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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Should I query my daughter's set?

4 replies

aliportico · 08/09/2011 17:15

And if so, how???

DD2 is 13 - has been home educated all her life, and has just gone into Y9, to a comprehensive school we really liked. When the place was confirmed in the summer, they said to me that they would probably put her in the middle sets (for Maths, English, Science and Languages) and that they test regularly and do move students. I said then that she was pretty good at Maths and had done quite a lot of the GCSE syllabus.

On Monday we went in to school to buy uniform and have a short chat, and I took in some Maths and Science KS3 SATS papers that I'd printed off the web and she'd done (on holiday. I'm not really a pushy mother from hell, honest) - she got about 97% on the level 5-7 Maths paper, and 90% on the 3-6 Science one. They said they would pass them along to the relevant heads of dept, and that her timetable hadn't been quite finalised yet.

Anyway, by Tuesday afternoon it had been, and she's had a normal couple of days since then. She does seem to be in middle sets for English, French (she has done no French ever - they told me they would put her in the bottom set!) and Spanish, but was in top set Science to her slight surprise. Which is fine. And then went to her first Maths lesson where she is again in a middle set.

To make things worse, they had a supply teacher, who took about 20 minutes to even manage to start the lesson as everyone was naturally taking advantage! But DD said that the work was really easy - basic times tables - and that some people were struggling with that.

So ... do I get in touch with someone straightaway or do I leave it to see whether they do have tests at halfterm and whether she does get moved? And who would be the best person to make first contact with? I was thinking her form tutor?

With the other subjects I'm happy that it will all be fine and that there's enough new stuff going on to keep her occupied. But I do know the Maths curriculum pretty well, as I tutor Maths privately and have had to get to know it! And obviously I know exactly what DD2 has done and that she has a decent grasp of it. And I also know that if she has 3 hours a week of getting bored in Maths that she is going to hate it.

So can I query this without seeming like a nightmare parent?

OP posts:
FagButt · 08/09/2011 17:19

I would be inclined to give it a few more days at least before you say anything.

I think the start of term after a long summer break is boring going over times tables etc to refresh memories etc. By next week I think you will have a clearer picture of what level she would be, and so would the school.

aliportico · 08/09/2011 17:30

That's what I have been telling myself FB :) But was still fretting somewhat so it's good to have typed it all out and have someone else tell me it too!

OP posts:
cricketballs · 08/09/2011 18:48

it is common practice that a child with no evidence of ability/experience etc will be in middle sets. The test papers you gave in will not be used as (and don't take this to mean anything Shock) there is nothing to indicate that your dd completed the test herself.

give it a couple of weeks so the school can fully assess her levels

Talker2010 · 08/09/2011 19:05

Middle set + Supply teacher for first lesson = something to check and settle

They were not struggling ... they were being pains

Our middle sets do Higher GCSE ... so might well be ok

I would say wait a week or 2 to see

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