NC levels at this stage of Year 1?

[GoogleyEyes]

I was just wondering, and obviously can't ask anyone in real life... But I would like to get a sense of where dd is in relation to the norm, and also whether it's usual to have different scores for the maths / reading / writing.

On the basis that the expected level at the end of Y2 is 2b.

And a child is expected to make 1 level progress per year in KS1.

Which makes the "expected level" at the end of Y1 a 1b.

At this stage of Y1, "expected" would be 1c-1b.

A child who is working ahead of expectations (and likely to get Level 3 in Y2) is probably currently working on 2c-2b.

All this assumes nice linear progress etc etc.

Hi Google:

MN has this guidance on expected progress through NC Levels by end of each school year here: www.mumsnet.com/learning/assessment/progress-through-national-curriculum-levels - see tables at the bottom which explain how many sub-levels progress and end of year targets.

Absolutely normal to have different scores for Reading/ Writing/ Maths.

I tend to focus on whatever is the lowest result - so if for example reading was the problem, I try to do more one to one reading with DDs and really work on things like sounding out (if this was Year 1).

May be an idea to see what the new national curriculum programmes of study have to say in each area: www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-curriculum - these are broken down by year so you can look at what should be covered in Year 1, and fill in any gaps or identify areas of weakness where more work/ time/ practise is needed.

HTH

Red - thanks!

PSBD - thanks for the link, and I've looked at the tables, but I suppose I was really wondering what was actually normal / behind / ahead, as opposed to what the Government says. I'm cynical enough to think they might not be the same! And I agree that it would be a good idea for me to encourage her to do a bit more on the things she finds hardest.

Hi Googley:

I think you can see these expected targets as the 'norm' - and doing better than that as your DC working above expectations or doing worse than that as your DC working below expectations.

Our school were very keen to suggest NC L1 for Year 1 and NC L2 for year 2 was the typical pattern - certainly DD1 was NC L1 in Year 1 but didn't really progress in Year 2. Sadly the school was very slow to really do anything about that and not very helpful when we did approach them for help.

But basically if you're wondering 'when to worry' - My advice is the autumn parent/ teacher meeting - if your child in NC L1c or 1b - then it probably is time to try and do a bit more to support learning at home.

HTH

googleyEyes the MN link isn't actually what the government says - the DfE only give expected levels for the end of each Key Stage not the years in between (those have been made up by publishers/schools/LEAs etc based on nice linear progress which doesn't exist in real life)

Levels of achievement

The National Curriculum sets standards of achievement in each subject for pupils aged 5 to 14. For most subjects, these standards range from Levels 1 through to 8. Pupils progress through the levels as they get older and learn more:

most 7 year olds are expected to achieve Level 2
most 11 year olds are expected to achieve Level 4
most 14 year olds are expected to achieve Levels 5 or 6

Levels have been scrapped from the end of this school year.

mrz Thank you! I know you're one of the really knowledgeable and experienced posters here. I do know that levels are being scrapped (though I thought not until next year for current Y1 and Y5?), but at the moment it's the only measure I have. And I'm a little worried because dd is reading in a 'group' by herself (and has done since YR) and am trying to work if she really is way ahead of herself (in which case I should maybe do something?) or if she just happens to be in a class that has no other good (but not outstanding) readers.

The norm is that maths and reading are often ahead of writing and that in every class there will be a huge range of abilities. Unlike government expectations children don't progess in a nice even graph but in steps - of spurts and consolidation.

how do people even know their child's levels? our school never seem to mention them in anything ever. I could GUESS at what my children are working at but I would have no idea if they actually were.

nonick I always request my DCs levels at open evenings. The teacher often seems quite shocked that I've asked!

Nonicknames The school tells us each term. I thought that was normal?

I had to ask to see the EYFS results for DD1 last year as we didn't get those, from the report she had got expected in everything - turned out she had some exceeds as well but these weren't clear on the report. I will request to see them this year for my other DC too.

perhaps I should ask NC levels then but I don't want to seem annoying yet I do want to know.

When DS (now yr4) finished yr1 he was a 1A for maths, 2C for reading & literacy.

DD is currently in yr1 and her end of year targets (she is on target) are: maths 2C, reading 3C and literacy 2A.

DD is in a very high ability year group and not the only kid working at L3 in reading, she is now doing L3 literacy work but won't make L3 (c) by the end of the year.

By law schools have to report levels at the end of each KS nonicknameseemsavailable you shouldn't have had to ask.

So do you know what her scores are? I think it is quite usual for scores to be different in Maths, English and Reading. English was a bit lower for my dd. looking back, my dd made huge progress in year 1, and became a free reader and had to go and choose her books from the readers for ks2 along with two or three other children. In year 1, most of the children were reading individually. They didn't do group reading until year 2. I used to help with reading in year 1 and 2.

Are SATs being scrapped then? Well what a waste of time that has been then! Anyone know what is replacing them, for surely some other Gove 'initiative' will take its place.

Why can't you ask in real life? If I was asked how a child was doing in comparison to X child my standard answer would be to look at the national averages as I would not talk about other children in the class.

No National Curriculum tests aren't being scrapped there will a new form of testing in 2016 with new measures. There will be 7 tests in Y2 including a SPaG test.

Thanks Mrz, so same tests (probably) but with SPaG and a different grading system just to keep everyone confused.

No different tests because there will be a new curriculum with different criteria that don't match with current tests

There will be 2 maths tests -1 arithmetic 2 problem solving & reasoning
2 reading tests & 3 SPaG tests

Wow, that's quite intense for 6/7yos.

thanks Mrz - of course what schools have to do and what they DO do can be two different things but I will make very sure I ask for levels if they aren't volunteered in future.

Which year start taking the new SATS tests then?

I have one in Yr1 who if I understand it right will be on the old ones and one in R who will be on the new ones is that right?

Cric I can't ask in real life as it would be putting other parents on the spot. Here, no-one who doesn't want to will answer. And I am just curious about what the normal range is for Y1.

The current reception class will be the first to take the new tests

ah thank you - that is what I thought, so I will have one on old and one on new.