Sparx maths | Mumsnet

Hopebridge · 2024-09-22T11:11:04+00:00

Hi, My son is Year 7 and just wondered does it start at a high level and then level out? I'm sure my daughters was easier to begin with. She's year 9 and my sons is more difficult. He's always been greater depth for maths. Passed his 11+ but decided not to go to Grammar. He did it but the moaning this morning 😅🙈. Just wondered if anyone else found the same.

Elizo · 22/09/2024 12:41

I think it should match what they are doing in class so sounds a bit odd. If he is too set and your other DC lower I suppose it could be possible…if you continue to have concerns ask the teacher?

TurtlesDoNotPetsMake · 22/09/2024 12:43

We can even log in! Nobody is replying to my emails and DD is un tears as she keeps putting the wrong details in. I miss books.

Original poster

Hopebridge · 22/09/2024 12:58

Oh no your poor DD. I hope you get it sorted.

I'll mention it to the teacher if it's the same last week. He managed it but did say "urgh I hate maths" which he has NEVER done before 😬.

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Original poster

Hopebridge · 22/09/2024 12:59

I mean next week 🙄

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Newskool · 22/09/2024 13:07

I found Sparx English took DS ages, not because he didn't understand it, but the quantity and the way the sections were set up just seemed to be designed to take forever.

@Hopebridge check that what he's doing is only what the teacher has set. Is it possible he's clicked on independent learning, or some extension task?

SuperSue77 · 22/09/2024 13:19

I have boy/girl twins at different schools as daughter is at an all girls school. There is a huge disparity between the questions they are both set - for context my son is very good at maths, 100% in all his SATS papers, but my daughter needs more support. I help them both with it and the sheer number and complexity of questions is much higher on my son’s log-in than my daughters. And this is just the compulsory sections for homework, not the XP Boost or Target sections.

I’m sure this is based on their individual abilities and not school related as my son has seen questions set for other pupils at his school and he says they have a lot less and they are much easier. So it sounds to me as though your son’s questions have been set at the higher level. I’m not sure, but it might also have an intelligent feedback loop, so that depending on how often he is getting questions right and speed of answering, it may increase the difficulty/number of questions.

If you click on Independent Learning in Sparx you can search for topics and there is a default level - my son’s is set at Level 4 the top level, so maybe looking at this might give you an idea as well.

MoreIcedLattePlease · 22/09/2024 13:32

Sparx is algorithm driven, based on baseline assessment data. My classes will all have individual homework based on how their strengths and weaknesses identified on their baselines.

Please do email the teacher though! We don't want our pupils stressed out by homework.

Original poster

Hopebridge · 22/09/2024 17:56

Newskool · 22/09/2024 13:07

I found Sparx English took DS ages, not because he didn't understand it, but the quantity and the way the sections were set up just seemed to be designed to take forever.

@Hopebridge check that what he's doing is only what the teacher has set. Is it possible he's clicked on independent learning, or some extension task?

He is doing the XP work is that extension/independent learning? They have a target chart for XP points in the class so think he's trying to get higher.

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Original poster

Hopebridge · 22/09/2024 18:00

SuperSue77 · 22/09/2024 13:19

I have boy/girl twins at different schools as daughter is at an all girls school. There is a huge disparity between the questions they are both set - for context my son is very good at maths, 100% in all his SATS papers, but my daughter needs more support. I help them both with it and the sheer number and complexity of questions is much higher on my son’s log-in than my daughters. And this is just the compulsory sections for homework, not the XP Boost or Target sections.

I’m sure this is based on their individual abilities and not school related as my son has seen questions set for other pupils at his school and he says they have a lot less and they are much easier. So it sounds to me as though your son’s questions have been set at the higher level. I’m not sure, but it might also have an intelligent feedback loop, so that depending on how often he is getting questions right and speed of answering, it may increase the difficulty/number of questions.

If you click on Independent Learning in Sparx you can search for topics and there is a default level - my son’s is set at Level 4 the top level, so maybe looking at this might give you an idea as well.

I just had a look at he is on the default 4. I'll see how it goes over the next couple of weeks. Thanks for the feedback and tips everyone :)

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Pumpkins89 · 23/09/2024 12:11

My son is year 8 and has had homework on Sparx this weekend. He’s really good at maths but hates Sparx - says it’s like atom (learning) but worse…