Targets/Learning Targets

[bagsforlife]

DS3 (year 8) has come home with a list of subjects and then 'level at end of last year' with numbers ranging from 4 to 7+ (4 being for subjects not studied before). Then another column with 'target level for year ahead'. These range from 5 - 8.

What I don't know is what he should be getting and whether these numbers are good or bad!!! Are they like SATs scores?

There is a completely incomprehensible paragraph at bottom of sheet about 'level descriptors covering a portfolio of skills' which explains precisely nothing.

Anyone know what it's all about (secondary teachers??)

Yes, the levels should be National Curriculum levels, and relate to SATs in yr6.

So in yr7 last year's level for Maths/English/Science would be his actual SATs results or his teacher assessment for SATs. (Target/standard is L4, can be L5 for more able students, or L3 for weaker students.)

At the end of yr9 the govt expects students to achieve at least L5 in Maths/Eng/Sci (and other subjects I guess).

Some subjects - eg MFL have rather different levels that don't correspond closely to the levels of other subjects.

In general it isn't really about 'good' or 'bad', but rather where is he now, and where should he be by the end of the year. ie is he making satisfactory/good progress.

Each level can be subdivided into 3 sublevels - eg 4a 4b 4c (a being top). At my school our 'challenging target' is for students to aim to make 2 sub-levels of progress each year. i.e. over 3 yrs of KS3 they should aim to progress 2 complete levels. ie. they might go:
yr6 4b -> yr7 5c -> yr8 5a -> yr9 6b

HTH

If it would help I have got level descriptors for English and MFL, if you give me a specific level I can tell you what they 'can do' and what they need to do for the next level up.

Thanks for reply!

Didnt really mean 'good and bad' just don't know what they mean at all. My older DCs are much older and we didnt have this sort of thing!

English is 6+ for end of 08 and 7 for year ahead 09.

French (which has never done before) is 4- for 08 and 5- for year ahead 09. (Practically everyone else has done French before).

German (which hasn't done before, but neither has anyone else!) 4 for 08 and 5 for 09.

Any ideas as to whether this is ok or not?

Thanks again for taking an interest.

L7 for yr9 English is very high: it's the highest you can get, and is much harder to achieve than L7 in Maths or English: so he's obviously doing very well in English. In my school (not high-achieving) L7 in y9 are quite unusual.

In my school our yr9 MFL assessments only go up to L5 - so that's a high target too.

L5 descriptors in MFL are as follows:
READING: I can understand longer written passages containing words and phrases from different topics. I can recognise if the passages are about the future or the past as well as the present.
WRITING: I can write longer passages giving information and opinions. I can write about the future or past tense as well as the present.
SPEAKING: I can take part in conversations, giving information and opinions. I can speak about the future or the past, as well as the present.
HEARING: I can understand spoken passages containing words and phrases from different topics. I can recognise if people are speaking about the future or the past tense, as well as the present. I can recognise if they are giving opinions.

L4 descriptors (so you can see what stage he's working at/towards this year are):
READING: I can consider longer, written passages. I can pick out the main points and some detail. Sometimes I can work out the meaning of new words from what I already know.
WRITING: I can write three or four sentences from memory. I can change phrases I already know to say something new.
SPEAKING: I can take part in longer conversations. I can ask questions and give replies three or four times.
HEARING: I can understand longer spoken passages and pick out the main points.

Thank you so much for your reply. It is very helpful and kind of you to take the time to tell me in such detail.

He does like English, and I think he's good at it, but never know if I am right or not. Did some work the other day that I thought was v impressive but you just don't know if everyone else is doing the same IYSWIM.

And as far as MFLs is concerned, obviously is holding his own too.

Thanks again!!!!

No probs - it was just a copy&paste job, it didn't take long!

At school your son should be provided with some understanding of the meaning of different levels and targets, and in particular the 'next steps' he needs to make to move up a level in each subject.

Some schools are better at doing this than others.

At dd's school they do "peer marking" and they are given a sheet to use with the sort of descriptors roisin gave to refer to. Dd brought one home by accident once - she's supposed to give it back as soon as she's finished with it. I've been begging her to "accidentally" do the same with all the other subject ones, but she refuses!

Students at our school get sheets with these sort of descriptors to put in their files/bring home once a term or so when they do assesments.

The English ones are very complex though - even the 'kidspeak' versions

I thought we should have had something with what these 'descriptors' are with the list of targets.

Ah, have just realised 'descriptors' means a description of what they are meant to be doing!!

I am being really stupid in not knowing the jargon?? Is this a normal phrase?? (very old and out of touch emoticon).

For English, have a look here english descriptors(start with the 'Reading & Writing Assessment Stickers ' -kid-friendly descriptors to stick in books.)

The reason I want dd to bring hers home is because the one I've read lays out what is required in wonderfully simple, non-jargonish English, understandable by the meanest intelligence (ie me!) I want the others to share with every other baffled secondary school parent I know - which is probably why dd's school don't let the children bring them home!

I think I may some of DS's at home of geography and history. I will look when I get home.

RavenAK - thanks for that. I haven't seen those before, and they are just what I need for my literacy intervention groups.