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Secondary education

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Original poster

7a maths

172 replies

Wobblypig · 22/01/2013 21:27

My dn has been given a end of year maths target for yr 7 as 7a. We don't know what this means is terms of achievement or in terms of topic covered. Anyone know what would need to be mastered for this level? Is this a good level for 11 year old?

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motherinferior · 22/01/2013 21:33

I'm sure the teachers can help. And I'm equally sure you know whether it's a 'good level' for an 11 year old, in all honesty.

noblegiraffe · 22/01/2013 21:33

This is an astonishing level for end of Y7, it is roughly equivalent to a C at GCSE.

Level descriptors are available here

A more detailed breakdown of level 7 is here

balia · 22/01/2013 21:36

(Stealth boast alert)

What did DN get at the end of primary?

TheFallenMadonna · 22/01/2013 21:37

We do need a wide eyed and innocent emoticon for education threads Wink

Yes, it's a high target. I would not expect any of our current year 7s to reach it in my subject (Science).

Original poster
Wobblypig · 22/01/2013 21:40

No I am afraid I don't know a good level I am asking because I have a yr 1 son and a preschooler and my sister is rubbish at maths.I am the only one if the family good at maths but no recent experience of secondary school. I would not ask her teachers as I am her aunt not her mother !So thanks for rude response mother inferior.
My sister is going to help my daughter with her speech and language whilst I help out with dn maths.
Thanks for guide noble giraffe. Will look this up. Dn has language difficulties so it is very good to know that she is doing well in maths.

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Original poster
Wobblypig · 22/01/2013 21:42

No not stealth boast at all. I have no contact with dn school or previous experience of secondary school children. When I went to school 30 years ago we didn't have yr 7 or sats. The nearest thing I have is a yr 1 son so how would I know. Really if I wouldn't to boast about stuff I would chose something I knew about.

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motherinferior · 22/01/2013 21:43

I'm not being rude. I do think that your nephew's teachers are in the best position to suggest how he reaches the target that they have set. What with being maths teachers and everything. They're presumably not expecting him to reach it on his own - this is in the context of the education they're providing him with at school.

webwiz · 22/01/2013 21:45

Are you sure it isn't an end of key stage 3 target? ie end of year 9 not year 7

Original poster
Wobblypig · 22/01/2013 21:45

I don't know end of primary result I know she sat extra levels in maths but don't really know anything beyond yr 1 . With my children I am still with phonics and basic addition. Never been given an assessment level online because they are 2 young.

Heavens above if I was asking about my own child I could understAnd it but really..

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balia · 22/01/2013 21:46

You might want to check if this is a target for the end of the key stage (year 9) rather than for the end of this year. Her mother is allowed to ask and then she can pass the information on to you, whilst thanking you for passing on your superior math ability DNA, of course!

Seriously, it is great that DN has an ability she can be proud of; this should help her cope with her language difficulties. I'm sorry your DD has them too (you can blame your sister!)

Original poster
Wobblypig · 22/01/2013 21:48

I would have to check. Dn is the oldest in the family but 7a is what my sister said today as end of yr today. We assumed it would involve maybe basic trigonometry and maybe quadratics? Would it seem more in line for yr 9 then?

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balia · 22/01/2013 21:48

X-posted, sorry.

How are you going to help DN with secondary school math if you know so little about it? Confused

Arcticwaffle · 22/01/2013 21:50

In my dcs' bog standard comp there are a few dc in yr 7 who have this sort of target or are already at this level (I am very good at reading the levels of the whole form on parents' evenings when the teacher has a list of them), so I'd say it's very good, but not astonishingly unusual.

seeker · 22/01/2013 21:53

Check when the target is for. Targets in year 7 are usually for the end of year 9. 7a is good for the end of year 9. It would be exceptional in any but a mumnsnetter's child for the end of year 7.

What are his targets for other subjects?

motherinferior · 22/01/2013 21:55
noblegiraffe · 22/01/2013 21:57

A 7a would be a more usual target for end of Y9 (and someone on a 7a in Y9 would be expected to get an A at GCSE so would be good at maths), so it would be worth double-checking whether it really is for Y7. With the introduction of level 6 papers at KS2, it is possible that it could be a Y7 target, although this would be very unusual in my experience.

Ask your DN if she has a school password for the mymaths website. This has interactive lessons, tests and resources for the whole maths curriculum so would be really useful for you to be able to access.

Btw, trigonometry would be level 8. A level 7 pupil would be expected to expand a double set of brackets to get a quadratic, and they should be able to plot quadratic graphs, but factorising and solving quadratics is level 8+.

balia · 22/01/2013 22:01

TBH, a child who has a 7a target for the end of KS is clearly really good at maths (and more so for end of year using most target-generating methods eg FFT, in fact not sure how this would be possible) so probably doesn't need much help.

seeker · 22/01/2013 22:06
basildonbond · 22/01/2013 22:07

ds2 had that as his end of year 7 target - started Y7 as 6A and ended it as 7A - he's very good at maths and will be taking it a year early along with the rest of the top set at his school

(he has asperger's and dyspraxia so struggles with lots of things so I feel ok about preening about his maths Grin)

There were a few others in his set who got high 7s and a couple of scarily clever dc who got 8s in the end of year assessments so it's not unusual in his school

As far as I remember they did a lot of algebra last year and quite a bit of stuff involving triangles and angles - ds is miles better than me at maths so I do tend to glaze over somewhat ....

OP - it doesn't sound like your dn actually needs much help with maths!

LynetteScavo · 22/01/2013 22:12

It would be exceptional in any but a mumnsnetter's child

This.

It does sound like a high target, especially as teachers like to make sure targets are met.

Floggingmolly · 22/01/2013 22:14

Your dc did SAT's only last year. You knew perfectly well it's a good level.

Funny how you never get anyone saying "my dc has been given a target of 4a, is this a good level for an 11 year old?"...

motherinferior · 22/01/2013 22:16

Only on MN would I end up really quite seriously worried and upset about kids whose teachers bloody love them Sad

Original poster
Wobblypig · 22/01/2013 22:19

I will double check with sister - I dont think she really appreciated that it may be unusual otherwise would have asked more. dn is at comp and not extraordinarily clever at other subjects btu does like history and science. Held back a bit compared to maths because of writing problems .
I havent been asked to tutor or the like but asked to give back up as sister or bil wouldnt really be ablet o help with high school maths. So really there as reassurance.

Thanks for all the helpful comment - gives us somehting to ask about now.

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Floggingmolly · 22/01/2013 22:22

If she's really predicted a 7a by the end of year 7, I doubt she needs your sister or BIL's "help".

Original poster
Wobblypig · 22/01/2013 22:23

Floggingmolly - you are not addressing me are you ? My children would be worth boasting about if they did sats since they are 3 and just turned 6 especially since one can hardly talk.

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