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Original poster

Reception - they've got to be kidding me...

102 replies

emy72 · 18/03/2010 08:30

I have just received DD's school profile. They assessed her in all 6 areas of learning in October and then again now, showing a wonderful progress from 2s and 3s to 6s, 7s, 8s and even a 9. Well it's absolute TOSH.
I am fuming. There is no way she was a 2 and 3 at the beginning of reception, looking at all the descriptors - and I have her nursery report to back it up (from the same school!), she was at least a 6 and 7 in everything. So what I am saying here is that she has made very little progress although looking at her report the school looks fantastic having brought her on so much...
This is an absolute farse. What am I going to do about this? It's really alarming as I already suspected that my DD had learnt very little - ok she is having fun, but she is the sort of girl that would have fun anywhere given a room full of children - I just get the feeling she has been left to fester, academically speaking - she has been on ORT level 2 since the beginning - not gone up a level at all, despite reading most books at home - and number work has stayed the same too since the beginning. I am absolutely fuming, what would you do?
Sorry for the long rant xx

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lovingmy2 · 18/03/2010 13:11

If your children is 6 and 7's across the board by July they are classed as secure learners. 8's and 9's and they are gifted and talented.

Boco · 18/03/2010 13:13

What do all these numbers mean? I have a dd in reception and had parents evening and no targets or numbers were mentioned - just things like 'she made a fabulous model of New York out of a cardboard box and loves dressing up and drawing and cooking and running around outside'.

For me 5 is too little for much else anyway, it should all be learning through playing, but am surprised they have targety numbers.

lovecheese · 18/03/2010 13:15

emy72 can I just hijack your thread for a mo? thanks; lovingmy2 - what are these levels that you mention? Is it anything to do with benchmark assessments? thanks.

helyg · 18/03/2010 13:15

We don't have targety numbers in Wales, or at least if we do we parents never hear about them! But then we don't have SATS or league tables either...

Boco · 18/03/2010 13:17
Boco · 18/03/2010 13:17

Now there's something I never thought I'd write

mamatomany · 18/03/2010 13:18

Gosh you wait until she's in year 6 and the school is lying to her secondary school in order that the value add figures look great and she shock horror passes 5 GCSE's which she probably could have managed at 11.

The whole system is bullshit and until there is a radical change or you go private you'll be doing a lot of banging your head against a brick wall.

paisleyleaf · 18/03/2010 13:20

My DD's in reception and no one's talked to me about target numbers either.

Veritythebrave · 18/03/2010 13:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

lovingmy2 · 18/03/2010 13:24

there are 6 areas of learning and each area as a number from 1-9. 9 being the highest they can achieve which is a level 1b/c. Reaching a 6 at the end of reception is what you want every child to do which should make them on target to get the magic level 4 by year 6. scoring 7's they are above average learners and 8's and 9's are g&t.

will find the link and post it for you.

TheCrackFox · 18/03/2010 13:25

Move to Scotland, she would still be in nursery having fun instead of being endlessly (and pointlessly) assessed.

sherby · 18/03/2010 13:29

Just had DDs parents evening and she was 2/3/4 for everything

I couldn't care less about some arbitrary scoring system that says frik all about my child

lovecheese · 18/03/2010 13:30

thanks - DD2's teacher wrote that she had achieved level 9 in "PM benchmark assessment" at the end of reception, and indeed had reached a 1b. Haven't really been able to find out what this means in parentspeak, I suppose the logical thing would have been to ask her teacher but she is SCARY. Might be something completely different, will await that link. Incidentally am pretty sure she is G&T now in yr1 but havent asked and frankly dont need to know.

Builde · 18/03/2010 13:30

These reports are really only to assess the school. I'm sure that Oxbridge won't ask for them!

However, if it looks like they are being fiddled to show how wonderfully a child has improved (e.g. children given low starting points) then I would be cross.

I would also be cross if my child wasn't being given appropriate reading books. But we've never had this problem.

My dd's report at the end of reception had all the EYF's 'topics' across the top and the levels down the side. They were assessed several times in the year, and each time topics and levels were filled in.

I didn't really give it much thought, was just interested to see where she was at the end of the year. More interesting was the A4 'traditional' report.

Now, in year 1, our parents evenings are much more academic, with reading levels being discussed etc.

lovingmy2 · 18/03/2010 13:33

Lovecheese your daughter is doing fab. by the end of year 1 if she started out a 1b then she should leave a 2c which if they left year 1 as a 1A you'd be thrilled.

Builde · 18/03/2010 13:33

To love cheese;

1B isn't an EYFS thing; it's to do with attainment levels.

So, at age 11, children will be achieving levels 3 - 6. (This is what sats measures).

At the end of infants, (KS1), children will be reaching levels 1 - 3. (I think, I'm right on this).

Reading schemes often give levels related to these as well as book band levels.

So, you might see a book that is Book Band turquoise and National Curriculum level 2C.

BadGardener · 18/03/2010 13:36

Emy I would be annoyed too.
Not because I would feel my dd had wasted time but because the school is either being frankly dishonest, or it is clearly inadequate in its procedures for assessing where they are at the beginning. Either way, it means they are clearly talking codswallop and I value intellectual honestly highly and want my dcs to be educated in an environment which does too.
But this is what happens when you have a system so heavily reliant on targets and league tables.

lovecheese · 18/03/2010 13:37

Thanks both of you, and particularly to lovingmy2 for your kind comment.

lovingmy2 · 18/03/2010 13:41

KS1 works through levels 1C-2A
KS2 works through levels 2B-5A

by end of KS1 2A is a good secure learner (3C G&T)

Year 3 consolidates Y2 work in first 1/2 term levels 2B and 2A before moving onto level 3 work.

helyg · 18/03/2010 13:43

Seriously, no SATS in Wales.

We don't need them to farm sheep and mine coal

helyg · 18/03/2010 13:44

Oh, and the Foundation Phase (ie learning through play) continues to the end of Year 2.

What a load of slackers we are

mymumsweats · 18/03/2010 13:45

"Lovecheese your daughter is doing fab. by the end of year 1 if she started out a 1b then she should leave a 2c which if they left year 1 as a 1A you'd be thrilled."

This kind of thing just gives me a headache

(No offence meant to lovemy2 - it's not you but the system that is annoying)

lovingmy2 · 18/03/2010 13:45

but what fun

lovingmy2 · 18/03/2010 13:49

system is annoying but unfortunately a system our children are educated in and no offence taken. I get a headache at every staff meeting when we get told to crunch our data and how many children are on course to get this level and that and what am i doing with those not on target etc etc yawn yawn. So glad i'm on mat leave for another few months