Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

Level 6 maths son starting to get fed up

58 replies

MaryKatherine · 05/05/2015 21:10

Hi,

My 11 year old boy is due to sit his level 3-5 maths and level 6 maths next week (Thursday). He has always been very good at maths...very quick to work things out. There are 4 others in the class also due to sit level 6. They have worked though past papers and a secondary maths teacher (on maternity but helps out with the year 6's) does intervention work with them once a week.

Since January he has been getting a massive amount of homework to do from his own teacher and the intervention teacher. They do a level 6 paper every week and mark it (teacher marked). I go over it (as I like maths and want him to do well) and show him how to do any questions he got wrong (in a gentle, non-pushy way). I try not to over burden him and will only spend 10-15 minutes every other day trying to refresh his memory. Some of the questions are hard though and certainly not what I had to do when I was his age!

For the past week he is becoming increasingly tired and fed up with it all. I know it is almost the end and all the children have worked hard (and the poor teachers). Any ideas how I can encourage him during the last week before SATS? We are taking him abroad for a nice holiday at 1/2 term.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

christinarossetti · 05/05/2015 21:14

I would leave it now, tbh, as I'd be concerned that I'd be putting him off maths/tests for life (and he's got a plenty of exams which are way more important coming up in the next few years). Back off completely, and don't even mention homework unless he does.

He's not going to 'learn' much in the next week realistically. Level-wise, where he is now is where he'll be in a weeks time.

CocktailQueen · 05/05/2015 21:18

My dd is just the same. Fed up to the back teeth of the whole crapping SATs rigmarole. Have banned any revision and homework! If she doesn't know it now, tough.

Year 6 has put her off learning, big time. Am so disappointed with the whole thing and how it has been handled. Just insane. But this is the last year of SATs - there will be something different next year...

Bitlost · 05/05/2015 21:23

What Christina says. Wise words.

FuturePerfect · 05/05/2015 21:28

He is tired and fed up of it all. Listen to him.

pourmeanotherglass · 05/05/2015 21:30

Let him ease off a bit this week and save his energy. If the weather improves, get him outside letting off steam.

My DD1 did the level 6 paper last year, but they did quite a lot of work for it at school, so I found that it was better to let her chill at home, rather than pushing her to do more work.

DD2 is doing SATS this year, but not doing any level 6 papers (summer baby). She seems to come home quite mentally tired from all the SATS revision so I've found it better to let her play out or go to the park, than try to get her to do more maths. It's counterproductive if you keep pushing them when they are tired.

We're counting down the days until its all over.

christinarossetti · 05/05/2015 21:32

cocktail, my children aren't in Y6 yet, but the being put of learning/school/exams etc is what most worries me about the SATS, especially when children are being pressured to 'cram' for levels above where they 'really are'.

I totally empathise with the pressures that schools are under, but what is actually WRONG with a level 5?

wispywoo1 · 05/05/2015 21:33

I wouldn't push him. He will crash. If he doesn't meet his target then don't stress about it. Children's levels are so inflated by the time they get to us at secondary that they are forever playing catch up at GCSE. Higher KS2 level means higher GCSE target. Having a high target means nothing.

WombatStewForTea · 05/05/2015 21:34

Give him a break. Better for him to be fresh and rested for the actual sats. If he doesn't know now last minute cramming isn't going to help.

deepdarkwood · 05/05/2015 21:35

Wow, that's a huge amount of prep!
Ds is doing lvl 6, and they've had a couple of maths homeworks online every week or so - and did mock paper last week. I agree with others - what he doesn't know now, he ain't going to know -ease off and let it happen.

sunnydayinmay · 05/05/2015 21:45

My DS is sitting level 6 papers and I'm doing absolutely nothing with him at home. He loves maths, works at a high level at school, and has done some past papers at school.That's quite enough.

Lots of sleep, decent food, fresh air is what they need now. You'd be better taking him to the park.

rabbitstew · 05/05/2015 22:08

My ds is doing level 6 maths, reading and SPAG and hasn't had any homework. He's still enjoying school and is not stressed about SATs. I have no idea whether or not he will get level 6s in anything - school has made it very clear that SATs are its problem, not for the parents or children to worry about, so even if I wanted him to do extra work, he's firmly wedded to the school's opinion that it's the school's problem! I guess if he doesn't get any level 6s, I'll at least know he wasn't put off school and carried on enjoying what he was learning all the way through primary school!

Grittzio · 05/05/2015 22:14

My DS is doing level 6, with no input from home, he brings a couple of bits home but I'm certainly not putting any pressure on him, other than asking if he's done his homework. He works hard on his own, has gained a place at our local grammar as far as I'm concerned this is his easy year before secondary.

madhairday · 05/05/2015 22:20

My ds is doing level 6 in maths, reading, writing and spag next week and is pretty tired out. I'm not even mentioning it at home now tbh. He's had a few past papers for hw but thankfully the school haven't gone too heavy on them, they had some intervention classes for the reading but apart from that haven't made much fuss. I really would leave it now and let him relax as much as possible. He needs to know sats are not the be all and end all, and all that matters is he tries his best on the day.

I think they all get exhausted at this time of year anyway, and sats simply add to this. Good thing it's half term so soon :)

NoBloodyMore · 05/05/2015 22:22

Yep my DS is also doing level 6, he brings home some questions once a week in place of normal homework but that's it. I've not put any work in outside school, I'd almost rather he got a level 5, friends who's kids got 6 have had no end of problems with unrealistic targets in high school.

rabbitstew · 05/05/2015 22:23

There isn't a level 6 writing SATs test - it's teacher assessed.

sunnydayinmay · 05/05/2015 22:28

rabbit - I thought that, but DS says there is a writing test for level 6.

He's doing level 6 in maths, reading, spag and writing, and he says that's 12 tests in total.

MildlyMiserable · 05/05/2015 22:29

Blimey, I could have written your opening message. This evening we had a meltdown, I had no idea it was coming a I haven't been pushing him at all, he works independently on his homework and had a great report last half term. It seems, however in the last few days he has decided it's the be all and end all.
I've explained that it doesn't matter what his results as long as he is happy and that's it's definitely not worth getting upset about.
He's decided if he doesn't do well he wot get into Uni, will get a rubbish job and have a rubbis life, FGS, he's 11.
I've told him I would ask the teacher not to put him in for level six if it was making him unhappy, my God, you would think I'd said the world was going to end - this apparently, would be a disaster, HE wants to do 6 and has decided he is the one putting the pressure on, not me or the teacher.
If this is what it's like at 11 how are either of going to cope at 16 or 18??

rabbitstew · 05/05/2015 22:32

There definitely isn't a writing test. Ds's teacher has collected a portfolio of his work to be assessed/moderated for level 6, but there is no timed written test on it next week.

pigsinmud · 05/05/2015 22:35

Dd1 is not doing L6, but it is still completely stressed out - don't think the stress is just for L6 takers! I'm very disappointed with the way her school has handled SATS. Her older brothers were at a different school and it was much more laid back. She is exhausted after school and there has been a lot of tears. Fed up of the whole thing.

calzone · 05/05/2015 23:12

What are they doing next year if not SATS?

AuditAngel · 05/05/2015 23:20

DS is also very stressed abou is SATS. He is doing level 6 maths, but nothing else.

I have told him to do his best, and I'll be happy, whatever the outcome.

He is currently rehearsing for a show the week after half term, Fiddler on the roof. We are also away for half term

I will help when asked, but he prefers not to. Tonight I gave him a pictorial explanation of calculating probability. He completely got it!

AtomicDog · 05/05/2015 23:25

End of KS2 testing will still happen next year.

bishboschone · 05/05/2015 23:26

My dd is doing 4 level 6's as well as the normal ones obviously . It's a lot for her and although she is very able I knew she is worried . I don't do anything at home with her . She needs to rest and have fun as posted above . I'm not worried , she obviously has the ability otherwise she wouldn't be doing them .

cece · 05/05/2015 23:37

The Level 6 SPAG test includes a piece of writing.

Feenie · 06/05/2015 06:58

What are they doing next year if not SATS?

New SATs. Which include old level 6 material, but in the same (not separate) tests.

Flip

1 2 3