Standardised Test Scores - thoughts on these results?

[InquisitiveAnnie]

DD (8) is moving schools in September (from private to state - possibly relevant) and her school has given me the following results for her latest set of tests.

Could anyone please be kind enough to give me their thoughts? I don’t think her current school has pushed her at all send she is very wary of making mistakes and doesn’t push herself at all. (Something I’ve asked them to address for years!) Id obviously like that to change for her new school but don’t want to be that parent.

Looking at these results, what questions should I be asking the new school? Is there anything I should be pushing for?

It would help if I gave you he results!!

Spelling (SWST): 131
Reading (SWRT): 141 (reading age:16+)

CAT4 scores
Verbal: 131
Quantitative: 131
Non-verbal: 131
Spatial:121

Progress Test in English: 141
Progress Test in Maths: 130

It won't really be an option to 'push for' anything. I don't personally know of any schools who do anything additional for the most able students any more. There isn't the money.

She will just be differentiated for in class like everybody else.

Well, actually I've just remembered that in my area there is an 'able writers' day once a year. The other 189 days it is just differentiation in class!

What questions were you considering asking? Those results are FANTASTIC. I'm not sure why you are so keen to push her. She seems to be doing absolutely fine just as she is.

I think it's even less chance that she will be pushed in state school unless you are extremely lucky.
With that results, can you send her to more academic school?

141 is the highest you can get in all those tests. I imagine she will be bored in a state school and the work may be at least a year behind what she is used to.

So its a not so stealthy stealth boast!

Just ask the new school how they support the more able students and do they get a choice of free reading/extension homework etc.

I don’t know what questions. It’s all a bit alien.

She’s not doing great though, that’s the point. She sails through exams like a walk in the park but he never been faced with the challenge of striving for something more and risking getting in wrong. When she has to do more ‘free style’ work she completely freezes and will just sit and do nothing through fear of getting it wrong.

Children need to be able to get stuff wrong, don’t they??

I’m at a loss really. We thought private was the solution but it doesn’t seem so.

I didn’t know if, in the extreme, statements of special ed needs are used for more able? Perhaps she’s not there though.

I don't know what those results mean,
but our state primary was great. DS (now y7) would do different work in Maths - along with another child - as he needed a challenge. He was stretched and enjoyed lessons.

I guess it depends on the school and child but I honestly believe that primary provided the very best education. We didn't have to ask either. Sounds like not all schools do this though.

Its not uncommon with able girls that they don’t want to take risks and don’t want to be wrong (so may avoid things to not be wrong!)

Is that OK although trinity? Should I just leave be and she’s fine to just cruise?

Sorry, my typing is atrocious this afternoon!!

When she has to do more ‘free style’ work she completely freezes and will just sit and do nothing through fear of getting it wrong

Well addressing that is what you need to push for, the scores mean nothing if she can't actually do any work to any level because of that. So you can just explain that to the teachers, and see what they do to address it, you don't need to ask questions, just describe the problem.

Send her to Brownies!

Send her to brownies actually is quite a good answer ! I have a very able Dd also 8 who is paralysed by fear of mistakes. School (state) supported her by praising what she did not criticising what she didn't do so she felt able to give things a go. But brownies has been brilliant for pushing her out of her comfort zone in a fun supportive environment in so many spheres, academic, physical, practical. Kids that aren't academic may excel in stuff where the children used to cruising at school may struggle and the children have to learn to deal with it.

Actually, sending her to state may do her good. There are children from different background, ability, etc.

My ds is able at maths, but he knows there are others who are good at other things, and he isn't bothered to make mistakes. Teachers taught him well in that sense, that making mistake is good thing because you can learn from it.

I see where you are coming from now. Just go and chat to the school. Explain her results but make it very clear that what you would really like her to develop is the confidence / perseverence / have a go attitude.

My DS had standardised scores of 140-150 and that was at the 0.1% level. Most schools don't do much for the most able to be honest - they cater to the top 5% but not higher. While he's very academic he struggles in other areas and isn't an allrounder though so I think is less worried about mistakes.

The general advice is not just to progress the child further in the syllabus but to make it tangential. They need to get used to struggling and more able students tend to prefer to think more deeply and work out solutions on their own, rather than being taught an algorithm.