What does 'able' mean?

[Jackyjill6]

When trying to decipher teacher speak on school reports?

Above average/ expected level normally, I think.

I'd take it as can but maybe doesn't always do.

Oh, maybe AsAProfessional maybe right. Above average = more able.
But it all depends on the context. Able mathematician means great at maths. But in more negative context, can but don't may apply.

Clever, I think! Or good at the school work. As in ‘he’s very able’.

I’m meaning when it’s not followed up with a ‘but’.

I'm sure it's not negative - Ds is quite a slack-ass so other there was a 'but' or 'only if he would...' After the 'able'.

AsAProfessional that's an interesting thought!

Meeting or exceeding expectations.

I think it depends on the whole sentence it’s used in

It does depend on the whole sentence.

John is able to do the maths work set in class (means he is doing as expected and able to do the work)

Bob is able to do the maths when he applies himself (he can do the work but cant always be bothered, is easily distracted, etc.

Tom is very able in maths (means he is doing the work, is maybe above average)

Zack is an able student (means he is working well ...but maybe not above average as that would say "Zack is a very able student")

Dd was in an Able Maths group which was basically the gifted group. They did enrichment activities that they really enjoyed that explored maths in more depth.

Code word for gifted alongside HLP (higher learning potential)

So Humpty says it's average, Tomorrow says it's significantly above average.

Certainly "most able" or "highly able" as is often used is with Tomorrow, but as others have said if it's used just in a sentence like Humpty's John and Bob then I think it's less clear cut.

Just ask the teacher to clarify - or if you want to know if your kid is average or mumsnet average, when did they read harry potter and solve simultaneous equations?

sirfred it's not so much whether my DC is average or not, it's more that I'm interested in how the codewords as Tomorrow puts it, can be used or interpreted differently.

With ds6 they’ve moved before very high ability, higher learning potential and gifted

And very able/highly able

As a code, able is used with word added, like highly able or very able, to describe above average, imo. I think in the report, they tends to use words like exceptional, rather than just "able" to describe above average, ime.

I found buried in some governors' minutes on our school website that our school classifies "more able" as being any child working in greater depth in reading, writing or maths.