Y7 progress – advice needed

[Herbalcom]

So Y7 child has just revealed they're in the bottom set for maths/English/science (school had not made us aware). I wrongly assumed they were in a middle set.
Late summer baby, so always aware they were playing catch-up but primary school was fine – passed SATs with average scores, so no real cause for concern. Think 1 mark off greater depth for English.
Y7 'report' Feb and CATS were not amazing, but a few 7 scores in there.

Reading age good (age 14), but English CAT only a 3. 5 for Maths. Science grade 4.
Seems to do fine with maths homework.
I will contact the school, but wondering whether it's right they are in bottom sets? And what to do next.
Behaviour all OK.
It's a non-selective grammar school. Not had a parents' night yet.
I'd rather not have to hire an expensive tutor when it's an 'outstanding' school.
I will need to monitor homework more closely as had only really been helping with maths & languages.
Thanks for any advice/thoughts.

Why is it an issue if they're in the right place for their learning.

I'm not sure what a nin selective grammar is? They're at a grammar school but did they not do the 11+? In our area grammars are for the top 25% of all students so if she didn't get greater depth then she may just be the lower achievers among the grammar cohort. Not in a bad way but someone will always be at each end of the scale.

I was a bit confused by this with the reading age etc until you said it was a grammar school! Do presumably the top 25% ish?

How is a grammar school non selective? Confused.

How many sets are there? At DDs comp in y7 they were split into thirds with 3 sets each, so 1/3rd of the year was 'bottom set' in y7.

Also is this a school where everyone gets grade 7-9s? In which case no issue!

Yeh what is a non-selective grammar school please?

If it is a school that takes the top xx% (which is what a grammar school is – by definition selective) then being in the bottom set is fine tbh. No way we can know if it's right though. By all means ask the school about their progress though.

It’s unusual to set for anything other than maths in year 7. I taught in a school that only had two sets, so “bottom” set was nearly half the year. I’m also confused by the “non-selective grammar” but it would be astonishing if a child who achieved a 5 in their maths SAT was in the bottom set of an ordinary comprehensive and a reading age of 14 would have put you near the top of the year at my school. If it is a Kent/Bucks grammar then obviously there has to be a bottom set and the question is whether the work is appropriate. My son was at a selective school and half the “bottom” set achieved 8s and 9s in their GCSE maths.

It's a non-selective grammar school

Do you mean, it's a school which is designated comprehensive (that is, no selection at entry, or perhaps a small % entering through some kind of aptitude test), but retaining a historical 'grammar' title? Or an actual grammar (all entry via a selection test), but in an area where the main criterion is meeting a certain threshold standardised score, then places allocated in much the same way as the average non-selective school, e.g. siblings/ feeder schools / distance or whatever.

If the latter, then it's not overly surprising that a pupil with 'above expected for age' (but not top of possible range) scores to date wouldn't necessarily be ranked very high in a ranking of all pupils. If the former, then it's possibly surprising to the casual observer, but there are 'officially' comprehensive schools that manage to be anything but if you look at their 'priority attainment' characteristics on the DfE site.

One question to ask, I suppose, is Are your DD's teachers surprised at how she has come out in their ranking, given the scores that she entered with?

Not sure how a grammar school can be non selective?

Also I dont understand your CAT test scores. Normally they are standardised with 100 being average?

Grammar schools are by definition selective.

Do you mean it's a normal grammar rather than a super-selective?

If so then don't over stress - someone needs to be in the bottom sets, and the bottom set at this school is probably equivalent to middle sets at a comprehensive.

However, if your child is bottom set for everything, watch that it doesn't damage their self-esteem. Maybe look into tutors to pick up any areas of real weakness if teachers have concerns.

Tagging OP @Herbalcom so they will hopefully notice that there have been replies on her and will come back to clarify.

I was at a secondary modern school so we had the opposite situation and several people in top set maths got a D in their GCSE for maths. I was in top set English and I got my C grade on the 4th attempt. Anyone without behaviour problems was considered "academic" and was restricted in the GCSE options. Looking back it was very weird.

I don't know what a non selective grammar school is (maybe a school that used to be a grammar school before they moved to comprehensive).

It really depends on the size of the school and the abilities of the other children when it comes to sets in year 7. My son has learning disabilities but he loves science and is really keen to learn so he is in the top set for science with his 1-1 support worker and doing brilliantly. My year 9 son his bright but he has adhd. In a school with 5 sets per year he would be in set 2 for maths and set 4 for English but there are only 3 sets so he goes between set 1 and 2 for maths and between 2 and 3 for English like a yo yo.