Grades

[greatmumof2]

Don't know much about UK educational system and grades. DS got 4b / 4a reading snd writing. 4a for maths. Where does that put DS in relation to expected standard for a 10yr old and will secondary school be looking at yr5 report for selection to yr7.

It means hes slightly above average and should finish Yr 6 on level 5s. I seem to remember that the way they report these levels is changing (ds no longer in state system so not kept up to date with it) The 'national average' at the end of Year 6 is around 4b.
No, senior achools don't select according to levels, they may use the levels obtained at the end of yr 6 to decide what groups a child is in at year 7 but thats all.

The national 'expectation' is 4b at the end of y6. It's not the average. That's a different calculation.

So your child is already exceeding that level. Great stuff. Secondary may use y6 Sats data for determining sets and target grades for end KS3.

Hi greatmumof2

Mumsnet has pages about assessment in Learning & Resources section (just click education on menu bar and look toward bottom of 2nd column).

Here is the link to their info on notional expected progress through primary school: www.mumsnet.com/learning/assessment/progress-through-national-curriculum-levels - basically 4A is what Mumsnet feels a child should notionally achieve by end of Y6. (but the governement are content with 4B - a rise from 4C === I'm just a parent but there seems a big difference between a child just working into 4C and a strong 4A).

NC L4b is now the government's desired attainment level (schools from this year will be reporting achievement to NC L4+ and then 4b+ - as the government are now in agreement that scraping NC L4c may not mean a child is secure enough in skills to be 'secondary ready'.

Quote: Achievement of a “good” level 4
22. On 5 March 2013, the Schools Minister, David Laws announced an increase in primary school floor standards for 2014. At the same time, he said that we would publish a new indicator in the 2013 performance tables showing the proportion of pupils at the end of KS2 achieving a “good” level 4. This will be until the current system of levels is discontinued in 2016.

23. The 2013 tables will therefore show the proportion of pupils achieving a level 4B or above in each of reading and maths and a combined measure showing the proportion achieving level 4B+ in reading and maths along with a level 4+ in writing.

source: www.education.gov.uk/schools/performance/download/Statement_of_Intent_2013.pdf - page 4 bottom.

You need to find out how the entrance into secondary school works locally. For example, LB Greenwich has a system of banding where, to try to make all schools truly comprehensive, they take a certain %age of children at various different levels. I'm not sure how these levels are assessed. The neighbouring borough of Bexley has grammar schools and children can opt to sit the 11+. Another neighbouring borough, Lewisham, does neither of these, as far as I am aware.

There will be information online about your particular LEA, and how their admissions work.

I understand that some secondary schools use SATs to "set" the students. Many ignore them altogether, and do their own CATs at the start of year 7.

So, again, you need to check what is relevant locally.

Agree with what sanity clause said and definitely have the impression here (Birmingham) that KS2 SATs (where many schools have pupils heavily hot housed for months) are not totally trusted by senior schools.

DofE has these expected progress measures between KS2 achievement to KS4 (GCSE) achievement here: www.education.gov.uk/schools/performance/archive/schools_10/s11.shtml

They're pretty vague - giving some flexibility - because teenagers/ hormones being what they are I suspect.

I stumbled across this www.sprowstonhigh.org/cms/resources/SLG/SLG-Levels-Progress-Information.pdf - which gives a more detailed tracking for this particular school of what they expect - L = low (= sub-level C)/ M = Medium (= sub-level b) and H = high (= sub-level A) - NC Levels remain the same.

Please be advised that in the governments infinite wisdom they've decided to devolve attainment systems down to indvidual schools and NC LEVELS are apparently going. ([[http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130904084116/www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearning/curriculum/nationalcurriculum2014/a00225864/assessing-without-levels]])

So do be prepared to learn your child has achieved 3 unicorns and a gold star - which will relate to nothing (locally/ regionally/ nationally) and I suspect is entirely intended to leave you, as a parent, totally in the dark until a national standardized test (GCSE/ A-Levels) is administered.

Sorry that link to dropping NC Levels didn't work - try this

<a class="break-all" href="http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130904084116/www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearning/curriculum/nationalcurriculum2014/a00225864/assessing-without-levels" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130904084116/www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearning/curriculum/nationalcurriculum2014/a00225864/assessing-without-levels

Thank you for all the information. My anxiety levels are coming down.

Thank you for all the information. My anxiety levels are coming down.