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Secondary education

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

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Original poster

DD (Y8) struggling with Maths. Should I raise concerns?

16 replies

katrina81 · 07/10/2014 21:04

DD is settled in a good school in Year 8 now. She has always struggled with Maths - 3a in Year 6 sats, however she excels in everything else, especially Science and English.

So because of this she is currently in set 1 of 6 for everything - the school does not set separately and hence she is is with the brightest Maths group. She was moved to set 2 last year but moved back up due to her progress in the rest of her subjects. She was assured extra support in Maths but that is just not happening.

They have to do a weekly test and dd was told if she gets below ten again she has to stay behind after school. She has been accused of not revising - she has - lots and lots and ends up in tears most nights, she just does not get Maths as well as the others do. She is getting so stressed.

I plan to speak to the Maths teacher to try and come to a solution, does this sound reasonable or am I interfering?

It really is a good school but it such a shame they don't set for Maths, English or Science separately.

OP posts:

TeenAndTween · 07/10/2014 21:10

I'd be interested in how you define a 'good school' if they are insisting your child does set 1 maths when she is clearly struggling.

Maybe they get good results because people fork out for tutoring to help their child keep up in an inappropriate set?

Speak to the school.

noblegiraffe · 07/10/2014 21:14

That's nuts. You need to point out to her maths teacher that she was a 3a at KS2 and therefore cannot possibly be expected to perform at top set level. Ask when the support that you were promised will be materialising. Copy in the head of maths. Chase it up if you get no response in a week.

The situation is ridiculous, brought about by their crappy timetabling. They must have had situations like this before, as maths and English performance are very often different.

Original poster

katrina81 · 07/10/2014 21:14

You are right Teenandtween, it is not that good reading it back. She is happy with friends and all her other teachers are good. I guess the system is flawed as she deserves to be top set for everything else but Maths, she needs to be much lower for extra support!

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Original poster

katrina81 · 07/10/2014 21:19

Thanks noblegiraffe I agree with all you have wrote, it is how I feel about it all. Will ask to speak to head of Maths.

She was a 5a in English at the end of her year 6 sats.

OP posts:

Coolas · 07/10/2014 21:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

katrina81 · 08/10/2014 09:03

Thanks Coolas for your suggestions, I am waiting to hear from the head of Maths today. She was upset again last night, she cares so much about her school work

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ErrolTheDragon · 08/10/2014 09:20

What a shame - this school isn't setting (which is good), it's streaming - which is bad for children like your DD who are strong in some areas but weak in others. If they're going to make timetabling easy for themselves by streaming then they really should have in place support for those struggling with one subject in a too-high group (or conversely, enriching for those who are in a too low set for one or two subjects).

Yes, you need to raise concerns. Maths is important of itself, but it's also vital for so many other subjects especially the sciences as you get further with them. Your DD can't be the first child to have experienced this problem in a school which streams, they should have strategies to deal with it.

Original poster

katrina81 · 17/10/2014 18:56

Just wanted to add an update, still not managed to speak to head of Maths, he won't seem to return my calls.

Anyway her Maths teacher wrote a note and asked if she can attend booster sessions after school, her and another girl. He asked her if someone help at home and she won't get a C if she doesn't know the stuff in the weekly test. I'm not sure if I'm happy with her being told this in year 8 or not.

Her end of year target in year 7 was a 4a and she got a 5c. They said she was doing well. This was a different teacher in year 7.

OP posts:

ErrolTheDragon · 17/10/2014 22:35

How does your DD and the other girl feel about the 'booster' sessions? They could be very helpful, if you can encourage her to see this as a positive.

Is there anyone who can help her at home? There are online resources (eg bbc bitesize) and there's always people on MN who'll try to help explain things if there's some specific maths problems.

Hakluyt · 18/10/2014 00:13

This isn't setting- it's streaming. Which is a disaster.

Go and talk to them as soon as possible- they need to do something about this and quickly.

Hakluyt · 18/10/2014 00:16

Sorry- I hadn't rad the thread properly.

Make an appointment to talk to her form tutor- tell her it's about maths so she can talk to the maths teacher first.

Original poster

katrina81 · 18/10/2014 08:43

I have convinced DD that it will be a good thing for her to go to the booster sessions as she has agreed to give it a go.

I would love to be able to help her but I got an F in my Maths GCSE I am struggling too, I even asked on here for websites to help me but unfortunately I find it difficult. I will keep trying for her though. My partner is no better either.

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tess73 · 18/10/2014 12:45

If they just can't help enough would you consider letting her move down a stream for everything? maths is just too important to be falling behind in, if you can't stay with the class she'll fall further and further behind.
All the other subjects it is easier to overperform from a lower stream i would have thought?

tess73 · 18/10/2014 12:46

or can you get her a weekly maths tutor? not ideal and you shouldn't have to but i think it is what i would do in this situation on top of all the booster sessions.

Olivevoir · 18/10/2014 16:37

L5a in English and a L3a in maths in Y6 is a HUGE difference. I've been a primary teacher for many years and I've never seen such a discrepancy in scores, often it is the other way round with dyslexics and often boys (5 in maths and 3 in English) Has she been seen by an Ed psych? It's likely she has a very specific learning difficulty. It might be dyscalculia or possibly some sort of visual processing disorder. Tutoring or extra lessons might help but if she were mine, I would want a more specific assessment to find out exactly where her difficulties lie and a tailored remediation programme. I might even approach the school SENCO to see what support the sen department could provide in delivering this.

Original poster

katrina81 · 18/10/2014 20:12

Tess unfortunately she was bullied in the next stream down, that was part of the reason she was moved up.

Olivevoir she got the highest reading result out of her year 6. She got a level 5 in mock sats in year 5. She also got a level 5 in spelling and grammar. She was two marks away from getting level 4 in her Maths sats. Her teacher assessment in Maths was a level 4.

Will mention it to the school, I often thought the same about dyscalculia as I think I may have something similar.

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