New assessment grades - I don't get them!

[Nena7]

So I'm trying to get my head around the new primary school grades. My son got 3b+ (he is in Yr 3) in everything. This seems low, assuming they start at a "b" in September, in which case his progress hasn't been great?

What are they "meant to" reach by the end of the year in July?

So would this be considered below or what is expected? Help please!

The 3b sounds like the now 'old' level curriculum - although many schools will still be using the marking system in years to come - probably just adjusted to changes in objectives by year in the new curriculum.

3b would not be underperforming in the old system even at the end of Year 3.

Why not just ask the school if they any information regarding the end of Year 3 Objectives and whether your son will struggle to meet these or if he will exceed any of them?

I understood that schools could use whatever way of reporting they want to now so a 3b+ could mean something in your school and mean something else in another or be called something completely different in another. The only way you will understand it and know what it is referring to is to ask. the school could perhaps send out some guidance when they issue a random grade like that so parents will understand it.

The only way you will get an answer to this is by asking the school. I wouldn't necessarily assume that 3b would be the starting point in September or that 3b+ is low for this point in the year though.

I think I would assume that 3b is probably an end of year expectation.

In my school 3b would be beginning the Y3 curriculum so would be low for the second term but in another it could be the old level 3b which depending on his level when he left KS1, could be very good or a concern.

Aah. That would make sense. I was thinking more of a system where something like developing, secure and mastery had been given the letters c, b, a.

Does prove the point that you aren't going to get an answer unless you ask the school.

Target Tracker, which is used by many schools uses B(beginning) S(secure) A(advanced) - with + for each step

You can see where people get confused! I would imagine any school would send home an accompanying letter explaining the situation otherwise it's all a bit of a waste of time and effort.

Our school is using

BY - Below expected year levels
EY - Within Expected year levels
AY - Above expected year levels

by any chance did he come from an infant school (as opposed to a primary). If it's the old system, at the end of ks1 a child may have achieved a 3 (which automatically gets recorded as a 3b, even if the child scraped a 3. however, there is a summer drop back in most cases. in addition, a new teacher/ school may not necessarily agree with the levels they have been handed up, so may have reassessed them in September. End of year 3 expectation is about a 3b so you child is doing just fine.

Have schools sending home these unexplained "grades" not held parent evenings last term? Half way through the school year the new curriculum assessment shouldn't be a mystery to anyone.

Hi Nena7:

I agree (as others have pointed out) the problem at the moment is the government has abandoned the old NC system but has decided not to replace it with another system - in fact they've decided to leave it a free for all - each school can indpedently adopt their own system.

Therefore, as others have suggested - you need to seek clarification from the school.

Most school websites probably have this information tucked away somewhere - try either their on-line prospectus (it's usually explained in there somewhere) or sometimes they have 'Achievement' or 'Pupil Progress' sections to their website.

If not luck there - speak to the teacher and ask for a document explaining the marking system and clarifying what expected progress should be for Year 3.

If no joy from teacher - write to the head requesting the same and clarifying that you first asked the teacher.

if no joy from the HT - write to the governors - make it clear that this started as your particular issue vis a vis your own DC - but that you are requesting that the governors review whether a full explanation of the marking system isn't prepared as a document for all parents to review. In particular parents are entitled to understand what the school deems to be expected progress in a given school year.

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I personally think this current state of play is a farce. Parents are hugely confused and because systems are 'in flux' we are struggling to gauge whether our children are doing well or not. Certainly not ideal - and of course teachers are being blamed (when I hasten to add this is in no way their fault). I had to spend close to one hour explaining to an angry mother that the useless parent/ child/ teacher interviews we just weathered weren't because the teacher is rubbish (she used a more colourful word).