Do all schools mark their reception reports in the same way? - feeling a bit deflated!

[averywoomummy]

I got DDs reception report today and feel a little bit deflated. She got all expected except one which was emergent. I wouldn't expect her to get exceeding in everything but one or two would have been lovely especially in communication and understanding which I think have always been really strong points with her (and in fact her teachers said at open evening that she was working at a year 1 level in these).

I'm a bit more bemused because a friend with a DD at a different school says her child got every category as exceeds. I know the DD well and would have said that her and my DD are fairly equal development wise so was wondering how much consistency there is across the schools in terms of deciding on grades?

My head says I am being silly and that I should be pleased that she is where she should be...but my heart wishes there had been just one exceeds!

Can someone tell me what the old expectations were for numbers in the EYFS please? Also what will they be learning in year 1, maths wise. I am planning on doing some work with my son this summer but will try to keep it low key. I don't want to put him off.

Mrz - I must be dim, I don't think I even understand that

A score of 78 was considered to be working securely within the ELGs

www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/167414/sfr23-2012.pdf.pdf

It's all very confusing.
Because we're in Wales the system is slightly different, and I don't really know what ds got in the other areas. Only that he had exceeding in all the literacy/communication ones, and in numeracy. I would be surprised if the others were marked as exceeding but I don't think it's really done like that here.
I agree it's important bright children are catered for even at such a tender age- well, it's important all children are catered for, whatever their level. The benchmark should be every child's individual targets, regardless of where they should be according to 'levels'.
It's true that it might not matter when they're older, but equally it might - this is the start of their education and surely it will only help if they are enthused and kept engaged early on, and this means some kind of assessment is absolutely necessary. It shouldn't be in the form of a 'test' though of course. I don't think schools should make pupils aware they are being tested (eg the yr 1 phonics test). So much pressure for young kids.
I like the welsh system actually - learning through play until 7.

It means that 2 or 200 children achieving the same score on the profile were unlikely to be at the same level of achievement and a score of 6 is/was meaningless and that it depends on which 6 scale points

So basically on the old system (which my DD's school have been using all year) a child on a 6 would have done points 1-3 and any other 3?

I guess that's a bit like NC levels in that you could have 2 kids on a 1A in say numeracy but they won't have mastered the same things necessarily...

exactly

I was wondering the exact same thing. My reception DD had 'exceeding' for reading and writing and I do not think her reading and writing are anywhere close to Year 2 level!

Yes, it feels 'nice' to read exceeding or expected on their reports (being totally honest), it really doesn't matter very much. Learned the hard way not to fret about reports/grades/levels.

Ooops! Meant to quote:

Simpson - I definitely think there are inconsistencies in the way EYFS is being graded then as my DD was graded 'exceeding' for writing but she would have no idea how to write a report and I doubt she would even be that aware what poetry is - let alone write some :-/ She is near the top of her class ability wise and is summer born so one of the youngest, I wouldn't say she's miles above average though.. It all seems a bit of a farce to me to be honest- SockPinchingMonster

Tbh this is the thing that is annoying me.

That different schools seem to be assessing so differently.

My DC school assess one way and the next school along (distance wise) assess in a different way....no wonder it leads to confusion amongst parents when teachers/schools are confused too

Ialso agree levels differ between schools. DD reception got exceeding in all literacy and numeracy and is nowhere near working at the level of my dd in year 2!!! She is reading ort level 4 in reception which is pretty average I think, certainly not in the gifted category though I'm chuffed shes progressing.

She also doesn't write with capitals, full stops etc yet got exceeding for this too! Take it all with pinch of salt and I certainly would never compare to kids in other schools... Dd year 2 school admit they hardly award level 3 s as it puts unnecessary pressure on for future years so they are certainly "working it" across the board. Funny how in our school very few get level 3s at year 2 yet the percentage of level 5&6 at y6 is one of the highest in the country!

You've got the competitive mum bug,it's clouding your judgement
You know your daughter as a parent,yes
And teacher knows her educationally as a pupil,and is best placed to tell you how it is

Jamtoast - I wonder if our DC are at the same school their KS1 scores are not the best (they seem to have a real problem with yr1 teachers) but KS2 is strong...

Scottishmummy - whilst I do agree with you I also disagree, DD's next target on her report for numeracy is to be able to tell the time which she has been doing for over 6 months...but I suspect they have not checked. Not that it matters in the grand scheme of things.

Most mums on mn big their weans up,that's to be expected
And yes that inevitabily incurs bit frisson about teachers

I cannot moan about DD's teacher she has been truly fab (DD has had her for 2 years nursery and reception).

My bug bear is how the kids are assessed and that the school were using the old system to assess reception until last week when suddenly they switch to the new one (which has nothing to do with her class teacher - am sure orders came from above ).

How on earth do people know what grade the other 89 children in a year group achieved?

And - unless you're concerned that your child is having difficulties - why on earth would you care about it enough to post it on an internet forum?

How on earth are teachers supposed to translate a whole year of assessment information into a different format in the space of a week?

I would be seriously concerned about the leadership at a school which did that tbh. Did they only just realise that the Early Years framework changed in Sept '12?

Sorry, I appreciate that that's two 'how on earths?' in a row (and suspect that there's no more sense on other planets), but the MN obsession with reading levels and how other children are doing is reaching Champion League proportions at the moment.

Christina - this is my concern...

The only reason I know about the other results was I asked the teacher (although said I did not expect her to be able to tell me) how many kids got exceeding in the year group and was told the answer.

I care because the next school down the road seem to be assessing in a different way so makes me

Actually it is not DD's reading levels I am concerned with but how they assessed her writing...

Starts for some in baby group,oooh so advanced and progresses into primary brilliance
Primary1 is first year in.it's not a definitive statement of ability
It's also not a competition,irrespective of how someone else wean is doing

I don't really give a stuff how other kids are doing.

I just want to know how my DD is assessed as her school report does not reflect the assessments.

Then it's difficult to understand why you needed to ask about the reading results and then put that information on an internet forum.

Why did you ask teacher how other kids are doing?if comparison is of no interest

Sorry, that makes no sense. You don't give a stuff how other kids are doing but you asked the teacher anyway?