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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Sats panic - can anyone level this writing please.

30 replies

sourface · 09/04/2014 15:59

My daughter was really flying along last year ( year 1) This year we have been kept more in the dark as to how she is doing. In October we were told she was 2b / low 2a's across the board ( which I know is pretty good and should be happy) We had a parents evening before Easter and wasn't really told much more. It was quite negative and we came away feeling not much progress had happened since October ( same targets etc ) We were hoping she would be a level 3 at the end of year 2 but now not convinced. This is a piece of writing she had in her room ( loves writing stories) It is not finished and I know it is only a small sample:

Bethan, Frannie and Joe were tydiying up the house when they hered a knock on the door. They rushed downstairs to see who it was at the front dorr. They found a strange looking boy. He had green eyes, fair hair and fair skin. Bethan was going to say "who are you ?" But luckily Joe put his hand over her mouth and said " you mustn't say that that's rude". When Bills Mum had gone she turned round and said " this is Bill !" You must play with him nicely and you must behave as his only Frannies age. In there head was there secret about the wardrobe, oh yes, the magic wardrobe, now I will tell you about it later.

Punctuation and spelling are as written. She has neat joined up handwriting.

We live in a very competitive area and level 3's could make a big difference later on in deciding which senior school she will attend ( It probably seems crazy if you don't live in this kind of place) I am anticipating a few negative comments but really hope someone in the know may level it the best they can and maybe give some pointer as to what you would expect from a level 3 writer.

Thanks in advance.

OP posts:

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redskyatnight · 09/04/2014 16:04

Has she been reading the Magic Faraway Tree?

Original poster

sourface · 09/04/2014 16:09

Oh blimey - she has lol. I did think it had a familiar tone about it !

OP posts:

WipsGlitter · 09/04/2014 16:11

I'm not familiar with the Uk school system - how old is your DD?

Original poster

sourface · 09/04/2014 16:12

She is six and in year 2 ( summer baby)

OP posts:

Kittymalinky · 09/04/2014 16:21

I've been out of year 2 for a couple of years now so can't be sure without level descriptor in front of me but my gut would say top 2a moving towards 3c.

Quality of vocab is good as is punctuation, mostly used correctly. Generally follows logical order but starts to loose it a bit at the end.

mummy1973 · 09/04/2014 17:47

My D's did his a few weeks ago. I guess it depends whether she works the same in school?

rollonthesummer · 09/04/2014 18:04

Difficult to level just one piece but I'd say a 2a. I'd expect to see a range of varied and interesting vocabary for a level 3.

rollonthesummer · 09/04/2014 18:05

My D's did his a few weeks ago. I guess it depends whether she works the same in school?

I'm confused by this comment?

Feenie · 09/04/2014 18:10

KS1 assessment is thorough teacher assessment across all areas - so it depends very much on the level of her other written work as to what level her final assessment will be.

WipsGlitter · 09/04/2014 18:18

rollon I think they mean that her work in school may be different from things she writes at home.

Original poster

sourface · 09/04/2014 18:42

I didn't really have chance to see much of her work at parents evening. I agree that from this piece of writing that I very much doubt she is a level 3. I got the impression that her teacher was implying that it was a target for the end of year 2 and she may achieve it by July, but she will be recorded for the Sats purposes as a 2A / low 3. It is a little disappointing as she was predicted a level 3b back in October but I know she tries hard and does love school and that I am pleased about.

Thanks for all your help.

OP posts:

TeenAndTween · 09/04/2014 19:23

OK, I'm going to take the bait.

How can the teacher assessment at the end of KS1 affect the senior school a child goes to? The only way I could think is if you are planning to go private.

I can imagine that the general attainment at end KS1, which will therefore be what KS2 has to build on could matter. But I would be interested to hear of any state system that penalises a late developer who doesn't click until y3.

BornFreeButinChains · 09/04/2014 19:23

I would be thrilled if my year 1, 6 year old wrote that! Sorry cannot be much more help.

TeenAndTween · 09/04/2014 19:24

Born OP's child is now in y2.

BornFreeButinChains · 09/04/2014 19:26

yes but similar age no?

redskyatnight · 09/04/2014 19:29

Yes, I thought that too TeenAndTween. And you also get the DC that do well in Y2, and don't sustain that level through junior school. I can't imagine why any secondary school would be interested in KS1 results (except potentially in conjunction with KS2 results to show progress - in which case OP's DD is better placed if she slightly underachieves in KS1 and catches up in KS2).

cosikitty · 09/04/2014 19:31

Why does it matter to her future whether she is a level 3 for the SATs or at the end of the year? Nobody will ever look at her KS1 SAT results for anything else other than monitoring her performance and progress in school.

TeenAndTween · 09/04/2014 19:38

Maybe OP lives in grammar school / super selective grammar area and has listening to a playground frenzy of 'oh now if you don't get at least a level 3 at KS1 the grammar won't even consider you' ?

Happily says the smug parent who happily lives in good comp county of Hants

Original poster

sourface · 09/04/2014 19:51

Yes it is a super selective area ( I was born here !)

As hideous as it seems - keystage 1 sats are taken into consideration as the HT has to justify a recommendation for a Grammar School place. This is in conjunction with sitting the dreaded 11 +.

It is that competitive !

We have talked about moving - but all my family are close by etc.

Thanks again

OP posts:

cosikitty · 09/04/2014 20:51

I still very much doubt the difference between a 2a or a 3 at ks1 would be the deciding factor in a grammar school place. Overall performance on the 11+ and current attainment and progress at KS2 would be considered first.

Besides, grammar isn't the be all and end all, there's always the comprehensive to fall back on, and that may be preferable anyway for lots of children.

BornFreeButinChains · 09/04/2014 21:17

If its very open in your school about all of this, I don't see why you cant approach them to ask for more detail.

LiegeAndLief · 09/04/2014 22:26

I know nothing about levels disclaimer.

But I have a ds who must be about a year older than your dd (summer born Y3) and we were told at a recent parents evening that his writing was about a 2b/2c. Don't know what they are looking for for each level but I would say his vocab is quite a bit wider (although appreciate this is only a small sample) and his spelling is better, although his punctuation esp speech marks is a bit more erratic! He also definitely does not have neat joined up writing.

mrz · 10/04/2014 07:59

The usual it's not possible to give an accurate level from one piece of writing but I'm afraid I would level that piece at 2C.

Martorana · 10/04/2014 08:05

I don't know of a grammar school area where year 2 SATs have any impact on the grammar school selection process.....sounds like playground hysteria to me. Check your facts, OP before you panic!

kilmuir · 10/04/2014 08:05

Blimey, chill Op.
I have a DD at grammar, and year 2 SATs not of any relevance.
Does an offer of a place depend on passing 11 plus and getting head teachers recommendation?

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