can an average child in primary suddenly pick up in secondary and excell

[mysterytour]

yes, dd has.

I bloody hope so!

definitely my friends ds has done just this

he was average or just below in primary school

now he is doing really well in secondary school ,in yr 10 and in top sets
a mix of late developer and great school I think

yes. I was average until GCSE. Then I buckled down and did really well.

Some kids, particularly boys can be late developers. Some have very specific talents that aren't discovered until they reach a higher level and are properly stretched. A lot does depend on attitude though, a lot of achievement at secondary is directly proportional to effort except with the very intelligent.

I was Same as branflake. Never gave a toss about school until age 14, suddenly got my act together & did quite well in the end.

But may I have the temerity to suggest that... it's okay to be below average at academic stuff? There's more to what makes success in life than being successful in school. Somebody has to be below average, it's not necessarily a tragedy.

Yes of course. Several of my Yr 11s last year (English) got Grade As, after achieving only L3 or 4 at KS2.

Conversely, a couple of the lazy little blighters didn't seem to make any progress at all throughout secondary!

I am sure they can. Ds2 is an example even more extreme than that. He had a mediocre school career, right the way through to 18, for various reasons. He's now 28 and graduates PhD in psychology next month! Never give up hope, I reckon.

lol, handlemecarefully. With you, there!