'Secure' level in Y8 - not sure what this means, help?!

[VonHerrBurton]

My Y9 ds' school reports attainment based on achievement since starting high school. for example if he was level 5 starting y7, he is given working toward, secure, extending and excellence in each yearly/interim report based on that.

He is very much set 3 out if 6, middle of road in most 'academic' subjects and until now secure/extending is what has been reported. I take this as he's progressing ok.

However as we are approaching gcse years this is of no real help as to whether or not secure = potential pass at gcse, at which level? Need we be concerned? Is it borderline? Especially with the new levels 1-9....

I would and will ask school but you guys are very knowledgable and helpful and I wondered if anyone's dc school reports this way, or any teachers can help me? Ds is my only child and one of the eldest dc amongst my friends children so have little in the way of examples. He's doing a maths test paper just now with dh and listening to them has prompted my post.

Any help gratefully received!

Ask the school. I have never heard of this method of reporting, but the school should be able to tell you what his expected GCSE grades are - we have ours from year 7. If he is 'secure' he should be on track to meet his expected grades.

Our school has been using similar language to report progress and I don't have a clue what it means either. Dcs usually tell me.

My DS's school does the tracker thing, but on his it's all very clear and easy to read, so there are 4 different categories for each subject:

• a grade/ target they're considered able to attain at GCSE (so 1-9)
• if they're on track to reach that target (or above or below) at the moment
• amount of effort in class
• amount of effort with homework.

Amelia's right, 'secure' means on track to achieve target grades. It sounds like they haven't told you what those are?

Thanks everyone. Yes, that's it exactly - telling me secure based on ks2 ?? That doesn't guide me in any way as to what they expect he could potentially achieve at the end of y11.

The effort and participation is all very clear as a number is given with a list of what that number means. Again they mostly read 'could do better' in 1980s speak .

Oh well that's a bit rubbish then. I actually think it's kind of ridiculous when schools say in yr7 what grades kids should get for their GCSE's, but not to even give you a vague idea by yr9 must be maddening.

The school probably hasn't told you what it means because they haven't a clue either!
The academy chain I work at keep changing the grade boundaries, even the exam boards don't have a clue!

The expected GCSE grades thing is a total nonsense. In the space of 5 mins, dd's expected French grade went from a 5 to 6 and then onto a 7.....depending on how hard she worked - no shit sherlock!

Anyone who tells you they can predict or give target grades for the new GCSEs is talking out of their arse. Things may become more clear once kids have actually sat them, but for now I can't even predict grades for my Y11s and they're sitting the exams in a couple of months.

You need to check with school. 'Secure' in my kids school means working at 'national average' whatever that means. If kid has high target grade they should be 'exceeding' so 'secure' is an underachievement, if that makes sense. In my school it is completely different .........................................

Yes, woodland it does make sense

My problem is I don't know his target so have no idea. He is pretty average but capable of being slightly above, I'm sure, according to comments in reports etc.

I have emailed his teacher today and await reply.

If a kids at my school had a high target they were (finger in the wind) on track for, they would be 'secure', not 'exceeding'.

The school may not give you his target, because the targets are all nonsense at the moment.