no children have been sent to ks2 as l4 writers and only one or two at 3b. It's hard to do it totally independently. And most that come as l3 are a scraped 3c which we then have to convert to a 5c. We do that in 70% of cases through 4 yrs hard work. This is judged as failing. The whole system makes me so cross, that mother thinks it's great to be so far ahead without thinking about the pressure to come...

Thanks all - now have a bit of perspective on it all.

It wasn't so much the 'levels' that bothered me, as the 'oh poor you, my children go to a much better school' line that I always get from this particular mum. I'm sure not I agree with her (Ofsted do though!), but we are where we are.

I was horrified that Y6 levels might be 'predicted' already, mainly that this might sell short some later bloomers, but I hope that they're not set in stone.

Babies - I really feel for DS's teacher (yr3) as I think this is happening to him re writing. He finished yr2 as a 3C and is finding it hard to get to a 3B so I think his teacher is feeling the pressure (hence chatting to me about him at least once a week at pick up time, as on paper it looks like he has made no progress)

But I know he has and is the youngest in the year (which has never been a problem for him apart from his reception year, but I just wonder if he is not yet mature enough as he works v hard at school).

Hi Christina if you feel that the school your dd is good it probably is. If your dd is happy and thriving give your arrogant friend the finger [in your head maybe!].
I don't think things are usually set in stone. As you say, you get late bloomers, plateaus where not a lot happens etc. I pity that mother's child as if she is like this in year 1 heaven help that child in years to come.....

If it helps at all, I sent DD to a school that is considered to be worse than the others in the local area because my gut feeling was that it was a better school than Ofsted reflected and would suit her. It doesn't seem to have done her any harm, quite the reverse. And since I sent her there, Ofsted have visited and raised its rating. The reports can be quite out of date and don't necessarily reflect what the school is really like now. People still tell me it's not a good school but it is and more importantly it's been good for my child.

Simpson - our yr 3 teachers have had similar chats with parents all year... There is a maturity needed to climb the 3s and 4s, as a parent it wouldn't worry me but as a school we have to either show progress or show that we've done all we can. I have to write half termly progress reports for those who fall behind (based on the numerical data) saying what interventions have been done and parental contact is one of them. Have one kid on there that we've done everything for, extra tuition, extra teacher time, numerousvparental meetings to no avail because he doesn't have the maturity and honestly he doesn't care enough.
You sound like you aren't overly stressed which is good, you say he's a hard worker so he'll get there when he's ready.

Thanks babies

I just really feel for his teacher as I know she must be under pressure and to be fair I think she is the best teacher he has ever had. She is really pushing his numeracy now (but in a fun way that he enjoys) because she has gone slower for most of the year to consolidate everything and feels he is capable...

Haberdashery - my DC school is also considered one of the worst in the area and has a satisfactory ofsted rating. But apart from DS having a bad reception year (he is now in yr3) I could not be happier with them

OP - the other mother could be telling you a crock of shit for all you know, in a sad bid to 'out-do' your Dd and your choice of school.

Weird. I have come across other parents who apparantly have this all-seeing knowledge about every other school in the area and are quick to feign almost pity when I have said which school my DCs go to in the past. The boot seems to be on the other foot at the moment, though, as the flag-ship village school isn't full for September and the DCs school has had 2 applications for every R place.

Difficult I know but just ignore, ignore, ignore.