Any maths teachers out there? Question about levels

[clam]

How are the end of Y7 maths (exam) levels likely to be arrived at? Would they be non-stat papers with "set" levels according to score, or a TA based on the raw score achieved? And am I right to be sceptical of a jump from 5A to 7C in a year? DS is OK at maths, but not that OK I wouldn't have thought. Or is that to be expected for top-setters? I'm really sorry if this sounds boast-y but I'm honestly curious and don't like to ask the teacher in case she thinks I'm doubting her professionalism.

In the school where I teach we arrive at the end of year level from the students sitting a complete set of SATS papers marked to the mark scheme and leveled from the grade boundaries associated with the papers.
If any of my year7's managed to progress from a 5a to a 7c I would be well chuffed! Its not imposssible but not that common- also if the 5a was from KS2 sats I would question it as level 5 at KS2 does not equate to level 5 at KS3. Maybe the level 7 has come off a modular test where a small body of work has been examined? Not trying to dimish DS 's achievements I'm sure he has made great progress! Hope this makes sense?

As there is now no level 6 extension paper at primary school, it is possible your ds was working way over 5A last year as it's the highest level you can achieve.

Blinking flip! I shall view DS with new-found respect then. Except he said most of the set got a 7c - and this is a comprehensive school, not St Paul's or anywhere like that.
I understand your point, nozjones, about the transfer of levels across Key Stages - we have that in the primary sector, with all the parental aggro that ensues. The thing is, if a child attains a level 5 at KS2, it's from the statutory tests and who are we to argue ? But of course, they've undoubtedly been coached to the test. Even more so in science.
Are you saying that a L5 at KS2 is harder or easier to attain than at KS3, because if it's easier (as it is for a L3 at KS1), then it makes the jump to a 7 even greater. We got his papers back at the end of Y6 and he got 97% so, by the standards set by that particular test, he was a 5A. As a parent/teacher, however, I would have put him slightly lower (5B), as he wasn't in the same league mathematically as some of the really sparkling, whizzy kids in my class at the time - who were getting 100%.
I fully accept your point re: modular tests, but I think this was broader. Must dig to see whether it looked like a SAT paper.....

There are SATs type papers specifically for end of Year 7 and end of Year 8 in Maths.

ds1 was at 5a despite being way above that at primary school.
after first cat test in first term in yr7 he has been on level 8 and not changed.
so many of his year were on level 7 in yr 7. Grammar school but even so...

Clam, similar situation to you. My ds at the end of primary school got a 5c in his sats (was expected to get a high five but had tonsilitis the week he did the SATS and was suffering).

Anyway, fast forward three years and his KS3 SATS mark is 7a (without much revision effort). He is at a grammar school and lots of children get level 6s or 7s, though. He started grammar in one of the low sets for maths but has now been moved to one of the medium/high sets. Interestingly, in his end of year report, his maths teacher gave him and 'A' for attainment and also a good mark for his attitude to learning, but said he was not working to his full ability and could do better

I have heard from teachers here that you cannot really equate level 5 at KS2 with level 5 in KS3. Hopefully some teacher will see this and explain why.

My dd got a 4a for her year 6 maths SAT and has been teacher assessed as 6a at the end of year 7.Excellent teacher, and she finally seems to have "got" maths, so very good progress, There are some 7s in her year, but not many.

The primary school sats never go above 5a there is a ceiling even if they are actually miles above that so the teachers don't even bother teaching anything higher. Most of DS's top set in maths went from 5a to 7 in year 7 then in year 9 they were capped at 8 for the sat papers with quite a few getting a teachers assessment of EP

My son (yr 8 but Aug baby) had to sit last years Yr9 SAT papers for Maths this year - and they were ALL expected to get at least a level 7!

He amazed us all & got an 8, but I was cross at the expectations and pressure. They tell them they want 100% level 8's in Yr 9

It IS a Grammar, but honestly!

To get a level 7 in Yr 7 is very good, well done mini-Clam!

Thank you Milliways . DS is August b'day too, but we had to stop using that excuse round about the end of Y2 as all the professionals say they should have 'caught up' by then! But it's interesting that, just by virtue of him being a couple of weeks older than the rest of my ante-natal group, he has covered so much more curriculum than those who fall just into September and are capped by that Level 5 ceiling. Food for thought for those of us teaching Year 6......