Can somebody remind me how the levels work in KS1 and KS2?

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Just got DSs' school reports this week.

DS2 (in Year 2) - 3C in Maths, English and Science.

DS1 (in Year 4) - 3A in English and Science, 4C in Maths.

I was a bit surprised that DS1 was still only a 3A in English and Science, even though he is obviously two full years ahead of DS2.

Not being pushy, but just don't really understand how it works. Can anyone enlighten me?

I think the gradings are

level 1, level 2, level 3abc, level 4abc and level 5abc.

I think a c is higher than an a

There must be some sort of department for education website page explaining all this surely? Somewhere I have read how these translate into "as expected", "higher than average", "exceptional" etc

Blimey, I hope C isn't higher than A, otherwise DS1's fallen behind DS2! Which would seem a bit odd.

Will have a look for DfES website.

Thanks .

No - c is lower than a!

End of year 1 - average child should be Level 1a. They should move up two bands a year, so average child at end yr2 should be 2b. 2a half way through yr 3 is average, so by end year 3 3c is average. By end yr 4 3a is average. I THINK then they might be expected to move 1 band a year, cos isn't 4b the average for KS2 SATS?

something like that anyway!

At end of yr 2 it is impossible to get higher than a 3c becuase they won't have covered KS2 work yet.

No levels go 1c,1b,1a,

2c,2b,2a etc.

2b is average for year 2

4b is average for year 6

Doh - sorry - brainstorm with c being higher than an a!!

Thanks. Hmmm, that means that in English and Science, DS1 has only gone up two grades in two years (I remember he was 3C in everything two years ago).

That does seem a bit worrying. We've had parents' evening and there was no indication he had any problems though.

Does look odd, SSB. Maybe it's to do with Year 4 attainment being teacher assessment instead of formal testing, so it's all a bit vaguer? (Ds has been given some very stick-a-finger-in-the-air levels this year - ranging from "5c+" to "2/3" (without any a/b/c assigned at all).)

I haven't read the entire thread very carefully because it's so complicated (& have had glass of wine, but here's my tuppence):

I believe that average for end of Y2 would be 2b.

After Y2, they are expected to move 2 sublevels a year, so a child who was 2b at end of Y2, would be expected to attain 3a by end of Y4 (2b ->3a at end of Y3).

So a child who is 3a at end of Y4 is doing a below average, but the 4c is above average. And 3a would be about right if they left Y2 at 2c standard. Whereas, a child who is 3c at end of Y2 is doing exceptionally well.

Aack! I've written that wrong, so sorry, I meant attain 3c at end of Y3, (sorry, sorry, sorry). [lljkk makes mental note to self: Must not post after glasses of wine].

I personally think it's sometimes ok for kids to plateau in ability, the kids are expected only progress 2 sublevels a year in a statistical average sense. Whereas real kids have good years and so-so years. 3c at end of Y2 was good for OP's child. So they could have advanced more by now, but hopefully if you & them put a little effort in, they will have another good year next year and leap up in ability.

3c at end of y4 (I meant, , )...
It was only one glass, but the family have gone down the road to watch a house fire so I haven't had tea, yet... crawls under rock now.

Oh Im so glad that someone has asked this as I was confused with ds1s results.

I dont understand these KS levels at all.

Ds1 is in yr two and got 3c for maths, english and science.

In laymans terms - what does this mean?

Year 3 is notorious for "plateau-ing." On paper, at least. The Teacher Assessments (their judgement as to how they perform in class, as opposed to a snapshot idea of performance on one day for a test) will probably give more reassurance. The Y3 optional tests are conducted under slightly different conditions than the Y2 SATs. This freaks some kids so the results can appear skewed.

tiredemma - I think it means that your ds couldn't have done any better. You should be proud.

The KS1 SAT levels don't equate to KS2 levels which is why children often seem to make little progress in Y3.

Children are supposed to make a total of 6 sub levels through the junior years hence the 2b-4b average progress scores expected through KS 2.

It's usually broken up as 1 sub level in year 3 2 sublevels in year 4, 2 sublevels in year 5 then 1 sublevel in year 6.

But it's daft really as not all children fall into these categories. Some make huge progress in one year then plateau.

The QCA tests are also very spurious. Some of the year 4 ones come up with heightened scores in some areas and lower then you would think in others. The year 5 maths tests are supposed to cover the same levels as the year 6 sats but are much easier.

The whole system's a bloody farce.

One more question- what levels did your dc have at the end of KS 1? If he was a 2a at that point then 3a/ 4c would be expected progress at the end of year 4 and therefore nothing to worry about.

Its also difficult to compare KS1 results with KS2 results because a level 3 in Y2 and level 3 in Y3 is different.

Is this really how it works (I've never really understood it).

We've just had DS1's results and he got
4, 4 and a 4c.

But he's only just finishing Year 3, so he's done REALLY well then!

As far as I understand Y2, they get Level 1, 2c,2b, 2a, Level 3, but the level 3s aren't banded. And for some subjects they just get level 2 with no banding. I think...

tortoise- thats probably right- as on DS's paper it just says 3 for each subject- it was the teacher who said 'read it as a 3c'

Turns out he got 4A in maths (thanks Doddle!) not 4C...