Y5 CATS4 assessment results - what should i do?

[PinkPetal38]

I'm looking for some advice on CATS assessment results - my DS is in the lower sets for both Maths and English in Year 5, and seems to have slipped lower down the sets as the years go on. He is silly in class and likes to be seen as the joker. He seems to do the minimum in class that he can get away with.

He got fairly good CAT scores in Y4, especially in Verbal, Spatial and Non-Verbal, not so good in Quantitative (which is his best/favourite subject bizarrely). The teacher dismissed his good scores as 'down to tutoring' (he had been tutored the grand total of 3 weeks at that point), but as he doesn't get great results in class I just left it.

This year (Y5), he has very good/excellent results across all 4 tests - in the top 2% of the country for 2 areas and top 5% of the country for the other 2.

We are in an 11+ area, and he'll do the test, but I wouldn't think he'd pass for a second, and the tutoring he's doing is helping him all around - not just for the 11+, and I can appreciate that tutoring might skew the CATS results somewhat (but then they would skew the results for the 85% of kids in his year being tutored and my DS has come in the top 75% of the year in these tests but is in the bottom 25% in class).

He's in a very high achieving school, and he's above national average generally, but he's an active boy that doesn't like learning tbh, and doesn't seem thought of well by his teachers - it's pretty obvious that they are irritated by him, and don't have high expectations of him, but one teacher does seem to feel he is not performing to his abilities.

I appreciate from my reading around CATS4 tests is that they show potential of the child, and shouldn't be taken too seriously, but my question is what should I do? His results are perhaps too good to ignore - should I take it further to find out why he does well in these tests but not in class and if so what should I be asking his teacher?

His tutor is saying that he perhaps should be moved up a set in maths - but if I suggest that it'll go down like a lead balloon, as there is obviously a reason why he's not moved up. I don't want his teachers to dismiss these results however, there must be something in these tests that means something, or they wouldn't be doing them. Is he coasting, is he not being stretched, is he just lazy, could these scores just be an anomaly? Can anyone offer any advice? Thanks so much.

perhaps he is bored if he has time to entertain the others? Have they asked him to sit at the front of the class so he cannot disrupt as much and can concentrate? Is he able to concentrate when he is interested in a subject, or is he constantly restless whatever he is doing (ie having a meal, playing, etc). Could be many things but just thought I would throw these questions out.

Also you are right to try to take action now, as next year will be too late. This is the time to fix things and provide the best set up before the final run to the 11+ exams.

If he's year 5, this needs to come from him now. He's not achieving his potential so you need to crack the whip - it's not good enough that he's the class clown and what's he going to do about it.

They're not going to move him into the top set until he's proving that he is consistently performing better than the lower set in every topic and in every assessment and that his behaviour is good. Parents also need to remember that moving up a set isn't as simple as they think - it would quite likely mean that somebody has to move down so if there's no suitable candidate to swap with, he don't go up. Your tutor hasn't been particularly helpful with this as he doesn't know the rest of your DS's cohort.

But ultimately I think this is down to him, and therefore down to you. He could possibly achieve well from his CAT scores but it sounds like his attitude is extremely poor. He's 10 now, time to grow up a bit if he wants the 11+. If he doesn't, make sure he is aware of the consequences but he's not going to get it without the work himself.

Thank you, I completely agree with everything you say teaandbiscuitsforme. He is immature (and his classmates are fairly mature which makes him standout), but I don't know how to force maturity onto him. We tell him that this is his future, he needs to pull his finger out and he says he's focusing over the last half a term or so (I've not seen the teacher for a while so I don't know if they have seen a difference - they had noticed a few weeks of improved concentration after Feb half term). He's not intentionally naughty, he's silly and lacks concentration.

I'm not focused on the moving up a set at all - I totally understand everything you've mentioned, and in no way would my DS be first in line for those very reasons. I think DS's tutor is keen because then DS would cover more areas of the syllabus in the top set, which will help towards 11+ - which is her target obviously, whereas I really don't think that he'll pass it and would prefer he's in a set that he feels confident in (but if he's coasting then that's another thing altogether).

Any ideas how I can unlock his motivation with his schooling?! We punish him when he gives us bad attitude (removal of screen time/xbox/playdates), and I supervise his school work and tutor work every single day, which he's not keen on doing, but completes. I don't feel I'm particularly a walkover, but perhaps I am being too soft on him. What do others do when their DC's aren't focusing in school?

I've taught year 5&6 (albeit not in an 11+ area!) and although I say you need to crack the whip, it's not really as simple as that. You're clearly a committed parent so you're doing that - just check it doesn't become too overbearing.

Unfortunately maturity is the key here and it's a terrible age to be testing children - girls are more likely to be 'studious' at this age, boys less so. I'd say try to give him responsibility as much as possible at home- preparing his own meals, sorting his washing etc but also things that are important to him. He needs to make the change himself and therefore needs to realise why the 11+ is such a big deal. Have you been to school open days to give him motivation?

I think you need to have zero tolerance of his silliness in the classroom so maybe a joint, frank meeting with the teacher with him there. Ask her to report any incidences- quick note in a diary or something. Ask him what would motivate him to knuckle down and have that as a reward for a week with no incidents? Try to keep it positive, he needs to learn to work and develop a positive attitude to his work so withholding isn't going to give him the same motivation.

I don't know if this sounds like strategies for your DS or not. I don't really know the answer!

Thanks teaandbiscuitsforme.

We had a home/school diary for the first half of this school year and in the main the daily feedback was fairly good, and if it wasn't we came down on him with immediate sanctions. It's kind of lost momentum after a period of good behaviour and he stopped asking the teachers to write in it and I've not been chasing him tbh. I'm seeing his teacher next week, so if there have been any more incidents then we'll reinstate it.

In the hope of motivating him, we've been to a couple of the grammar schools, the local secondary school and a couple of private, and he liked the local secondary - so it didn't got to plan!!

He's just started riding his bike to school a couple of days and yesterday went to the park with his friend for the first time alone - these are the things he wants to do, so we'll use as the bait! It's such hard work trying to cajole him the whole time - why won't he just get on with it! It would make his life so much easier! :-)

In terms of the CATS results teaandbiscuits, (125, 131, 131 and 126 - mean 128), am I right in being encouraged by them? I've/we've got something to work with in him??!

Thanks so much, I really appreciate your time in responding!

My DS got similar CAT scores to your DS and is near the top of the top set for maths in year 7 at grammar. He didn't have tutoring for the 11 plus. So I would think your DS has a good chance.

Sorry, I forgot to reply.

Yes the scores look and certainly don't fit the profile of a lower attainer on face value. However, there still could be a whole class full of kids who scored higher and therefore make up the top set!

You know your DS has got it. Whether he can harness his ability and apply himself to learn the content needed by next year, I'm not sure. Is a prep to 13 possible? It might allow him the time to mature and do well at CE. (Not sure how your area works!)

*scores look very promising!