Worried about Yr 6 DS's levels being 'bumped up'

[eleflump]

We had a parents evening just after October half-term, and were told that Year 6 DS was working at a 3a in all his literacy levels.

We have now had a request home from school asking us to consent to DS being given an hour per week of individual tuition. The form states that he is now currently working at level 4a, and that the tuition is designed to increase him to a level 5c/5b.

I just cannot understand how such a massive jump is possible - this would mean that he has increased by an entire level in less than half a term? I love DS to bits, but he is not an academic high flier at all.

I am worried that the school are going to over-inflate his end of KS2 SATS grade and that this will affect what his high school will expect him to achieve by the end of KS4.

I am thinking of ringing the school to discuss this - would you be concerned if this was your child?

I think you may well be right. I'd put it in writing and a follow up phone call.

SATS are externally marked I think. I'd ask if there has been a mistake? An hour one to one is a big commitment for the school to make. It makes sense if its to get to a level 4 (national average).

That doesn't sound right to me OP and yes I'd be concerned if he were mine and would most definitely call to clarify the situation.

I'd be tempted to do as wheresthebeach suggests - just check it's not a typo or something! I mean, maybe they meant to write 'currently working at 3a and tutoring should get him to 4c/4b'?

It is possible for children to go in fits and starts, levels-wise, and sometimes children do progress more than the 'expected' two sublevels in a year (my own Y6 DS went up three sublevels in reading between end Y4 and end Y5, for example). But I can't imagine any child jumping an entire 3 levels in the space of 3 months.

eleflump:

I agree it's confusing to be told your child is 3A material and then be told it's now 4A material - and that is worth sorting out with the teacher (as sometimes the talk end of year targets and other times they talk about current ability level observed in class).

I can understand that you're worried about an 'inflated' end of year achievement based on KS2 SATs being heavily prepared for - but the point is that 45% of pupils in England achieve NC L5 in English and something like 41% achieve NC L5 in maths - so if the school feel they can do a bit of intensive work (i.e. maybe he knows his times tables but really could do with some work on percentages/ proportions/ averages to go on to achieve NC L5 in maths) that is no bad thing. Some schools 'cushion' parents and ratehr than out and out say - Hey, we think your kid is going to struggle to make the 'benchmark' NC L4 score - they talk about doing a bit of work to achieve NC L5 (DD1's primary did this with the lower ability cohort - who did all go on to achieve NC L4 - which for our school was a stellar achievement - having previously had more like 65% - 70% achieving NC L4).

Data on KS2 SATs performance here from the guardian: www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2013/sep/19/sats-results-key-stage-two - tables at the bottom - but I think the important thing to absorb here is of those pupils achieving NC L4+ about half actually achieve NC L5+. In otherwords in general statistically scraping NC L4 is no big deal - something like 85% of pupils do that in England.

Now having a DD1 already in Y7 - on the other side of the fence - in secondary school the school will of course be required to work with the KS2 SATs results in terms of progress measures - but they'll also test and assess your child (even during induction days) to formulate a clear idea of where your child is at.

So in reality an inflated KS2 SATs grade means the senior school is under a lot of pressure to get your child at least 1 full NC level above that by the end of KS3 between Y7 - Y9 (at present the target is loosely somewhere between NC L5/6 - but I should add this is with the proviso that all this NC Level/ sublevel thing is changing so not sure what new form assessment will be in). more info on progress between KS2 to KS3 here: www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/182413/DFE-RR096.pdf

So doing well on KS2 SATs means expectations will be higher for him/her at his secondary (they'll be under pressure to do more with him/ her) - and to my way of thinking that's no bad thing.

Many secondary schools will also start mixed-ability with no 'sets' established until Year 8 or even Y9 - because adjusting to senior school takes time and the different teaching style (subject teachers, specific subject-based classes, more homework) can ultimately also help progress - especially in English & Maths.

Ultimately the more numerate/ literate your child is the better his/ her job prospects. Employers want adaptable and able employees who can handle figures/ present ideas/ communicate well/ etc....

So after all that guff - my advice is sign him up for the extra classes - it can't hurt. If there are gaps in his understanding it may help. If he does phenominally well on KS2 SATs - all for the good - becuase it will keep his senior school teachers on their toes to keep him progressing in his learning to targets based on those KS2 results. Schools are swift to label - it is better he enter secondary as a higher ability pupil (NC L5) than a 'middle' (NC L4a/4b) or low ability (NC L4c or lower) pupil. The government is now requiring schools to report how many pupils achieved NC L4b - which they now feel is 'secondary ready' whereas NC L4c isn't. (this press release signals raising the theshold for KS2 SATs: www.gov.uk/government/news/step-change-in-ambition-for-primary-schools-will-raise-standards-for-all)

HTH

Hi all - just coming back to this and wanted to say a big thank you for all the very helpful advice.

I am going to call DS's teacher for my own peace of mind to clarify what is going on, but hadn't looked at it from the perspective raised by PastSellByDate and that is something to consider - thanks for such a detailed reply.

The downside of inflated grades is how it can impact in Secondary. My son got a 4 in writing but I feel it was not accurate. At his secondary level 3 children (not sure if they have to be 3 or lower in reading and writing or just one) get extra help - extra lessons, less homework in other subjects etc. . My son gets none of that and now secondary level his writing at 3b.

I feel his primary failed him in not giving him extra help at the time and now theyve failed him again as he will not get this extra boost in Y7.