Year 8 Spring Reports...problem with English

[Lightsareonnobodyshome]

At the end of year 7 my dd was doing very well in all subjects, working above the expected levels and was graded as having an outstanding attitude to learning/behaviour and homework.
We have just received the Spring report which is great apart from one subject - English in which my dd is now working below the levels expected and has now been graded with a good attitude to learning/behaviour and homework, which my dd is really disappointed about.
What I can't understand is the change in less than a year and the fact that this has not impacted on any other subject, and why it wasn't an issue at a recent parents evening..?
One of my dd's friends has experienced similar results and when she asked the teacher about it, she was told that she was tired at the time of writing the reports and has a life outside the class room so may well have got some wrong....
This is a new teacher this year and there have been lots of niggles with the class not being engaged or pushed enough and misuse of discipline.
I have previously spoken to the head of house about some of the niggles but not too sure how else to address this..?

She is of course at that age where the work goes up a level and some kids do plateau out as the work gets harder. A good attitutude is still that - good! Sometimes a new teacher to the school actually marks more honestly because they are not swayed by a pupil's reputation.

However, if your daughter feels she has been undermarked there really is nothing to be gained going in all guns blazing and saying it used to be higher. I would suggest expressing a bit of disappointment at the grade and asking what DD can do to get a higher end of year result.

My DC reports seem to be very variable. So I wouldn't read too much into one subject especially if you got positive feedback at parents' evening. Some teachers also mark harder between year 7 and year 8. Personally I think that your DC has a good attitude to learning, which is great and really nothing to worry about at this stage. If you do want to address with school, I would talk about specific issues related to your child's leaning, not a mark on a report.

Our reports can be somewhat variable too. Some subjects grade by the last assessment only. So if last term was spent on doing 'Twelfth Night' whereas y7 was spent doing 'creative horror stories' there can be a big difference. Also, some teachers grade attitude harder than others.

Definitely don't worry about the Good for behaviour. Nothing wrong with Good