Expectations of yr 2 top group child

[hoping2016]

Just wondering what should a top group child be able to do in maths and literacy as this point in the year?

Also in maths how important is speed of calculation at this age ? My dd is fairly fast at single digits thabks to matheletics however no as speedy when is comes to double digits.

There’s a difference between ‘top group’ and truly exceptional. You’re likely to get some replies from mumsnetters, telling you of the truly amazing things their exceptional children could do when they were in Y2.

Even a ‘top group’ will vary widely in ability. Some years will be a bit ‘average’ and some will have lots of very able children.

Perhaps start by looking at the criteria for reaching expected standard in literacy and maths for end of KS1, and assume the top group would be a bit better than this.

www.ncetm.org.uk/public/files/25627338/Mastery_Assessment_Yr2_Low_Res.pdf

uk.ixl.com/ela/year-2

Surely top group will vary widely between schools (or even cohorts) so on its own is meaningless?

Our school only has 2 groups in a year group so 50% are top group...

Have you asked your DC's teacher?

"top group will vary widely between schools"

This is true, and maybe that's why op is asking about other schools?
In some school child reading white level in yr2 maybe top, in other, it can be ruby.
MN is a great place to learn about how other school/children are doing.
Have more realistic ideas about your child.

It is a how long is a piece of string question but at my DS's school (independent, academically selective) top group english were reading stuff like Michael Morpurgo as their reading books. Maths it was expected that they all knew their times tables inside out before going to the junior school (whether top group or other groups). They also had very good mental maths skills.

Exactly, New.
My ds maybe top in less academic state primary, but could be just about average in super selective, or even academic state school.
But it's good to know the reality, thanks to MN.

Ok now we are in bragnet ;-) to contrast:

'It is a how long is a piece of string question but at my DS's school (independent, academically selective) top group english were reading stuff like Michael Morpurgo as their reading books. Maths it was expected that they all knew their times tables inside out before going to the junior school (whether top group or other groups). They also had very good mental maths skills.'

So for below average state primary 'top' Yr 2 students are ORT level 10/11/Free Readers and able to do 2, 5 and 10 times table, number bonds up to 20. DC1 can now do stuff like 156/2 in her head pretty fast. Top readers are reading stuff like Harry Potter & David Walliams.

In my experience its no good asking the teacher as they don't like to give an answer 'compared to other children'. They do not even say whether or not child is on the 'top' or 'bottom' table.

HTH

My ds goes to below average state. So the post like New's is an eye opener. They say private school are sometimes 2+ years ahead. But it's pretty vague. So New's post make it clear what it means to be 2+years ahead.
Sure there are children at higher end in state schools.But in most cases, they are outlier, and normal lessons are pitched at significantly lower levels.
So I find it useful to know what they are doing at selective schools.

Anyways, posters who are interested in post titled with "top group" are the parents of children in top groups, so I don't find it bragging, just stating the truth.

It's not bragnet at all . I did qualify by saying that they go to an academically selective school.

Actually both Ds1 and DS2 were top set for Maths. DS1 was top set for English - DS2 wasn't. There was a big difference between what DS1 produced for english and what DS2 (middle set) produced. IMO it was mainly down to the fact that DS1 never had his nose out of a book. DS2 loves reading now but it wasn't until Year 4 that it kicked in and his english is now improving as a result.

I read in secondary that teacher was stating new GCSE pass mark/grade depend on if the top selective private take i-GCSE or GCSE.

So, how they are doing isn't totally irrelevant to the parents who have academic children in state sector.
I do rather appreciate those parents sharing info, otherwise, we wouldn't know!

It's also relevant how many are in the top set. At my DS's school there are typically about 18 in a class. 2-3 classes per year group. Then there are three sets for streaming purposes.

So in DS1's year there were about 45 children with about a third of them being "top set".

Yes, I agree with irvineoneohone. It is quite interesting to hear what they do in the top sets of academically selective schools.

DS was working at the level Newtssuitcase described when he was in Year 2 (state non selective primary).

What about the top set in Year 3? What kind of things are they doing or expected to do, if you don't mind me asking Newtssuitcase?

I suspect that at that stage it starts to diverge Ellle. At my DS's school Junior school is like senior school was for me (state comp in the 1980s). From year 3 the children are in separate classrooms and classes for each lesson with specific subject teachers (with textbooks and timetables and initially school maps etc to help them find their way around). They have different classes for the different ability levels in Maths and English and then the most able also have extension classes in maths and english. They have separate lessons for history, geography, RE, science, IT, drama, PHSE, sport, art and design and two languages (French and Spanish from reception). English becomes grammar and comprehension heavy. In year 6 they also add in specific reasoning classes (in readiness for assessment for senior school progression).

I'm struggling to remember exactly what they did at that stage since DS2 is now in year 5. Year 3 isn't as ingrained in my memory (Year 2 was since if they failed the assessments to progress to the junior school then they couldn't continue at the school)

Its a good school (was rated number 1 independent prep a couple of years ago) but its not for everyone and personally I think its tough when you're in amongst so many who are working consistently to a very high level.

DS is August born, in Y2 at a complete free range chicken farm of a country prep. Totally non-selective (other than the obvious socio-economic issues). Never had any pressure put on him. He is not in the top group.

He is currently reading The Wombles, I've just seen his A4 page of paragraphed persuasive writing about 'Cheating in Sport' and he knows all his times tables and adds/ subtracts three digit numbers in his head.

Does he win? Why are we doing this again?