P scales!!

[Dingle]

Can someone explain P-scales very simply please...or point me in the right direction!

Thank you.

[thestands]

p1 up to p7.
P7 is the last one before 1c (then its 1b, 1a etc) 2c is the expected at age 7 when the kids have their key stage 1 sats.
It was explained to me that p1 could be something as simple as following an object with your/their eyes.
my son was p2 upon starting school. which was listening to a story and understanding it. p4 was retelling the story in simple terms. p6 was reading a couple of simple cvc words, ie cat, dog. 1c is reading a simple line, ie, the cat sat on the mat. This is what I was told, maybe this is right maybe not. I hope this helps.

[Dingle]

Right, is every child assessed on these scales or is it just children with SN or those who haven't yet reached the 1C level?

Sorry my DD has Down Syndrome, I have only managed to get her statemented and supported since September when she started in Y1. I suppose I want a rough picture in my mind as to how far she is behind her peers.

[janeite]

They are used to assess pupils with SEN; some of our mainstream pupils only score on P levels and haven't hit Level One yet. But the point is really just to measure her against herself, not against others I would think, so the P scale will help you to see how she's progressing.

[Dingle]

Thank you! It's just that getting her assessment levels can be quite hard work, previous "scores" have all been just numbers.

eg, when she started in YR she was scoring 9 and her peers averaged at 18. A few terms after that the scores has spread from about 24 to about an average of 75. There has been no real consistency so I cannot really guage how much progress she has made.

I have fought long and hard to get her statemented. First the LEA refused to even assess her needs then they wanted to send her to a SN school.

Since getting support in class there is no doubt that she has progressed, but I suppose I am concerned there will come a point when the school turns around and tells me the gap is too wide!

[Dingle]

It has been hard going with the school, at the end of the day it all comes down to budgets as our LEA doesn't give more money for each statemented child IYSWIM, the school just gets an allocated budget.

It was a battle to get her on a structured reading program, because "that is not how we teach!" They were trying to get her to do joined up writing before she could even form her letters...it's been a learning process all round really.

Looking at the info on P-scales, and after very briefly getting a glimpse at her results, she is working at P6-7 in some areas and we were told she has jumped 2 p scales in one area. I will try to get a copy of it all from the school!

[thestands]

If you ask her teacher she HAS to give you her levels in the four main subjects. Reading, writing, maths and science.

[Dingle]

Before tonights parents evening, I had only ever heard of the term P scales, they had never used the levels before to my knowledge. So tonight I wasn't prepared in what to ask for and what they meant. I am seeing the SENCO tomorrow evening too!

[thestands]

ask her then, the senco is there for both of you.

[robinpud]

Sorry to hear it has all been a struggle Dingle. One of the classes I teach has a little child with Ds in Year 1 and it is a joy. We have used materials from the DS association to guide us and had an excellent whole school inset on teaching children with DS from our local inclusion advisor and SALT. Perhaps your school might be able to arrange something similar to help staff feel more confident?

If it helps, we have LOTS of children working on targets from the P scales in years 1-3.

Make sure the school know about the potential for language difficulties. ie find the biggest number not very helpful for child with DS and that they are very kinaesthetic as I am sure you know. A good school will want to glean all the info you can give and then find out more themselves.
Good luck

[Dingle]

DD has been within the school for nearly 3.5 years now, she started just after her 3rd Birthday in the nursery, so I am fed up of trying to enlighten them. eg about the use of sign..."we want her to talk not sign!"

The school are aware of the DSA ans DSEd trust literature...I have readily offered it to them, in fact they still have some of my resources on reading and writing!

I feel so drained with it all TBH, I have DD working at a low level and needing support and DS (8) with a reading age of 13.3 and sats results of the average Y6....I am being torn in two by them.

Thank you anyway. Knowing a little more about how the p-scales work has put me at ease a little. Also knowing that her progress is hopefully now a bit more measurable is quite a relief, it's something I have struggled with and not readily had the feedback from the school about.