So my DS in YR3 has had a reading test - but what was it? Can you help

[feelingood]

My DS, who has just started year 3, came home from school and gave me some muddled information about doing a reading test.

He said he had to read a story about a city/planet (?) and then when he missed a word out he was asked to stop - also something about a tricky word. He said there was a number underneath the word he stopped at.

Can anyone tell me what this test is from that description. I am curious as he was also sent home with a reading book. This is because in year 2 they indicated he would soon be a 'free reader' (not reading scheme books anymore).

Hi feelingood:

Just a fellow Mum here but hopefully your description will ring a bell with a teacher who can tell you more about this test from your description.

However, I thought I would say that it is quite common at the start of term (especially the start of the new year) for the new teacher to test children (usuing old SATs papers, etc....) to determine for themselves what level they are working at. This seems to be about quickly establishing where every child is at (remember some continue to read, practice maths, etc... over the summer and others do very little) and, in our school at least, to work out membership of reading, writing and maths groups.

I think this kind of thing went on in KS1 - but what is different is that by Y3 your child is articulate enough to be aware they are being tested and to remember some of the content of the test. I certainly have noticed in KS2 that testing is frequent - however our school is rather in the 'dog house' due to a run of 'poor SATs performances' at KS2 - so they're opting to do a lot more testing than previously as part of better tracking of pupil progress.

I wouldn't worry too much if your DC suddenly appears with a reading scheme book (i.e. Biff & Chip ORT series). It could be the teacher is starting the children off slowly or it may be that they're using that particular book for the entire class. Our school used a wide variety of books, including scheme books right into Y4 and I actually found it useful to check what the notional reading level of the book was according to the scheme. For us, with DD1 reading below her chronological age and DD2 reading above it - it has been very useful to gauge where they were at (which isn't a conversation our school (for whatever reason) are comfortable to have with us parents).

HTH

I imagine it was a baseline assessment to get a level for where your ds is now and to get him a home reading book. Sounds like he was doing a running record where child reads and teacher notes different things about words missed/misread etc hence numbers under words.

It sounds like a reading age test. Its the first week back, the teacher is trying to get to know their class with many tools. You sound worried but I cant see any reason to be.

Your child will be put onto free readers when they are ready. Let the teachers do their job and stop worrying about the minutae of your child's school day.

You could try asking the teacher? This isn't classified information.

Thank you for the respones so far and hope someone can tell me which if the reading tests used in schools it may be. Otherwise I will ask on Monday morning.

wellthen not stopping teachers from doing their job. I don't consider any aspect of my child's progress 'minutae' actually especially when it seems to conflict with information given at the end of year 2/KS1. I will then adjust my understanding of my child's reading ability and better support my DS thanks.

Hi feelingood:

Although I do not commend WellThen for his/her tone - s/he is correct in that what is happening is the new teacher is doing their job - which includes demonstrating progress over the year they teach your child.

This is my theory (and this has caused a storm previously - so I stress many do not agree with this).

It is only a theory - but it seems to be something teachers (on the MN staffroom www.mumsnet.com/Talk/the_staffroom & parents here on MN primary talk are also recognising...

Not sure whether your DS (now Y3) has moved from a different infants school or is in the same primary (combined infants & junior) - but there does appear to be some gaming of NC Levels/ APP points/ progress measures (whatever your area uses).

In schools around here, staff management of efficiency is related to raising all pupils at least 2 NC sub-levels (or equivalent APP points) - so low a behold moving children back slightly does rather make one's job that bit easier.

Does it affect your child. No not really. They may even improve 3 sub-levels but what that does is demonstrate what a fantastic job the teacher is doing - and I suspect when performance related pay comes in this kind of rolling back of achievement against the previous year will become the norm.

As a parent we're piggy in the middle - each year it will be in the teacher's interest to show a certain standard (usually 2 NC sub-levels around here) of progress - and the next year the new teacher can turn the clock back. I've had drops of sub-levels - or with a child who had nearly achieved all ticks against targets on APP style sheet at end of previous year, I was told outright by teacher that the school policy was to start that level again if not completed - so each skill had to be observed by teacher or TA 3 times - again 'loss of learning' over summer was cited as the reason for the school-wide policy.

My view is you can't blame people for ensuring that they meet their work preformance targets - but you need to be hawk-eyed that the notional elements of the national curriculum for that year are covered & mastered by your child.

My reality checks are:

Campaign for Real education has curriculum statements written in plain English for primary school here: www.cre.org.uk/primary_contents.html - this is gold standard but does clarify what is possible to achieve in ideal circumstances. It is likely that your school won't quite be working to this - but it is good to understand what 'gold standard' looks like, rather than take school's endless statements of 'working to the highest possible standards' at face value (we've come to joke about 'possible' in this statement and one school-gate pal adds 'for us' after it).

The draft national curriculum documents (which will be finalised for 2014/ 2015 school year) give a good signal about what should be covered (and therefore mastered) when. Info here: www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearning/curriculum/nationalcurriculum2014/nationalcurriculum/a00210036/sosletter - just select area of curriculum you are interested in within light blue box on right of webpage - and then search for the year in KS1 or KS2.

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However the wrinkle in all this is that NC Level assessments are going to be abolished and schools can devise their own means of assessing progress - info here: www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearning/curriculum/nationalcurriculum2014/a00225864/assessing-without-levels.

As a parent - what I think would help is to have something which on the ground seems consistent and reflects reality. I don't think it helps to shelter parents from the news that their DC is struggling. And to be honest, having been their in technicolour with DD1 - it harms the child (as early intervention/ support can make a huge difference with struggles in early reading/ maths).

HTH

The new teacher is doing their job which includes identifying what your child knows and where they may need support- I don't recognise the particular reading test you describe but there hundreds of such tests out there. We use a different test each term to track children and unfortunately contrary to what PSBD says the results don't demonstrate what a fantastic job I'm doing only that what I'm doing is enabling the child to progress in their learning. Assessment is an important tool, teachers assess continually (all day and every day) or we can't do our job.
IMHO the whole free reader concept is a con ...8 year olds still have a lot to learn no matter how good a reader they are they aren't the end product.

The Campaign for Real Education present one view of what the curriculum should contain it is no better or no worse than all the other curriculum models presented by various sources, just different, so it's misleading to call it the gold standard.

mrz

I have always repeatedly carefully described campaign for real education materials as 'gold standard' stuff - but not THE gold standard.

As you suggest (although noting you don't give links) there are likely to be other documents about what the primary curriculum should cover or contain. I can only cite what I've stumbled across over the years which works for me and seems reasonable.

My examples were to provide the original OP with materials against which to ascertain if her DC is being taught what should be covered at this age/ is where he should be. And on that level - I don't think it unfair/ unrealistic or 'misleading' to suggest she look it over (but be aware that her school may not be working to all of it). It is one means of a 'reality check' of what could be covered at a given age for which a parent can cross-check against what they are aware/ know their child is being taught/ was taught at their school.

For DH and I, this comparison was an interesting exercise and 'the final straw' - after which we rather gave up on our school's assertions that they were 'working to the highest possible standards' or 'bringing out the best in our children'.

try core knowledge as it seems to be current flavour of the month www.coreknowledge.org.uk/resourcey1p.php but of course we know that could change

www.coreknowledge.org.uk/sequencetable.php

It's unlikely the OPs school will be working to CRE as by law schools must follow the National Curriculum.

I am an ex teacher of secondary school so I am quite familiar with assessment cycles, baselines, value added, progress checks the whole grinding around and around of it all. I just wanted to know if anyone recognised that particular reading test from the limited description I managed to get out of him.

But I haven't a clue about primary assessment tools. The results from his KS1 assessments as reported are quite good with his reading at level 3 - I have since read the level descriptors for this last night and will just try to guide him by consolidating those. He has always enjoyed ORT TBH but when he has been reading a thick detailed game guide for most of the summer whilst travelling/holiday its seems a bit lame for him to be given a stage ten ORT reading book.

I understand the staff are doing their entry baseline assessments. I will ask what it is they have done tomorrow.

Its interesting to see how some of the discussion about NC levels and school designing their own assessments. Off to read more on the links in bit. As a side issue I am currently doing a child development module as part of a psychology degree and it is very enlightening from a parental POV

Thanks mrs and past

ORT stage 10/11 is NC level 3

Thank you mrs so the book he has been given, possibly in direct response to the test, is in line with the assessment from the end of year/KS.

I will be taking more care and attention to his literacy as a whole as it is not as strong as his science and maths. Though his reading seems good.