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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

School targets destroying dd

33 replies

Emochild · 24/05/2015 09:24

In their wisdom, dd's school have targeted her with making 4 sub levels of progress this year

When she was given her targets at the beginning of the year she was told they were aspirational and just to do her best

In her mind she's been set up to fail -she's got no hope of achieving these targets in some of the subjects, particularly geography and history as the targets were set based on a general knowledge quiz in that subject at the start of the year which has no bearing on the curriculum

She now has stress levels through the roof and every day is a battle, her sleeping and eating are all over the place -she's always been an anxious child but I've never seen her this bad

I've obviously spoken to school and the doctors and they set that setting lower targets sets a ceiling for expectation and they stop trying once they have achieved the target

Why can't they see that for some children, setting too high targets has a horrible effect

Dd starts her GCSEs in September and at the moment i'm worried

OP posts:

MrsWooster · 24/05/2015 09:42

tell her / show her that levels are being abolished and that school are doing this for their own 'success' data, not for her. it's wrong and forward thinking, child centred schools shouldn't do it. Remind her that her progress is a measure of her SKILLS and not of her worth or her intelligence. All she is there for is to get the skills she needs for her life and to grow up feeling that her best is good enough.
I am a secondary English teacher so I am not JUST soapboxing!

Original poster

Emochild · 24/05/2015 09:57

Unfortunately I can and have tell her that until i'm blue in the face but she's a massive perfectionist and can't won't accept it

Also doesn't help that school level individual pieces of work so if she has 1 that drops it's the end of the world

OP posts:

lljkk · 24/05/2015 10:09

there really needs to be a lot of help for perfectionist kids.

MistyMeena · 24/05/2015 10:20

In your place I would be furious, and frankly as an (ex) teacher I'm furious on your behalf. Until you have had an anxious child it's really hard to see what over-pressurised schooling can do. What happened to a bit of fun at school? Why don't some schools see the bigger picture, educate the whole child? Because ultimately it's all about their targets.

If your daughter isn't likely to listen to your reason I would take it up with the school and explain that they are in danger of putting her mental health at risk. Schools should be aware of the increasing amount of self harm that goes on at senior level. (No coincidence in my view)

You know your child best OP . You will need to really fight on this one if you think it's too much for her.

MistyMeena · 24/05/2015 10:22

Sorry OP that turned into a rant but I have an anxious child too and feel so strongly about this!! Keep us updated.

Original poster

Emochild · 24/05/2015 10:26

She has a week off now but i'm dreading her going back -the amount of time she's had off with stomach upsets, migraines etc in the last half term is concerning -and not just because school are 'concerned about her attendance'

OP posts:

Millymollymama · 24/05/2015 10:36

This school is not the right ethos for her. It is not necessary to attach a level to every piece of work! Many teachers hate this approach. Is she at a RI or Inadequate school? They appear desperate.

I would try and arrange a meeting with the Director of Studies, or similar to get this problem understood by the school. If she is ill because of this, I am surprised they gave not had a meeting with you anyway. The teachers surely know she cannot make this progress. What would good progress look like? I think 2 levels in old currency. They may well gave failed her lower down the school and are trying to pressurise to make up for their failures. What has her progress been since she entered the school? Has it been even? Ie two levels per year? If so, 4 is just ridiculous.

Would she be better off doing GCSEs elsewhere? You still have time to change.

Original poster

Emochild · 24/05/2015 10:53

It's actually 'outstanding'

She started school level 6 for maths and is now an 8b
English was level 5 now a 7b

All other subjects she's high level 6 or 7

OP posts:

Millymollymama · 24/05/2015 18:59

So she has made 2 levels a year. What is their problem? Obviously the school is not outstanding for its pastoral care! I do think another meeting is worthwhile and you have the evidence that she has made good progress. I think there is no good reason for her to be badgered into making 4 levels of progress. As the new curriculum is introduced, there may be gaps in her learning so you might like to find out if she needs to learn some extra topics in line with the new curriculum. Maybe this is what they are referring to.

Targets can move in line with progress !! Setting challenging but achievable targets is fair. If a child learns quickly, a target can be moved. Learning can be accelerated. Why would they not do this to suit an individual who needs this approach? They would not expect 4 levels of progress of a very low achieving child.

ValancyJane · 24/05/2015 19:36

I'm a secondary school teacher and despise the obsession with constant targets. The school has to set ridiculously high targets for all students as then they can tick OFSTED's box about high aspirations for every learner or something. Interestingly some colleagues and I were chatting and in the last couple of years we've noticed way more girls struggling with anxiety (and in some awful instances eating disorders) and do wonder if the pressure from the constant targets and levels is contributing to this.

Are you sure the History/Geography target is based on a general knowledge quiz? Most schools use an amalgamation of the KS2 SATS results.

I think you should contact the school (maybe through Head of Year or her Form Tutor) and make it clear that your DD is struggling with the pressure. Maybe her teachers in those subjects could be made aware in particular as they can not push her as hard and reassure her. If I'm aware that a student is getting stressed by underachieving through no fault of their own, I will always over-emphasise the positives and try to be as reassuring as I can. Sometimes I tell them that everyone has strengths and weaknesses, occasionally with very kids I know really well I will tell them that I struggled with Maths at school and that no-one's good at everything. It's a safe bet your DD's class teachers hate the targets as much as you do and will be sympathetic!

Original poster

Emochild · 24/05/2015 20:33

Geography test included naming as many American states as they could and locating them correctly on a map of the USA and the history was based around horrible histories according to dd

They don't do history and geography in yr 7&8, they do theme which is a mixture of the two with a bit of citizenship thrown in

OP posts:

crayola8 · 24/05/2015 21:11

I am a little confused.You say she is starting GCSEs in September so does tht mean she is in Y9.If that is the case, then she has made 2 levels progress in 3 years , an average of 2 sub levels per year which is the standard expectation I think.

Original poster

Emochild · 24/05/2015 21:12

Yes she's year 9

They were her half year levels

OP posts:

MayPolist · 24/05/2015 21:27

I am confused still. If she is 8B in mats than wht is her target for end of year?
My Dc is in Y9 and easter was the last time NC levels were reported.They are getting GCSE grades now.

Original poster

Emochild · 24/05/2015 21:43

She's been told level 9 for maths which I didn't think existed anymore but that's what is written on her report

OP posts:

MayPolist · 24/05/2015 22:21

Poor girl! That is certainly a difficult task- to achieve agrade which doesn't even exist!
Seriously though she needs to stop being so hard on herself or she will be burned out before she gets to Uni.I am sure a clever girl like her can set her own targets for herself.perfectionism is NOT a good thing.I would run a mile from any prospective employee that told me they were a perfectionist.

BertrandRussell · 25/05/2015 07:40

So what are her targets and when is she expected to have achieved them?

Original poster

Emochild · 25/05/2015 08:49

You may find this odd but I don't think her specific targets are relevant here

The issue is that she's stressed by them, school have admitted they are high targets but don't realise the impact on anxiety levels

I'm trying to help dd manage her anxiety

OP posts:

2catsfighting · 25/05/2015 22:25

I think you are absolutely right to be concerned OP, and I would advise you to take your DD's anxiety seriously, and make a lot of noise about it to school. I have a Yr 10 child who is now refusing to go to school in similar circumstances, and wish we had addressed it earlier.

leccybill · 25/05/2015 22:45

Any school worth its salt would take your concerns seriously. Put in a call to school to arrange a short meeting with Head of Year/Form Tutor and say what you've said here.
We get a number of children (more often girls) who get anxious about the expectations on them, and a support network of awareness and mentoring kicks in. As a teacher, I'd be sensitive when talking individually about levels, playing down the expectations side and taking more of a 'as long as you do your best and you enjoy the lessons' stance.

Your poor DD. She sounds like she's doing amazingly well and it's a shame the emphasis these days is on pushing harder and not stopping to reflect and reward.

mummytime · 26/05/2015 07:18

If you believe she is having stress related illness then take her to the GP. Also complain strongly to the school, pointing out the facts that your DD does not respond well to stress and such (ridiculous targets) and that this is affecting her attendance due to the stress related illnesses. Most schools would take this seriously - but if they don't I would seriously wonder if this was an appropriate environment for my DD.

noblegiraffe · 26/05/2015 07:50

The school sounds rubbish. Levelling individual pieces of work is nonsense, levels are not designed for that so they are just making it up. On top of that research shows that individual pieces of work should not be given a grade but rather only comments otherwise the grade is all students focus on.

You could request that teachers stop putting levels on her work as it is causing stress. Ask for a meeting and state that it is school that is causing her attendance issues and you are worried that without action this will get worse.

Charis1 · 26/05/2015 23:52

schools don't set targets, government approved computer software does. ignore. ignore. ignore.

The computer programme can't tell whether it is talking about a human child, and octopus or a jelly baby!

BertrandRussell · 27/05/2015 06:59

Government software wouldn't have set a level 9 target. This is something else.

SugarPlumTree · 27/05/2015 07:09

Can't add much to what has been said here but in your position would be back into school. I know 2 year 10 girls having severe panic attacks and now under CAHMS and 2 year 11's with hair falling out so I would do everything possible to get it under control now.

After any telephone conversation or meeting send an email outlining what you have discussed so there is a written record.

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