Level 6 Reading and Numeracy

[RnB]

I was wondering if anyone knows the percentage of children who achieved Level 6 in BOTH reading and numeracy last year? I can't seem to find the stats... Thanks

Sorry should read not got it - is she got level 5 instead.

I don't mean to boast either but ds, with no coaching and only a few 'maths club' sessions in school time has got L6 maths, L6 SPAG, one mark off L6 reading (so obv L5) and L5 writing.

Two of his classmates got L6 reading.

This is an ordinary village primary with, as far as I know, no parents paying for extra tuition.

Sadly we don't have 11+ in this area so all the class (bar 2) will be going to the very good local comp.

Wish I had the funds for private for him but hopefully he will thrive at the local school.

I said brightest and hot housed DCs. They are not necessarily the same children, DD2 refused to do the 11plus and I can't afford private, but she got L5 in her sleep.

All pupils who get to Y6 already at L5 (for whatever reason) need a suitable curriculum, the question is, is simply teaching them stuff designed for older, more mature children the answer.

In English it certainly seems, from the replies here, it isn't and there is also a thread in 'senior education' suggesting simply racing through maths levels without a depth of understanding causes problems too.

I'm sure Nobelgiraffe won't mind me posting her link from ACME

maths thread

Apologies for the three posts, my phone has a gribble habit of reloading pages and losing what you have typed, if you go to another page.

I think everyone is raising some really good points.

I fear our area (Birmingham - where grammar schools are state funded - so free to pupils) is one of those mad 11+ areas and schools heavily rely on that - a significant proportion of pupils doing more work at home/ with tutors - so in effect 'job done'.

I think the shift of emphasis to progress measures (?over the last two years) is a very good thing and is causing schools to re-evaluate their provision at NC L5/ L6.

I'd like to stress that in general my feeling is bringing NC L4 pupils (those entering KS 2 Upper or Y5 pupils - to a high NC L4 or into NC L5 should be what a normal school is capable of.

Sadly I fear that it has really only been in this last year that I've witnessed the school up the curriculum standards (? response to new curriculum).

Someone posted that their child is at a school in an area without 11+ and with good comprehensives. Apparently this school just continues to teach as normal through Y6. I hope it is just me that reads that and is thinking ... 'Oh I wish that was our school'.

Too many schools are hot housing for SATs and OFSTED could easily control that by simply putting a question on PARENT VIEW asking Y6 parents if they feel the school was devoting too much time to preparation for KS2 SATs (National Curriculum Testing) in Year 6.

I know my answer is yes - as I've posted elsewhere Year 6 (single form school) was split in half and upper ability half was taught by substitutes whilst lower ability had the class teacher. This went on from November - May testing. They're now a united class - but it's 'silly season' with lots of fun outings/ projects to do - I don't totally mind - it's a happy time for DD1 and her friends - but it's been a really weird school year entirely skewed toward KS2 SATs.

I find this fascinating. I was always told that one good way of dealing with higher achieving children, particularly in maths, is broadening, rather than accelerating. So, rather than pushing them further and further up the levels, you give them, for example, open ended investigations using the maths they are familiar with. Not word problems with a particular answer, but an open investigation.

I remember having a very able mathematician in one of my classes, so I introduced a 'challenge box' filled with a range of investigations. He really, really struggled to think outside the box. He was a level 3a/4c at the end of Y2, and yes, he could have progressed up the levels at the speed of light, but for him it was far more effective for me to teach him methods for investigations, etc. Luckily his parents agreed - much to his horror! He hated being pushed out of his comfort zone, but wasn't ever 'bored'.

Galena:

First off I suggested extension/ differentiated activities for more able pupils (on the guidance of a teaching friends) and was told teacher's don't have the time to prepare such materials individually each year and I needed to respect their work/ life balance. When I suggested NRICH maths exercises as a reasonable extension activity/ high quality/ and all prepared (including answers) - I was told that the school didn't support this type of thing.

I fear Galena you can lead a horse to water, you just can't make them drink.

tiggytape - latter half isn't me - but could be - I was told I needed to work on Author's use of language by teachers in Y6 at Oct parent/ teacher meeting but they were not able to explain what that meant.

I think offering differentiated work/ extensions - having resources pre-prepared and shared freely between staff so that as a team your working to be as efficient as you can for the benefit of your pupils is the hallmark of a good school.

Sadly - and I have asked and prompted governors to ask - St. Mediocre is not functioning on such a level.

Certainly resources are prized possessions and not shared between colleagues. Perhaps this is the effect of being a single form school? Maybe at larger schools where possibly children might be taught in different groups by different teachers for core subjects like English/ Maths/ Science - maybe there you can't be so precious about your teaching materials.

We tend to get the following retorts to serious probing about differentiation/ extension for higher ability pupils:

1. At St. Mediocre our belief is children learn best through whole class teaching.

2. Children learn more by helping other children or explaining how to do something to them - and we feel it is best that they engage in these activities to enhance their learning

3. Multiplication/ Division/ Volume of 3D shapes are really senior school level. Our aim is to teach to x10 times tables (we are not required to teach x11/x12 for your year) and we at St. Mediocre are really focusing on the children's love of math to ensure a lifelong love a learning.

There's an answer for everything.

If you don't want to teach it - you won't. And that seems to be the case at dear old St. Mediocre - but joyfully