What is considered a high attaining pupil now?

[Titsywoo]

DD is in year 7 and I've just been looking at the compare school website and they show low, middle and high attainers progress from KS2 SATS to the GCSEs. The problem is they say high attainers are those who left primary with above a level 4 in their SATS which of course is no longer relevant. So what score in the SATS now constitutes a high attaining pupil?

The DfE have not defined High, Middle and Low Prior Attainment for children currently in Y7 who as you say did not received a national curriculum level but instead a scaled score.

However, some guidance suggested that 110+ is considered a high score, however only 17 and 14% of children achieved this in reading and maths respectively, whereas previously 40%ish achieved level 5 or above.

A similar proportion on the scaled score range would be a score of around 104/105+.

In short, the two assessments are not really comparable.

How frustrating! DD would definitely have got level 5's for year 6 but in the end got 101, 106 and 108 for her SATS. The amount of high attaining pupils who got A*-C in Eng and Maths GSCEs at her current school last year was 98% but only 57% for middle attainers. Would have been nice to know but she has done well in her end of year exams this term (all grades 6, 7 and 8) so I assume she is middle to high attaining. Who knows! Thanks for replying :)

DD got grade 5s in her sats. She's just taken 11 GCSEs and we're expecting one 7, two 8s (new grading), two Bs, 2-3 As and the balance As. She went to a large school and there are quite a few above her who'll get As, As and the new 9s across the board, so I'd say a high achiever has to be in the grade 5 category to stand a chance of being these high achievers.

Thanks starfish. I do understand that but they don't use those levels anymore and I was trying to understand what a high achiever is with the new satsuma grades but it appears they don't really know!

Sats not satsuma! Ha ha.

High attainers were level 5, not level 4. Level 4 were middle and below was low attainment. As the SATS appeared to be more difficult due to curriculum changes, high attainers may now be more tightly defined.

Yes I know I said above a level 4.

That's the problem with satsuma grades... You're comparing oranges with apples!

No-one knows yet. They're anticipating a 20% drop from A*-C % to the Grade5+% tbh, as the reformed GCSEs are harder.
As your DD sat the new KS2, which was also harder, and none of her cohort have sat GCSE, no-one can say how they're going to perform least of all the DfE.
Did her secondary school do any kind of baseline assessment when she started in September? 101/108 is probably heading for 6/7 in five years time.
But these aren't predictions or forecasts- children make progress at different rates- she should try to maximise her learning opportunities whatever point she's beginning from.

And, maybe she got those KS2 results in a terrible school, or maybe she was crammed for 12 months to get them.... so many factors involved.

I don't think it matters too much children develop at different rates. My DS was barely hitting National average when he left primary and now in year10 he has hit 6, 7 and 8s and a 9 in one.

My gdd in year 10and will sit 10 GCSEs all will be new format9-1. Her sat results (which mean absolutely nothing) were 5,5,4. She is predicted to get 9 in 6 subjects including maths all 3 sciences (doing triple), spanish and geography. 8s for the rest eng, eng lit, re and art. She is in top sets since year 7 all except herself attained Kevel 6 in sats at primary. Don't worry, your child, if hard worker like my gdd will always be a high attainer. Don't rely on SATs results, key stage 3 and 4 totally different with different grading systems.