KS1 Sats question- trying to understand progress

[Nateismine]

DS1 in Yr 2 has always seemed to 'get' maths- not a genius but enjoys it. He ended Yr 1 as level 2b.
He seems to have been coping well with everything in Yr 2 and I was expecting him to be an easy Level 3 at the end of Yr 2. Yesterday he did the Level 2 SATs paper. Am I right in thinking that they only sit 1 paper and if so then the teacher thinks he is only at level 2 still?

Also a hypothetical question to help me understand. Say he got 100% in his Level 2 paper, would the teacher think 'Excellent I was right to think he is a 2a' or would she think ' whoops he should have sat the level 3 paper'.

I am aware I am overthinking this and he is only 6 but I love the fact you can ask questions like this on Mumsnet.

And, for balance, his writing is awful, hoping for a 2C.

He should only do one test but as you've probably seen on MN many schools ignore the rules when it comes to KS1 tests.

The test is only there as one piece of evidence that makes up the reported level. If your son is working consistently at level 3 in the classroom then that would be the level reported. It doesn't seem likely however that the teacher would choose the level 2 if his other work us a higher level.

In theory he should only sit the one paper that best matches his teacher assessed level, so if he is a level 2 he should sit that paper and similarly with the level 3 paper.
HOWEVER some teachers seem to ignore this and ask the children to sit first the level 2 and then, if they do well enough, the level 3.

SNAP!

We give L3 children the L2 as a warm up as sitting formal test papers is not something they have much experience of.

Then you are blatantly going against statutory rules, and I hope you get done for maladministration.

Almost the top 25 percent get level 3s. If he was 2b in year 1 he should definitely be 3 end of year2. Sounds like he probably is one of the top level 3s, but hasn't been given the opportunity to show it yet - hopefully they will now give him the level 3 paper. The difference between what is expected in the next stage from a level 2a and 3 child can be seen here
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Do they set them next year according to results? Did anyone else get given the level 3 paper? Maybe could have been a mistake? Might be best just to ask?

He has been given the opportunity to show it ... Every single day in his work. The reported level is based on day to day achievement not a one off test. The test is there simply as an additional piece of evidence. If the school happens to be moderated a level 3 in the test wouldn't be awarded if his work in books doesn't match.

The level to determine his ks2 prediction will very likely be from the sats paper. I think he really should have taken the level 3 paper. My daughters school gave them all the level 2 paper and then some of them took the level 3 if they did well enough on the level 2.

Interestingly my dts2 also ended YR1 with a 2B for maths. His Y2 CT said he will finish Y2 with a 2A! We've had a chat about this but won't hijack the thread.

However he told me last week that he did the level 3 SATs paper, so given what the teachers on this thread are saying, that doesn't seem right, why would the CT give him a level 3 paper when she believes he is only a 2A. What purpose does that serve?

Incidentally I don't know how he fared on that test and I would add that I'm not interested in his level only his progress.

The level reported is teacher assessment NOT the test level and the teacher assessment is used to set KS2 targets. The tests are solely as extra evidence to support the teacher.

Yes mrz I understand this, but surely as a CT you would issue a level 2 paper if your own assessments had decided that was the dc's level.

Why issue a level 3 paper to do if the child is only working at level 2 ?

I would indeed. If the child is working at level 3 then that is what should be reported (and supported by a level 3 test) I'm sorry to say but it looks as if the teacher isn't confident in their assessment or they are playing the numbers game. I hope it is confidence

I thought level 3 in KS1 was like the level 6 paper in KS2, so you need to get a 2A (or 5A) on the main paper and a 3 (or 6) in the extension paper to get the higher grade. I'm pretty sure you can get a level 6 in the level 6 paper but if you don't get a 5A in the main paper then you don't get a 6. Doesn't that mean that they have to do both papers?

No. The statutory guidance, updated each year, states that children must only be tested once in each subject.

In KS1 children who are working at level 2 are meant to take the level 2 test and the children working at level 3 ... The test results aren't reported only the teacher assessment.

You're a little confused about level 6 as well - children do need to get a level 5 before they can also be awarded a 6 on the 6 paper, but it can be any kind of 5, it doesn't have to be a 5A.

I would hope it's not a confidence issue since she is the KS1 leader [shocked]

Personally I think he was either leveled too high at the end of YR1... or he has made poor progress in YR2.

Either way we've been let down!

Better her confidence than adjusting the data