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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Report - gone back 2 "steps"

26 replies

MoreSpamThanGlam · 04/01/2008 16:21

My daughter was flying in year 7 with a great science teacher in a relatively new school. She now has her form tutor in year 8 as her science teacher. He taughter her the physics "bit" last year. Her report at the end of year 7 was a 7c for science. This year her mid term report for science was 6b. She has often told me how this teacher struggles to control the class and his style of teaching is very different from other teachers, just states the facts and you copy them down with no room for discussion or getting the hang of something.

She used to be full of it for science but now couldnt care less.

I feel like I have chosen the wrong school. The only time you get to meet the teachers is if there is something wrong or you request a meeting - see picky parent.

I feel like I am always trying to get her going about school, trying to get her interested - my education was crap, I never went and my Mum didnt really care.

I feel like I am not smart enough to get her interested in her work again. Her Maths is okish (5b) and her English is also okish 5A.

Its a long rant, sorry, and Im not even sure where I am going with this. But I dont know where to go next. Any ideas?

OP posts:
BBBee · 04/01/2008 16:23

what about the teachers who teach the other 'bits' dpes she like them? can you talk to them?

Original poster
MoreSpamThanGlam · 04/01/2008 16:28

Well not really - her science teacher is her form tutor and I would have to go through him IYKWIM?

I know I am like everyone else, wanting their dc to rach for the stars, but I think I feel worse because I saw the potential and now its disappearing.

I think the staff are a bit them and us. We have had a tough year and I think they will be happy to say its probably because she isnt settled at home which is bollos really.

OP posts:
Beetrootoyourself · 04/01/2008 16:29

do you have a parents evening?

Beetrootoyourself · 04/01/2008 16:30

YOu may find that a good teacher in year 9 will bring back her love of science...

Blandmum · 04/01/2008 16:33

and TBH the do wobble up and down on the learning curve.

A very bright children would be expected to make a good level 7 at the end of year 9

A level 6 at the end of year 8 is a very good result and would see her, 'on target'

What did she get in her ks2 science SATS?

Original poster
MoreSpamThanGlam · 04/01/2008 16:34

the parents evening last year was a 10 minute slot in the afternoon where I got to speak to the TA about the time she had off from school due to an infection affecting her attendance. Rubbish.

The teacher she had last year in science was amazing, she thought if she did well she would be in the top set and he would be her teacher, no such luck. The bottom set got him and the top set got her form tutor.

What can i do in the meantime, she revises but its reluctant, whereas before she was spilling with info after every lesson...

Sigh...

OP posts:
Original poster
MoreSpamThanGlam · 04/01/2008 16:34

She got all 4's in KS2

OP posts:
Blandmum · 04/01/2008 16:36

If the school is performing as the government expects, she would be expected to get a level 6 in Maths andglish and science by the end of year 9.

This would be considered to be 'normal' progress through KS3

Beetrootoyourself · 04/01/2008 16:36

If she got 4's at KS2 I would say a 6 now is very good

Original poster
MoreSpamThanGlam · 04/01/2008 16:38

In her "explaing your report" thingy, it said they they may stay the same or move forward, but should not move backwards.

MB - are you a teacher? Do they go backwards as well as forwards.

I know a few other parents who also think this teacher is useless. One of them told me she did not want to complain for fear of being branded a racist (he is Nigerian). I couldnt care less what his nationality is as long as he cares about what he teaches.

OP posts:
Original poster
MoreSpamThanGlam · 04/01/2008 16:40

I appreciate that she is "on target". But my "issue" is that to go from a 7c to a 6b seems .....erm....unfair? i cant explain it. I feel like she has been cheated in some way.

OP posts:
TellusMater · 04/01/2008 16:40

A 4 to a 7 in one year is a big leap. The 6 is much more likely really. Some children whizz through some topics and gulp hard at others, so (if the level is based on end of topic tests) results can be skewed.

In year 9 she'll probably get three teachers for Science. Maybe she'll get the one she likes again.

Blandmum · 04/01/2008 16:41

Yes, I'm a science teacher

We get all our kids to plot their results as they take each quarterly test. they wobble above and below the line.

TBH to go brom a level 4 to a level 7 in the first year, and for it to be 'rock solid' would be unusual IME.

Also when they move to year 8 things get harder, and they do sometimes wobble down. It might be the change in teacher. It might also be the almost universal 'dip' that you get in year 8....hormones?

Original poster
MoreSpamThanGlam · 04/01/2008 16:43

Let down by me or the school..

Should I just not worry about it and just be glad for middle of the road?

God, I sound like a pushy Mum dont I?

Maybe IABU

OP posts:
TellusMater · 04/01/2008 16:43

Oh, x posts. To be perfectly honest, I would suspect grade inflation in year 7. I spentmost of year 7 persuading parents that it wasn't the end of the world that their children's results were going down from year 6, and that they would pick up and make good progress once they adjusted to secondary science...

cat64 · 04/01/2008 16:44

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cat64 · 04/01/2008 16:45

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Blandmum · 04/01/2008 16:45

Totaly agree with you Tellusmater.

there is also the issue that some Primary schools cover a fair bit of year 7 stuff, and that the kids may find year 7 easier than year 8, because they have done it before

Original poster
MoreSpamThanGlam · 04/01/2008 16:48

Thank you MB, see thats what I needed...someone to explain it. Its awful that I feel I cant talk to the school.

I think what I need to do is just keep up with her revision and see how it goes.

Yes hormones have kicked in a bit and I suppose the 3 house moves in 7 months have not helped, so I have to take some responsibility.

Can I ask another question? Do any of you think that a tutor might be the way forward? What about KUMON? I am pretty skint but dont feel I have to brains to sit down and go through it with her, but I could certainly go without a few luxuries if it was thought worthwhile...

OP posts:
TellusMater · 04/01/2008 16:48

MSTG - a level 6 half way through year 8 isn't middle of the road. It is good. On target for a 7 in year 9 SATS. She's doing well however you look at it .

Blandmum · 04/01/2008 16:50

I totaly agree with tellusmater (again!)

A 6 in the middle of year 8 is a very good result. The 7 in year 7 might be an 'oddity' IYSWIM

roisin · 04/01/2008 16:51

Assessments are broad brushstrokes, and children do have blips of plateaus or moving down a bit. The important thing is that they are progressing in the right direction over a longer period of time.

I would feedback in some way to her teacher that you are surprised at her apparent lack of progress in Science this term, and hope she will start to improve again in 2008 according to her potential.

Do check her end of yr7 report though. 7c at the end of yr7 is very high for a child coming in on L4. (Target is 2 sub-levels of progress per year, i.e. L4a -> L5b.)

Are you sure the grade on the yr7 report isn't a projected grade for end of yr9 SATs?

TellusMater · 04/01/2008 16:51

MB

Original poster
MoreSpamThanGlam · 04/01/2008 16:52

Thank you Cat. TBH I am feeling like a rotten Mum because I dont have the brains to explain the blinkin periodic table and why x needs 2Ys to make z.

Maybe I should just wait until then end of this year and then consider seeing the head of year.

Thanks everyone - very informative and supportive - feel much better!

OP posts:
Beetrootoyourself · 04/01/2008 16:55

R your last point sounds about right

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