can an average child in primary suddenly pick up in secondary and excell

[mysterytour]

well my Dh did, He was bottom of the class all though primary and then in secondary it all seemed to click. He got A's at A level and went to Uni. Everyone who knows him regards him as a clever chap, I am hoping DT2 is similiar

Definitely. I taught quite a few boys (it WAS mainly boys) for whom everything suddenly seemed to click in about Year 10, just as everyone was despairing. They may not always have excelled, but they certainly did a hell of a lot better than anyone was expecting! Has happened to two of my nephews (and come to think of it, my niece) as well...

suposedly, which is why the 11+ was so unfiar, because of late developers.

A significant ex of mine couldn't read and write until 12 and was written off by his primary school. He went on to get 3 A's at A level and then on to Oxford. He was VERY bright.

Different kids flourish in different environments.

There's also a bit of switching about in Year 7. For example, I've had some very able children put in my less able classes at the beginning of Year 7 (based on primary data etc), and had to get them moved up because it was so obvious that they were in the wrong class (for their abilities).

Do you believe him to be 'average' or is this what his school is saying?

I did!

Very average at primary school, went to boarding secondary school, started out in bottom/middle sets for everything, and by the end of first year was in top sets. Don't want to boast yeah right but got straight A*GCSEs and straight A A levels, and on to Oxbridge. All gone a bit down hill since then!

My parents often wonder what would have happened if I'd taken the place at the local grammar school that I got at 11+, or if I'd stayed on at the local day school where I did primary. I guess we'll never know.

Yes, ds had an advanced reading age from a young age simply because he had speech therapy but, the rest of his subjects were average. He went to middle school (year 5) and suddenly everything snapped into place. He's now at Upper and he's now top streamed for everything, Maths he really struggled with in lower years, he was bottom set for it for quite a few years.

He does work hard though and it's helped a bit, I think by the fact that his two closest friends are super bright, so he works harder to keep up with them.

Yes -most definitely-that is why the 11+ was so unfair.
My brother failed 11+, he did a year at a secondary modern and then passed at 12. He transferred to the grammar school and was very quickly put into the express stream, he excelled at Latin and Greek.
My DS came on amazingly in year 7 at the comprehensive. He was always in the lower Maths group at primary school and yet got an A at A'level.

I think the main issue is that at secondary, a number of teachers will be assessing your child's abilities. This is not the case at primary.

My DH was considered a bit of a dullard at primary and by his parents...he went on to get a double first at Uni and a first in his law finals.

Yes. Learning can suddenly click at any time. So ver much possible for a child to suddenly "get it" at secondary age and do really well. Also it is also possibly that early starters/children considered bright at primary can peeter out a bit and lose their way a bit at secondary too.

I was very out to lunch at primary school - not exactly "average" but dreamy & off the ball & an irritant & basically not your ideal pupil. I woke up around 13ish & then was quite good.

(There is a lovely old thread (which I started) which is about when MNers who were themselves dreamy children started to get a grip. Nearly universally, adolescence seemed to be the turning point. So I would say there is definitely a possibility of going from average in primary to excelling in secondary.)

dh - mediocre until midway through secondary - then A's (I think all through Os, and As), then a first and a PhD.

Some people are average all through school and only excel as adults!

I was good in Infants school. Crapola at primary school, I still can't spell or know my times tables, mental maths is a black art to me. Did very well at secondary school.

One of the brigtest boys that I presently teach was assessed as having educational SN in primary school

Critterjitter,

That ex of yours????

You just described my DH!!!!

He was in SN group until age 12, then suddenly "Woke up".

DS1 is like this now, struggles with reading and maths, MIL used to say that he is just like his dad, I hope so!!!!

I do think that some very bright pupils can find it hard to communicate their frustration about the work that they are given/ the environment that they are taught in etc. This may lead to them being wrongly labelled as problematic etc.in primary schools.

Similarly, the number of supposedly bright pupils I have seen arrive from primary schools who cannot write or read properly is quite surprising.