Confused about one of the gradings for ds sats YR 2 results

[giveitago]

Just got them - looked up on line to see what they mean and I'm really confused. It says that you get banded 2a 2b 2c (always with a letter) and then a 3 (no letter) or a 4 (letter).

Well he got a 2 in science. No letter after it. Is this right - and does this mean he is really struggling in science?

Don't worry. Speaking and Listening and Science can only get reported as straight numerical levels without the a, b or c. Level 2 is the expected level for year 2.

Thanks maybe. So does that mean that a 2 is lower than a 2c?

If so, odd as he got a 3 (with no letter against it), two 2a, one 2b and then a 2.

If it a bad result I really wish the the school had told me earlier.

No, 2c, b & a is the sub-divisions within level 2 to fine tune it.

It is not a bad result. It is the expected level.

It's just graded 2 and without the letter.
Level 2 on its own is just that - somewhere within level 2. It is not below a 2c. It could be anywhere between 2c to 2a in theory.

Level 2 is the expected level for Y2.

No, just that the 2 isn't subdivided. It isn't lower than a 2c, it will cover every child who is levelled from the bottom of 2c to the top of 2a - a wide band.

In the same way that the '3' covers everything from the bottom of 3c to the top of 3a...although some data tracking systems immediately assume that it's a 3b, which causes problems with progress in Year 3 if the child is really a 3c. But I digress!

Many thanks - it's sort of put my mind at rest. But just still don't get whey they put subdivisions for everything else and not for science.

Oh well, the mysteries of our education system.

Agree, but then levels are probably going soon with the new curriculum.

The teacher only needs to report the whole level for science and if it is a level 3. However they have probably sent up the sub level to the Year 3 teacher. Most level 3's that I send up are a 3C.