Secondary education

[Lostinspace42]

Hi could anyone help with an education term I don't understand? On the website of the secondary school my daughter will go to there is a baffling term. It says for some subjects children will be put in "communications groups" based on their SATS results. Does anyone know what is meant by communications groups? Thanks in advance

I've not heard the term used either, but I guess it might be what schools normally call "tutor groups" - basically a grouping for pastoral care, information sharing and things like PSHE.

Only the obvious- they will mail/email out according to what KS2 children got... presumably so that holiday homework is at the right level?

But there's no KS2 this year, is there?

I would say that's an airy fairy way of saying they will be put in sets.

If it's for some subjects, I think that means that for some subjects they will be taught in their form groups, but for others they may be taught in groups based on their SATS results (or for this year, whatever information they collect from the feeder primaries). "Communications" sounds like the school's own term for those groups.

Thanks for the help. My daughter was given an assignment to research the school she will be going to in September. There was quite a bit of jargon to work through on the website.
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Plain English has been lost in that school then. What a shame they cannot inform parents in language they and their DC can understand. That would turn me right off! Pretentious? Moi?

How are you getting on with the jargon busting?

My guess is that there is some (hopefully light) streaming going on from the very off

I think that's a bit iffy at the best of times, but will be complete chaos after all the covid interruptions

I think I've worked it out. They are setting by ability in maths and English. In some of the other subjects eg drama they will look at whatever the equivalent of Sats results is this year and create mixed ability classes. It's not a particularly popular or posh secondary school although it was our first choice and we have confidence in it. So the jargon does seem disappointing. Jargon busting used to be part of my job before I gave up the corporate world to take care of kids. I pity the parents who do not have this head start.

Sounds similar to what my daughter school does. They are streamed in maths and English immediately from SAT scores and those are used to set other subjects also like science and languages. Subjects like drama, music and humanities are done in form groups. In year 8 ours are then set in PE as well. Shame they can't communicate this in a easier to understand manner.

I guess its harder for schools to set as those joining won't have done sats so there will probably be more than normal movement between sets after the first and second half terms as they so their own testing to get a baseline for them.