ds struggling with maths in year 5 but a level 5C?

[idontunderstandthis]

We were told at parents eve that ds is struggling a bit in maths and in his recent assessment came up as level 5C and predicted 5A by end of year. I said I thought that was good for a year 5 and teacher just said he needs to ask for help if he gets stuck. I always thought he was strong in maths but now I am totally confused.

Are you sure the teacher said struggling?

I can't think a Level 5c at the start of year 5 is anything other than an indication of being very able in maths.

Alternatively, are you sure the teacher actually knew which child they were discussing? I have come across teachers who need photos to remind them of their pupils for the 1st parent's evening of the year!

Teacher definitely said struggling and it is his weakest subject! He is in a mixed class and I am wondering if teacher thinks he is in the year above :( This is a new teacher to the school and I am feeling a bit worried.

Even if she thinks he's in the year above, 5A wouldn't be considered struggling. You need to speak to the teacher again; either the struggling comment or the assessment has been attributed to the wrong child.

Yes it is so strange. Teacher said about struggling and then told me his assessment mark (he was 5c at end of year 4 so i assume it is right, plus ds told me that was what he got). I just felt very confused and a bit sorry for ds.

Do you think that she meant that your ds needs to learn to ask when he struggles with a concept rather than that he struggles overall?

Even if he was in year 6, a 5c at the start would be well above average!

When the teacher says maths is your ds's weakest subject, I suppose it could be, if he was already at a level 5a/6 in English, for example? Everything is relative. Do you think the teacher has particularly high expectations of your son?

If I were you, I would request another meeting with the teacher after school, and tell him your specific concerns about his assessment of your ds.

He could easily be ahead, but starting to struggle. Especially if he has always found maths easy, but now has to concentrate and work at it for the first time, hence her comment that he needs to learn to ask for help.
DS2 is ahead in maths but takes a while to learn new concepts. Once they click for him he streaks ahead again but it can take him a while before it does click.

Perhaps his knowledge is good but he is struggling when it comes to applying what he knows?

If he's in Y5 he will be the first year group to sit the new tests, which have a large amount (at least 25 per cent I believe) of questions where they have to show that they can apply concepts in other ways. I think it's called cognitive domain. The idea is that children have to understand what they know, rather than just be drilled in facts... Supposed to lead to less rebision and drilling in y6 and more scope to explore the breadth in a subject like maths.

Sorry, that was a bit of a waffle!

Hi idontunderstand

I think LittleMissGreen and Galena raise some good points but before you go back to the teacher - why not ask your son about what he's finding difficult in maths and when he asks questions.

Just looking at the situation structurally (and I don't quite understand what year your DC is in) - as this is a mixed class (maybe with Y6 and Y5 pupils) - it may be that your DC is not doing as well as the majority and possibly taking up a lot of teacher time.

So questions to consider:

Does your DC solidly know 12 times table facts?

Does your DC cope well with things like multiplication of two digit or three
digit numbers?

Does your DC cope well with division of two digit or three digit numbers?

Can he cope with dividing or multiplying by 2 digit numbers?

Does he get dividing with remainders? does he get expressing the remainder as a fraction or a decimal number?

Does he struggle with concepts like opposite angles - calculating values of missing angles (in triangles/ circles/ semi-circles)?

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If I were you - watch him as he does maths homework (if you have any) and observe how he's coping with it. It may reveal what the problem is and where your DC may need more explanation or practise.

Lots of great practice on Woodland Junior School Maths Zone: resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/ & if your school subscribes to an on-line maths website - you will find games & more to do there.

HTH

Great advice thanks so much. I will check all those things before I speak to the teacher.