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Secondary education

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

Original poster

aged 13, YR 8 and working at a 7C...

49 replies

QuicheOfDeath · 04/05/2012 14:13

in most subjects.

I am decidedly old school and just cannot understand these bloody grades, no matter how many times they are explained to me.

So, all I want to know is - is this a good level of working, should I do more to push her or just let her get on with it?

Thanks.

OP posts:
GrungeBlobPrimpants · 04/05/2012 14:19

Very good indeed!

Original poster
QuicheOfDeath · 04/05/2012 14:20

Is it?

In my head I see a C and want to know why it's not an A?

OP posts:
Original poster
QuicheOfDeath · 04/05/2012 14:20

and why is one subject a 5A?

Is this better? Worse?

OP posts:
BrigitBigKnickers · 04/05/2012 14:23

What subject?
If she got the 5A in a language or perhaps a DT subject- this would not be a bad grade to get as they start from level 2 on entry to secondary school.

GrungeBlobPrimpants · 04/05/2012 14:24

Because getting a level 7 at en as d of year 9 (whether a b or c) tends to suggest that said child on track to get an A/A* at GCSE if continue to work hard, as I understand it

So getting a 7 level of any description at end of Y8 is v good

So asking why it isn't a 7a is a bit like complaining why isn't it 120% instead of 110%. (If you'll excuse my maths) Grin

GrungeBlobPrimpants · 04/05/2012 14:26

5A -good for language or a subject they dislike/are rubbish at (PE for my two), not that good if any other subject - but it depends on subjcet really

Original poster
QuicheOfDeath · 04/05/2012 14:28

I think the 5A is in French. And maybe in Drama too.

She is going to be doing 12 GCSEs in September which I have carefully helped her choose.

I must say though - when I have a rare flick through her work I am surprised at the standard these days. It was FAR higher when I did the first set of GCESs. Or maybe I'm just an old bastard and have forgotten?

Thanks. That is minutely clearer for me Grin

OP posts:
mummytime · 04/05/2012 14:29

The number is the key thing. So 7 is better than 5, but there are reasons you might get a 5 eg. A new language. Each is unofficial ly subdivided into a, b and c, with c as the lowest, b means middle of the range for that grade and a means to of that grade neatly the next. Grade 8, is very hard to get and you have to show a lot of maturity and depth in your knowledge.

But there was a post here recently where someone admitted making up the a, b and c. So don't stress too much. Also on tests sometimes there are no questions which test 8 or even 7 understanding. So don't panic if grades fluctuate a bit.

Original poster
QuicheOfDeath · 04/05/2012 14:31

Oh I never stress or panic. Just thought I'd better try and have SOME understanding of it. I read the report and go on the comments made by the teacher usually.

She has an 8 in something, cannot recall what.

Christ, I'm shit!

Thank you all.

OP posts:
Theas18 · 04/05/2012 14:34

In our house its an "It'll do....." said with a smile and a wink....

But we are the "you got 99% what happened to the other 1%" family.

Yes the kids know we are joking BTW and aren't crushed by our criticism of them.

THe 7C will be a B or A by the end of year 9. This is the best you can do in most subjects at KS3 (maths level 8's are given. Not sure if official "level 8" for other subjects exists in KS3 tests) .

DT and language grades are always lower as they have only started them in yr 7. Again "in our house" THats the sort if level the girls get in PE too but they are not good at games at all.

Theas18 · 04/05/2012 14:35

GEt your DD to you. Her school will have explained it to her at length and what her targets are for next year/end of KS£ (bet she's aced the targets already!)

Original poster
QuicheOfDeath · 04/05/2012 14:37

My DD is useless at PE and is not arty or crafty.

I get you Theas and am very prone to asking where the A grades are!... I am not pushy at all - I never check homework - I trust her to do it. And I financially reward good reports. She was telling me that 7C was good so i decided that i would clarify this for myself!

OP posts:
TalkinPeace2 · 04/05/2012 15:25

at the beginning of school you start at the very bottom

1C, then 1B then 1A then
2C then 2B then 2A
etc
and for the top 10% of pupils, the number in their grading accords with their year group right through primary
so
they finish primary on a 6B
in secondary its roughly one number per two academic years
Year 7 = 6A then 7C
Year 8 = 7B then 7A
Year 9 = 8C and 8B
NB that is the VERY academic kids
mid range are a whole number behind
struggling kids are up to 3 numbers behind

and yes, when DD came third over all in her year group (of 300) we both asked who had beaten her and why !!

QOD · 04/05/2012 15:51

That's wrong surely talkin peace.

The expected level on leaving yr 6 or primary school in England is 4b

grammar school level kids me(I'm in Kent) are expected to start year 7 at level 5s

level 7 in year 8 is very good

QOD · 04/05/2012 15:51

Ah I re read yours. Sorry!

TalkinPeace2 · 04/05/2012 15:56

I quoted for the very high ability as its the nearest correlation between year group and expected grade
and therefore makes it easier to work backwards to normal grades.

mumeeee · 04/05/2012 16:12

Theas if I said that to my DDs they would have been crushed. We always praised effort and if one of them got a C we would not have been saying why haven't you got an A. I actually think that's an awful thing to say and not very helpful to a young person who has worked very hard. OP those grades are really good you should be proud of your DD.

TalkinPeace2 · 04/05/2012 16:56

mumeeee
that all depends on the internal ethos of the child and what they are truly capable of.
rewarding mediocrity of effort is NOT a good thing.
I EXPECT DD to be in the top 5 in her year for everything
and I EXPECT DS to be in the top 15
no ifs no buts, just work hard and keep trying and they WILL do it.

OrmIrian · 04/05/2012 16:59

Tis very good. DD is working at a similar level and her tutor is very pleased with her. DS1 on the other hand is on level 6 in yr 10 Hmm Which is not very good..... Grin

dreamofwhitehorses · 04/05/2012 17:10

Can I ask a question about how the grades compare between different schools.
For example DS is working at a higher level in maths than his friend at the grammar. Now I know the grammar is a far better school and also really pushes the kids, where as our comp seems quite laid back, not that much homework etc. I also know that DS's mate is probably cleverer than DS so I wonder if the grammar either marks kids down as they have higher standards, or the comp marks them up to look good.
Does anyone have any ideas as to what could be going on?

TheOriginalSteamingNit · 04/05/2012 17:36

How many times have you had it explained, OP?

To be honest, if you know she's taking GCSEs in the autumn, I'm sure it's no surprise that she is working reasonably well across the board right now. Is this the first communication you have had with the school so far?

TalkinPeace2 · 04/05/2012 17:39

OP if the school said she was getting all As but were in fact marking her vary highly on really simple work, would you be happy?

the main system may be a tad complicated but at least it is objective, which a B+ most certainly is not

webwiz · 04/05/2012 17:42

Well from my vast experience of how different schools decide on levels ie MN :) there does seem to be a difference.

My own DCs school is a bit mean with levels and 7s certainly weren't forth coming till year 9 (other than in Maths). I have two DD's that have already taken GCSEs and they went onto get lots of A/A*s so for DS I can see how the levels work within the school.

webwiz · 04/05/2012 17:43

That last post was for dreamofwhitehorses

GrimmaTheNome · 04/05/2012 17:47

Surely the OP doesn't mean her DD is taking 12 GCSEs this autumn...

My DDs school explains the levels really well. They give current, expected and target levels, and this year gave a table showing how (based on results for this school, in previous years) they were likely to translate into GCSE grades assuming expected progress. Languages and ICT were on a different scale to the others and maths different again.

Anyway, yes, 7s in yr 8 is good; language lower (DD has just done her yr 8 exams and the top level acheivable for French was a 6b I think, and 6c would be good). Maths can be in the 8s and at her school they grade science into the 8s too - she was getting a mix of 7s and 8s last year (chip off both old blocks Grin)

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