Progress in Y1 from Feb to July - what should I expect please teachers?

[Shattereddreams]

I know it's not linear!

But at parent eve in Feb they told me DD was 2b reading and 1a maths and writing.

I should expect an improvement shouldn't I ? No matter how slight? That's half a year and I think she has come on a bit since then.

Or is it more likely that these will be static at this point?

Thanks

I've been reading some assessments for Y1 children here: www.schools.norfolk.gov.uk/view/NCC102543

and some of the concepts are extremely simple: stories have a beginning a middle and an end. There is a danger that as with Reception where it was assumed that all children couldn't read (in our school) it might be assumed that all children don't even know the most basic techniques in story construction. And, in Reception the fact that this child or that child could already read was blithely ignored. It may well be the case that in Y1, the fact that this child or that child is fairly adept in narrative and textual analysis (at a junior level) is as equally blithely ignored.

DD has been having lessons involving a story mountain (121 with TA or teacher).

From what I gather it involves introducing a character, describing a character, describing the setting, setting the scene, talking about a "problem" that arises, resolution of the problem, "and they all lived happily ever after"

I doubt that a recently acquired Y1 teacher, who didn't know the children, would talk to any of them about introducing characters or the attributes of particular characters without first covering how a story is put together. Once upon a time is a phrase common to most children by this stage, as is the end. It follows that anything in between must be somewhere in the middle. But being aware of these things and understanding their significance isn't the same thing.

Very young children can be very aware of characters (not necessarily in traditional tales, as the assessment shows, for reasons I put forward elsewhere about how lacking some of those stories were.) But in tales credited to Aesop directly, even very young children can show a marked interest in characterisation. (An interest not shown in ORT traditional tales, even tales about the same story.)

But this is why young children (ie reception) do lots of work on passports. For example drawing themselves and describing themselves etc...

DD's homework this week was a picture of an octopus and to write a "passport" description of said octopus. To get them used to describing characters etc. I know they do this in the reception class I volunteer with too.

DD has been taught for ages about beginning, middle and ending of stories (not 121 but with the rest of her class).

My daughter is already aware of several characters and their attributes: Toad of Toad Hall, The Big Bad Wolf, Matilda, The Fantastic Mr Fox and so on. She could doubtless talk for ages about each one and his attributes. But being able to do that and having any idea of the importance of the character in the story, where he appears and what happens because of his appearance are different skills.

Yes but ones they will need to demonstrate although not necessarily in yr1.

ooh must remember to ask my daughter if they have done passports! sounds fun.

I've never heard of passports. But then again, getting info out of my daughter is like getting blood out of a stone.

Shattereddreams - I think as your DD is achieving such high levels may mean the progress is smaller but she could be just a 2a or almost a 3c and that is a massive amount of progress IYSWIM. There is a big difference from l2 to 3 IMO.

Simpson - just to let you know that my DS finished YR the same but was only a 3c by the end of Y1, not sure this year but possibly a 3b. He got 100% in his L3 sats.

I think the linear progress at this level is unlikely but i will never really know if the school do everything they can.

Is it always a case of doing what they can or is it a case of trying something different if what they're doing isn't working? I saw a posting today about a Y5 child who can't read. Someone pointed out that the child obviously can't remember whole words. The teachers might well believe (and I think they did believe that they had tried everything and were doing everything that they could. But I think other people in the forum disagreed.)

It doesn't always (perhaps not often either) happen that the teacher is detailed with the parent about what she is doing with the child. If the parent doesn't know what the teacher is doing then the parent can't help. We had a case with my daughter where she was being "taught" expression but the text wasn't suitable for that. As soon as my daughter had a suitable text the expression followed.

Someone might think she's doing everything she can and not be.

Justneed - was that in reading?

It's good to hear this as all I have been told (on here) is that she will be expected to make 2 full levels in KS1 which quite frankly is impossible otherwise she will be aiming for a 4A in yr2 (never going to happen and I would not want her at a school that would push for that target iyswim).

Yes the 100% SATs was reading, he is L3 in the other subjects too, writing is much higher than numeracy, the was a L3 writer at end of Y1 too but only just. He is probably not quite a 3b in that as the criteria is hard IMO.

I think it is so unlikely for a child to be a L4 in Y2 but apparently not impossible. I think it is down to maturity and I don't think a child could possibly achieve this level for that reason. They said think he could score a L4 on an optional SATs paper but said their teacher assessment would never match (whether that is because he is good at the SATS type tests or because they do not have the resources I don't know and actually don't care)

My expectation was not 2 whole levels and neither was the schools, they said he would be a high level 3 for reading and secure for the others, never a mention of L4. It is only on here where I have heard it - my understanding was that is the expected progress but I believe that is based more on expected levels rather than when levels are particularly high (or low of course)

DS (yr3) is finding the L3 stuff hard for writing and his level (3C) has not moved at all this year...

DD's numeracy is pretty bog standard but her writing is good (but I don't know her level, although its not as good as her reading).

I know she gets lots of differentiation in literacy (but I don't know the details just that she gets it).

www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearning/curriculum/nationalcurriculum2014/a00225864/assessing-without-levels

Interesting link mrz. Given that ks1 and ks2 tests are staying i bet many schools retain levels - it says you need some sort of tracking to remain. What would be nice is keeping it internal, sharing it with parents has not necessarily helped, causing anxiety and competitiveness for many. It will mean our end of year reports have to be changed again next year for the 4th consecutive year!