Y7 end of year results, new to Independent education

[TeslaGirls]

My lovely DD is coming to the end of Y7 in her new private secondary school, and is a bit down over her end of year exam results.

Historically DD has always aced tests (full scores in SAtS etc) and on the basis of her strong academic record she was awarded a full bursary at this new school.

Private education is completely new to our family, and while this is a selective school, it isn’t overly so iyswim. DD’s results ranged from A* (1) down to C (majority). She doesn’t know (or doesn’t want to say) what her friends got so I’ve nothing to compare it to. Reports will be out the end of the month so I don’t want to contact school just yet, but equally don’t want to spend the next month worrying she’s not keeping up - she’s 1 of only 2 girls who didn’t go to the prep prior to Y7.

Would school contact me if they were concerned? I’ve told DD how happy I am with her results as that I could see she has worked hard all year, but she’s really downcast

HAve you had any other reports/parents evenings during the year - what has past progress been like? Did your DD work for the exams - revision etc? What are her normal end of topic type test results like?

Due you know her actual mark or just the grade?

I don't know how your school works, so don't know whether they would contact you. If your DD is really down about it though I would contact her form tutor in the first instance to say just that. They could have a chat round her subject teachers and let you know whether any of them thought there were any problems.

I think often though it can be a shock for a bright kid, used to being at or near the top, to suddenly find themselves amongst lots of other bright kids and ending up further down the pile.

The school would definitely have contacted you if they were concerned.
I know you want to wait for reports but IME reports are not necessarily any better at explaining what results mean, so I'd personally just ring the school now. Does she have a personal tutor? Possibly ask to speak to (or email) him/her and ask if she could explain what the results mean and if you have any cause for concern.

Hopefully the report will give you more detail. Ours have attainment and effort grades, and then % for the tests, and also the % median for the year in each subject, which is always very enlightening.

As other have said though, does she have a form tutor she can have a chat with. Just to talk it though, and let them know she is down. DD always felt so much better after speaking to her tutor.

You can send them an email perhaps, let them know your DD is down, and might benefit from a chat, then perhaps the tutor can initiate it, if your DD is shy or finds it difficult to approach a teacher.

Thanks all, I bit the bullet and emailed her form tutor. He hasn't replied yet but DD has came out of school much happier today - she says her results have been explained more to her, and she knows where she needs to improve as well as what she did well.

Seeline I think you hit the nail on the head - she's gone from being top of a regular state school to being middle at her new school. Middle of top sets though, which in my stress over trying to console her, I completely forgot!

Thanks all for allowing me to bounce my thoughts around

I know it’s hard not to worry but please try not to , it’s only Y7 and this is really a levelling year ensuring they have all covered the same content. If there was an issue with gaps in knowledge or standard of work I’m sure the school would have raised it long before the end of year. Students come in from many different schools & some may have been pre prepped ahead for your Dds current school curriculum especially if there is a feeder school. In other subjects your Dd may well be ahead, just depends on the strengths of the primary school. It may simply be the format of the end of year tests and having the knowledge of how to answer questions in an exam format.
It all levels itself out but if Dd is worried then there’s no harm in contacting her form tutor, but if she is OK and reassured by what the teachers have said it may undermine her confidence if you start questioning her end of year result.

Ours personalise the attainment target’s so a child with a lower mark in an exam might get a higher grade than a child who scored higher but who should be achieving more; ask them how she’s doing against their exp for her individually

That was an autocorrect apostrophe!

It’s actually good that she isn’t best in the class anymore. If your midway, you have something to aim at and improve in and the class will be taught to you, rather than being the best and being bored. If that makes sense!

Randomly it makes perfect sense thanks, and describes DD's experience at her first primary school spot on. She moved to a new school for year 6 where there was three in her class all competing (in a friendly and supportive way) to get the highest marks, best feedback etc. DD really thrived on the challenge and made a couple of friends for life it seems.

I guess all this is me worrying that she's not going to fit in - she's already been to a couple of sleepovers in Y7, and their houses are immaculate mansions - ours is a tiny social housing semi. I'm trying to not let DD see my anxiety, but I know she is aware of how much other people seem to have. So on top of worrying that she didn't fit in socially, I began to worry she wasn't gutting in academically either!

Archie that's really helpful thanks, I'll wait and look at her report first which will hopefully explain things more, but I'll beat your advice in mind thanks.

to all