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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

Do you where in class your child sits?

67 replies

HuwEdwards · 26/09/2006 10:06

and no, I don't mean 'by Billy' or 'next to the window', but I've tried to word the subject for 5 mins and failed.

What I mean is do you have an notion of whether they are 'near the bottom', 'average' or in the top set? (Obviously as I can't even put a thread title together, I am class dunce )

Was just reading a couple of other posts, and some parents appear to have a view of their child's progress in comparison with the rest of the class.

My DD is Yr 1 and have absolutely no idea - the parent evening in reception gave me no clues - other than she doesn't appear to have any particular problems.

If you do know - how did you find out?

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LunarSea · 26/09/2006 14:59

No idea - but then ds only started reception 2 weeks ago. However as the oldest in his year, and already able to read a bit, write his name, etc, and having seen his transfer profile, which was marked "working above early years goals" (or somehting like that) on each area they're scored on, then I'd guess he's not going to be struggling. Am happy with that at this stage. I'm far more concerned that he's happy and enjoying the experience at the moment, than I am worried about what level he's at.

Gobbledigook · 26/09/2006 15:02

I know where he is for reading because I go in and read every week.

I have an idea where he is for numeracy because I know there is a group of them that stays behind from assembly for extra 'lesson' and he isn't in it. Plus, at the last reception parents evening I asked outright - not necessarily in relation to the class, but is he is average, better than average or below average in terms of where you would expect a child of his age to be, and she gave me an answer.

Gobbledigook · 26/09/2006 15:02

He's in yr 1 btw

Gobbledigook · 26/09/2006 15:03

Oh and the report at the end of reception was written under teh headings for hte 6 foundation stage areas. The sentences used were identical to those in the booklet that you can read online so I knew what 'score' he had for each area (0-9).

Gobbledigook · 26/09/2006 15:04

Ds1's class has coloured groups but from being in the classroom helping, they are not grouped by ability. So, the group thing might not always be relevant.

LIZS · 26/09/2006 15:10

Don't think dd's yr1 class is ability grouped yet.

Bink · 26/09/2006 15:25

True, some grouping isn't ability-related - but that "whose work is trickiest?" question is useful sleuthing - ie if you get a blank look then presumably they're mixing the abilities. So in that case you could go the other route of asking what other children are doing - I agree completely that children are pretty aware of comparisons - and I think it's OK (at this age) to ask how/what others in the class are doing as - in my experience - in yr1/2 they're mostly quite cheerily factual and uncompetitive about who's doing what.

I'd be careful of asking older children though, as the issue gets more loaded.

singersgirl · 26/09/2006 17:19

I am still trying the sleuthing with DS1 (now in Y4). Actually higher up the school, at parents' evenings, they tend to give reading ages and standardised scores for thing like maths, and they will say stuff like "that's well above average", or "I'd say he's about average in the upper maths group" or something.

I was pretty clear about DS2 last year (Reception) but have yet to find out how they are sorted in Y1. I do know they did a NFER Progress in Maths test last week because I went to help with reading and the booklets were out on one of the tables. I gently probed DS2 and all I got was, "Mrs B sometimes plays a money game where you have to say how many coins you need for 80p", which wasn't very helpful.

frogs · 26/09/2006 17:46

Teachers at our school have always been happy to give us an indication of where the child is relative to the rest of the class. It wasn't an issue for dd1 who was always in the top groups, but I've found it quite helpful to know for ds who struggles a bit more and is one of the youngest in his class. And reassuring too, when he comes home complaining about being useless at his schoolwork, to know that he's in one of the higher groups so he must be exaggerating somewhat about everyone else being better than him.

But once you get to know the kids better you can generally work out which group is which just by hearing who sits with whom. Though you do sometimes get rogue elements as it were, since they sometimes split children up for behavioural reasons.

Blu · 26/09/2006 17:53

Batters: are they on ability tables from yr 1?

DS is on table one, with: a very diligent and hard working child who can read and write; the class creative genius who is a bit...expressive; a child who is verbally very bright but has problems sitting still, and DS who is much younger than them, doing 'ok' but not way ahead in terms of reading afaics, but can talk the hind leg off a donkey with all sorts of aquired facts if in the mood.

I have assumed that they have tried to create a good mix with each table, rather than 'tiered' them.

fullmoonfiend · 26/09/2006 18:00

In reception, the children's work was apparently coded with 3 sticks - a 'triangle' meaning they were top ability in certain things. I only found this out by having a sly nosey when the teacher left me alone for a few minutes at parents evening!

willowcatkin · 26/09/2006 18:16

Defintately detective work for my dd in Yr 1. If I go in to class to drop her off there is usually work set out on the table for them to do so can see what she has relative to the rest. Also spellings - 'red' group has 10 a week, rest have 5 :-)

Ds - too young to know or really care, just so long as he copes (he is the youngest) and has fun - both happening so far.

23balloons · 26/09/2006 18:29

ds1 is in Y1 and they are in ability groups. The Reception Teacher advised which groups to put each child in but it is reviewed every few months and children can move up and down. I spoke to the Teacher about something the other week and she told me ds was on the top ability table. They are reviewed every few months though and can move up or down.

On ds's table there are 3 boys and 4 girls on the next table down there are 7 girls so I am hoping he doesn't move down as he would have to sit with 6 girls.

batters · 26/09/2006 20:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

kid · 26/09/2006 20:16

DD is in my class at work so I know exactly what level she is at, I wish I didn't know tbh.

MoreTeaAnyone · 26/09/2006 20:19

I only care that my dd is working at a level that is appropriate for her. I don't want her to be bored, I don't want her to be 'lost'. I couldn't care less where other children in relation to her. If I did know what would that achieve, could I make her brighter or more stupid so she matched her friends?

If I'm told me dd doesn't appear to have any problems then hallelujia, I'm happy.

Blandmum · 26/09/2006 20:22

Both mine are making progress and are happy. DD is at the top of the class ds is at the bottom....actually, no that isn't true, he is the bottom. But he is happy, healthy, is behavving well and is making progress.

MoreTeaAnyone · 26/09/2006 20:25

Praise and encouragement. It may sound old fashioned but that's all kids need regardless of their ability. They will learn what they will learn. They may be 'poor' in one school but in a school 10 minutes down the road they could be 'top of the class'.

DrMaloryTowers · 26/09/2006 20:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

jennifersofia · 26/09/2006 20:37

Hooray martianbishop! Top marks for fab attitude.
For what it is worth, my Y1 children are in 1) numeracy groups 2) literacy groups 3) mixed groups, depending on the subject that we are doing. The groups are not all the same (eg the top literacy group is a bit different to the top numeracy group.) We do have names like Bobcats, Spheres and Carrots, and there is a sort of reasoning for the different names, but I think it only makes sense to me, tbh! I am already thinking about changing some of the groups, so there is a lot of fluidity to it.
I wouldn't mind giving a parent an indication of where their child was in the class, but I would prefer to speak to them about their child's learning. That is, I would be more concerned about a lazy child who didn't try who was in the top group than a child in the bottom group who really made an effort.

Blandmum · 26/09/2006 20:49

JS, ds is in the 'stonefish' for reading

All very tactful. the school is excellent at making sure that he realises that he is making progress etc and are talking about getting more support for him in year 3 (he gets a fair bit already but may need more next year)

I teach myself and have long felt that I'd take 'nice' over 'clever' for my own kids any day.

the funny thing is that dd is right the other end of the scale, but it is ds who is the happier child. Funny old world.

Love 'em both to bits.

Blandmum · 26/09/2006 20:50

ds also works very hard, bless him

nikkie · 26/09/2006 20:52

DD1 has been on 'ability ' tables since Yr R- green is their top table she explained it all to me once in reception She has been on green all the way through with 2 others and the other 3 kids have changed (sorry feel like I m showing off! )
DD2 just started yr R she isn't a colour yet but I know she won't be on the top.

wakeupandsmellthecoffee · 26/09/2006 23:21

just ask the kids they know exactly where everyone is in the class ,they are not stupid .

wakeupandsmellthecoffee · 26/09/2006 23:26

but if you look at it logically say they all went to work in offices different ones of course it dosnt matter 29 years on where the hell they were in relation to the rest of the class.Unfortuanly for some my sons year 3 classes are extremly bright and for the last 2 years they have been given a higher level of work the sad thing is that the children that are less abled look even more so because the rest of the children are so bright but in fact these children are only a smidgen behind on where they should be . This is a state primary school by the way .

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