7a maths

[Wobblypig]

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?

[BooksandaCuppa]

Had a quick look at the level descriptors posted above and found them quite interesting...(I am more than familiar with English ones but not paid as much attention to maths...) and

ds finished yr 6 on 5b (they didn't sit l6 or 'push' particularly at his lovely primary) and is now in yr 7 at a non-selective independent; he's in the top set for maths and apparently working 'just above average' for his set. They don't give NC levels (not in this subject yet, anyway) and most of the work he has been doing this last term and a bit falls squarely into the level 7 and some level 6 work. He gets almost full marks for class/homework. Having said that, I wouldn't describe him as a level 7 mathematician by any stretch of the imagination... in that I doubt he would be able to decide for himself what maths he needs to solve particular problems, iyswim, just that he can do it when put in front of him. (I'm sure that will come in time).

Genuinely not meant to be a sb; just reassuring that he's obviously continuing to enjoy maths and be challenged in yr 7 (it's hard to get used to the lack of nc levels when it's all you hear about at primary - full parents' evening has now been postponed twice owing to weather!)

OP's dn doesn't sound like she needs much help which is good!

[RaspberryLemonPavlova]

No comment to make about the 7A maths, but just wanted to say that my DCs comp always gives end of year targets, not KS3 targets.

[JustinMumsnot]

If this is really the target for the end of Year 7, it is exceptional and DN would be way ahead in maths and probably already be receiving specialist help at school since no other child would be normally be anywhere near that level.

Can't say I agree. DD2 is Y8 in a very ordinary comp and her end of year target is L8 and she is not the best in her year at maths by any means. There are several in her year working at L8 already as there also were in DD1's year.

[seeker]

the mumsnet effect strikes again. "Oh, no, my child is not particularly bright- level 8 in year 8 is quite ordinary at her bog standard comprehensive......."

[Shanghaidiva]

Well done to your DN!
My ds finished year 7 on level 7a and he will take maths one year early. He started the year 9 book in the last term of year 7. The targets at ds's school are for the end of the year, not the end of the key stage.
If you want to help DN you could look at:
trig
more complicated algebra
my ds hasn't covered quadratic equations at school yet - so something else you could look at.

[JustinMumsnot]

Oh shut up Seeker I didn't mean it like that.

[blueemerald]

A child is expected to make two sub levels of progress (ish) a year. So your DN would either be on level 7c now if it's a Year 7 target or 5a if it's a Year 9 target. I think if he was 7c in year 7 you/your sister would already know about it because that is very unusual (despite what you hear on here). Level 4 is average for an 11 year old. Level 7 is considered above average for a 14 year old.

[NewFerry]

Just to open up the debate, and move away from this particular child (who sounds very able/gifted in maths )
I wonder whether being able to sit a level 6 Sats paper, coupled with many primary schools focussing intently on Sats, has resulted in more pupils coming into Y7 with Sats grades that, in order for the secondary school to show the 2/3 sub levels progress necessary, means that high end of year targets are having to be set?

[NewFerry]

Flip! I've just re-read my last post, I think that very long and convoluted sentence was worthy of Sir Humphrey

[JustinMumsnot]

That may well be NewFerry. At our primary we are this year entering about 20% of the intake for the L6 paper. Two full levels of progress in KS3 would mean targets of L8 for those who make it. Now previous cohorts had plenty of kids who would have aced the L6 but we had no way of 'proving' it to the secondary school.

[ibizagirl]

Wobblypig. 7A is a good target for year 7. Dd had this for her targets in year 7 too and she got them. Although she had same targets for year 8. Now in year 9 dd gets work marked as A*, A etc.

[seeker]

7A is not a good target for year 7-it is an exceptional one.

It does so annoy me when people are disingenuous about this. Apart from anything else it fuels other parents' insecurities, and might ver well make theme devalue their children's achievements.

Level 7 is equivalent to a C at GCSE. That is not merely "good" for an 11 year old!

[Arcticwaffle]

Actually I would expect a bright 11yo who really is good at maths to be around level C of GCSE, maths has always been that sort of subject, quite young kids can be well above their age group in a way that's far less common in literacy-based subjects.

My dc are varied in ability, they are the sort of children that make me extremely relieved we are not in a grammar school area. But I am noting in their comp that level 7s seem a bit more common than I'd have expected. maybe the school marks high, I'll find out in the GCSE years, but I'm not particularly talking about my children when I say quite a few seem to be around l7 as a target in yr 7.

[basildonbond]

Sorry Seeker, but in my experience and that of others on this thread L7 in Y7 is not exceptional ... yes, it's very good and I don't think anyone's denied that but in the top stream of ds2's large comprehensive there were several children who were that level. His teacher told me he was doing very well (which I knew) but at no point told me he was exceptional, because in his cohort he's not!

The average in his class was high level 6 but of the 90 children in the top stream there were several children at level 7 and about 3 or 4 at level 8. The top 60 performers at the end of this year will start the GCSE course and will take it a year early followed by further maths in Y11 and they will all be expected to get an A*

Maths is one of those subjects where very bright children taught very well will find those kinds of levels relatively achievable. That's not to say other children aren't also doing well - they may just take a little longer to 'get' it

[NewFerry]

Out of interest, I checked my DS old school report at the end of Y8 - couldn't find the Y7 report!
He is now in Y13, and was given level 6A at the end of Y8. He scored A in maths GCSE, and is taking maths, further maths and physics at A2. He is on target for A/A in them.

In fact, this has cheered me up so much, I think I might take myself out of the dunces corner!

[wildirishrose]

Its common to achieve level 7 at the end of year 6 in Private schools. My DS and a few others are on GCSE maths in year 7

[JoanByers]

Yup, I had my DS do a KS3 Maths SAT a few weeks ago, he got 7A. He is 10 yr 7 months at a prep school.

[seeker]

Just as long as people realise that 7a in year 7 is not the norm- and don't devalue their children's more usual achievements. Which could also result in an A or A* at GCSE maths- level 7 in year 7 is not a requirement!

[wildirishrose]

Exactly Seeker, prep schools cram as much in as early as possible, while state schools go at a steadier pace.

[NewFerry]

Do you think the prep schools work this way as they are looking at the pupils taking selective exams to get into their chosen secondary schools?

[seeker]

Assuming that the OP's child is at a state school, I'm honestly not sure how helpful the experience of prep school parents, whose schools have their eyes on Common Entrance is................

[wildirishrose]

I'm honestly not sure how helpful the experience of prep school parents


We dont know if her DN is at a state or private school. Level 7 in state would be great and level 7 in prep would be just above average.

[wildirishrose]

Do you think the prep schools work this way as they are looking at the pupils taking selective exams to get into their chosen secondary schools?


Yes they have to cram a lot in before age 13.

[JenaiMorris]

I always assumed that's where the name "Prep" comes from. Preparing for Seniors (in actuality, preparing for the 13+).

And yes, yes, yes please will people stop insisting that L7 in Y7 is common!