Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

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

Original poster

Yr 10 - grades going backwards.

30 replies

OrmIrian · 16/12/2011 10:58

DS1 is in yr 10.He gets a learning review every 6 weeks with target grades for end of the year and currently. His targets are all Bs. First report says everything apart from music are currently grade D! Shock Now that is fairly poor but DS tells me that most students are way off their targets atm. OK, fair enough I guess - only 6 weeks into yr 10. But the latest one that we had last night is worse! He had gone backwards in 3 subjects, and up in only 2. His levels for attitude and behaviour are all good or outstanding. So I guess that makes him just plain thick Hmm

What really confuses me is that DS said his last English test was one mark of a B - either he's lying or that hasn't shown up in the grade as yet.

DS can't tell me what the problem is - he is struggling with maths, he admits that, but doesn't know why science (which used to be his favourite subject) is so low.

I am feeling pretty desperate now. He's never been great in school - but held his own - and most of his school reports were along the lines of 'OK but could do better' but this seems really serious. And it's going to get more so. And it seems he is trying reasonably hard.

DH reckons we should make an appointment to see his tutor next term but I don't know what difference it will make. So disheartened.

OP posts:
Original poster
OrmIrian · 16/12/2011 11:05

And DS2 is being assessed for dyspraxia as he is in Yr 4 and way behind where he should be.

I seem to have fucked up both my boys Sad

OP posts:
Original poster
OrmIrian · 16/12/2011 11:32

Help! Has anyone else been here?

OP posts:
amerryscot · 16/12/2011 12:01

Could it be that the targets in Year 9 are on a different scale to targets for Year 10?

It is definitely worth meeting with the form tutor (or whoever can help you with academic affairs for an individual student). I would be concerned, especially as there are no effort/behaviour worries.

noblegiraffe · 16/12/2011 12:04

You need to talk to the school. Where are these grades coming from? If is target is a B but his current grade is a D is that fine because he's got the rest of Y10 and 11 to work up to a B or is he underachieving by 2 grades and the teacher thinks he will get a D at the end? How are the targets set? Is the current grade based on a firm assessment or on the marks of individual tests which could fluctuate.

Without a lot of extra information about these grades it is hard to know whether to be concerned or not.

Original poster
OrmIrian · 16/12/2011 12:11

Thanks

noble - "If is target is a B but his current grade is a D is that fine because he's got the rest of Y10 and 11 to work up to a B" that I think but I was under the impression that the target was for the end of this year. Need to check.

And I don't know exactly where these grades are coming from. As I say he did a test last term and got a C/B but that can't be included in these grades. I need to check.

Worst thing is that there is a traffic light system with red meaning 'cause for concern' - but I just wonder wtf we are supposed to do about it!

merry- "especially as there are no effort/behaviour worries." precisely! If he is already giving it all (or most) or what he's got, I don't see how it will get better.

But I think I will need to stop fretting and wait until next term to ask all my questions

OP posts:
Original poster
OrmIrian · 16/12/2011 12:16

I think I am all the more disappointed because when he started at this school he seemed to suddenly make so much progress. As if someone switched on a light in his head.

OP posts:
boschy · 16/12/2011 14:08

I am really absolutely sure that you have NOT fucked up either of your boys! so stop with that talk right now!

as far as I understand it - got one in Y10 at the mo - the GCSE targets are just that, so if target a B at end of Y11 then a D this early in Y10 is nothing to worry about. (mine are in a comp in a GS area if this makes a difference?)

seeing the teachers is a good idea, but I do still find all this grade stuff totally incomprehensible...

kritur · 16/12/2011 14:23

As a teacher I'll say that if he's not naughty then it's unlikely the effort grade means much. It is very hard to assess how much effort a student is putting it in, it depends on the level the work is set at. If the work is quite easy and he does it and gets it mostly right then he will get a good effort grade. If the work is more challenging then it may show up that he doesn't really do much beyond the minimum.

A few things you could do to help him (although the school will need to provide you with some details about syllabus etc)

  • Find out the topics he's going to cover in the coming weeks and get him to read ahead on them using revision guides (CGP are good value books). This will give him a head start with the subject knowledge meaning he can then concentrate on honing his exam technique.
  • Then get him to read over what he's done in class after he's covered it, to consolidate what he's done.
  • Find out specific weaknesses from his subject teachers, one or two from each teacher initially.
  • Carefully monitor his homework, how much is he getting and how much time is he spending on it. Is he just googling everything for the quickest answer or reading more widely?
Original poster
OrmIrian · 16/12/2011 14:28

" If the work is more challenging then it may show up that he doesn't really do much beyond the minimum"

I have a horrible feeling that might be the case SadThanks for the suggestions.

Glad I'm not the only one who gets confused boschy!

OP posts:
Original poster
OrmIrian · 16/12/2011 14:37

"I am really absolutely sure that you have NOT fucked up either of your boys" And thankyou for that too Smile Problem I have always been quite hands-off re school work - encouragement, help when needed, kept channels of communication open with teacher, but no pushing or hot-housing. Hoped the boys would get there under their own steam. Now I regret that a bit. DD is flying though - she is like me in school - I guess I hoped they would all be like that.

OP posts:
Tigerstripes · 16/12/2011 17:53

I am a teacher and our reporting system is just as confusing for parents as yours sounds! If the grade on the report is based on the last assessed piece of work, it is quite possible it could look like Nevis going backwards. Particularly in English as all the topics test different strengths, e.g could get a C in a creative writing controlled assessment but then a D in the Shakespeare controlled assessment as that tests a different skill. The grades alone taken in chronological order would give the impression the child is going backwards when that is not the case.
You need to get in touch with head of year and ask them to tell you what the report grades are based on.

roisin · 16/12/2011 17:59

I think there's a huge amount of pressure on teachers and students, and sometimes these 6-weekly rounds of assessments/reporting don't always help.

ds1 is stressed up to his eye-balls, because he has sky-high targets. (Currently just about meeting them fortunately.)

Another mate just phoned me cos her dd had just got Es in mocks for modules they are sitting straight after Christmas, when her targets are Cs. (The new English spec is tough.)

Personally I don't agree with "hands-off" parenting; IMO it doesn't work, especially with 'a tendency to be lazy' boys.

Original poster
OrmIrian · 16/12/2011 20:14

"Personally I don't agree with "hands-off" parenting; IMO it doesn't work, especially with 'a tendency to be lazy' boys."

Ha! Now you tell me ! Grin

Thanks all. You know I am just going to have to forget all about it until I get a chance to speak to his HOY or tutor. Weird thing is that his tutor has always seemed really confident that DS was doing OK. And OK is all I am asking for really. I will leave 'brilliant' to DD Wink

Still DS is going to use his guitar to get rich and when he's a rock star he can buy my a rock star mum's bungalow with gold tapsGrin

OP posts:
MrsJAlfredPrufrock · 16/12/2011 22:01

Orm - you need to read this book: here

karatekimmi · 17/12/2011 16:45

As a teacher we have a ridiculous system, children can't make backwards progress and all pupils are "outstanding" unless their has evidence documented otherwise. I would assume his targets are gcse targets (a grade a year is usual expected progress) and the step from ks3 to ks4 isn't the same - getting a grade d in yr 9 is easier than in yr 10 on the new gcse syllabus. If you have queried it, and the pt is happy with effort and attitude, I wouldn't worry. More progress is made in yr 11! Keep supporting him and making sure he is working hard.

Original poster
OrmIrian · 19/12/2011 11:27

Thanks for all your responses.

Dh and I have had a talk, and we have both chatted to DS. He seems a bit bewildered tbh as he wasn't aware he was doing so badly - he knows there are areas that he struggles with (algebra being a case in point!). So, first thing next term we are making an appointment with the HOY. And we have come up with a simple way of working out if DS could do better but isn't making the effort - a fiver for each subject grade that he improves - ie a D to a C. That would have made me put my skates on and DS has a healthy respect for cash! Wink.

OP posts:
mumslife · 19/12/2011 12:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mumslife · 19/12/2011 12:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Sonnet · 19/12/2011 12:50

Hi,
I too have a dd in Yr 10 and I share your confusion.

Just wondered though why you are waiting until Jan to sort it out. If he is struggleing with Algebra why not sort it out over the hols?
I also recommend reading over notes after the lesson - this has helped DD1 with Physics and Chemistry.
DD will spend a few hours over the holidays making sure her notes are all up to date and going over topics on Mymaths.

Original poster
OrmIrian · 19/12/2011 12:52

sonnet - I am waiting until Jan to speak to his tutor. Can't get hold of him before then. He has the triple science GCSE revision books already and is using them.

OP posts:
Sonnet · 19/12/2011 13:06

Oh understand now!
Good Luck Smile

Kellogg · 19/12/2011 13:24

We do six weekly grades to go home .

Sometimes they go down because they are being tested on a wider range of material. It is easier to revise six weeks of work than 12.

The level of concern would vary according to the subject . If science or baths is modular he needs to be on or close to target now. For a course being examined at the end of year 11 I would not be too concerned by a student under target by one grade. If they were under by two I would be concerned and working with that student at this stage , more than two and you would have heard from me and your child would be resitting and attending extra classes .

mumslife · 19/12/2011 13:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mumslife · 19/12/2011 13:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Kellogg · 19/12/2011 13:35

It does depend on the subject, but I think reflecting on last students that seems fair enough.