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Parents informed about Level 6 SATS

96 replies

lisson · 19/03/2013 10:40

Do primary schools tell the parents if their child is going to sit the level 6 SATS?

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DeWe · 19/03/2013 11:16

Mine didn't.
Probably to stop parents boasting and others rushing to to complain that their child should.

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mankyscotslass · 19/03/2013 11:19

I got told last week that DS1 is "being given the opportunity" Hmm to sit the Level 6 maths.

Thankfully no mention of a level 6 for Literacy - she said he is a secure 5b, working towards 5a for that.

TBH, most parents I've spoken to whose children are sitting the level 6 papers are more worried about the pressure on them than boasting about it.

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Myliferocks · 19/03/2013 11:24

We were told at parents evening in February that DD3 would be sitting the level 6 paper in literacy but we were only told because it was parents evening iyswim.

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lisson · 19/03/2013 11:44

I've been posting elsewhere about DS. To cut a long story short, he could do with a confidence boost right now.
He's working at level 6 in maths and has passed a test paper. He doesn't mind doing maths exams (prob because he hasn't encountered one that matters yet), so I think it would be good for his self confidence to leave primary with a level 6 in maths.
The cut off date for registering the children for level 6 SATS is this Friday (I found this out by accident yesterday when looking for something else). However, the school haven't said anything even though it was parents night recently.

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BooksandaCuppa · 19/03/2013 12:27

It's the pressure of the test itself that I think parents are concerned about but the five years of pressure throughout secondary that they must achieve A* for the school to show progress. I wouldn't let my ds sit level 6 paper for that reason. A lot can happen in 6 years.

Ds went off to secondary officially a level 5 and is working at level 7 in year 7. Not doing the level 6 paper didn't hold him back.

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BooksandaCuppa · 19/03/2013 12:29

Sorry, *not' the pressure of the test itself...

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lisson · 19/03/2013 13:26

I hadn't thought of that. In fact, I didn't even know that secondary schools need to demonstrate expected progress too. It makes sense though given that primary schools have to do it. And, of course, you are right, if some primary teachers are willing to pass their stress onto the children, then secondary teachers will have no problem passing their onto teenagers.

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lisson · 19/03/2013 13:27

mind you, it would only be one more sublevel from a 5A ...

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TomArchersSausage · 19/03/2013 13:31

Oh gawd don't tell me there's potentially another layer to all this sats nonsense. I'd pull mine out of the whole thing if I couldHmm

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drivinmecrazy · 19/03/2013 13:40

Agree wholeheartedly with BooksandaCuppa fortunately DD1's yr6 last year weren't put in for level 6 but this years yr6 are having breakfast clubs and after school lessons for those that are sitting level 6 papers. DD came out with all level 5s and now is happily working at level 7 english and maths in yr7, and is exceeding all targets in other subjects. What a shame that their last year of primary is spent stressing over exams. My DD had a glorious final year at primary, lots of fun and focus on the last year of no academic pressure. she looks back at last year as a magical time

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lljkk · 19/03/2013 14:08

DD is not because of timetable conflict. Unless she sits last yrs L6 test voluntarily & is internally marked (her teacher is looking into it). I think just as well for her to have reasonable targets in KS3/4, too.

I understand writing level is internally marked, anyway, so maybe will have a shot at 6 on that.

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ChippyMinton · 19/03/2013 14:17

We were told at parents evening, and are also having breakfast club twice a week (although I think it's for all of Yr 6).

Interesting to hear what BooksandaCuppa said about expected progress - that explains the teacher's remark about the secondaries not liking the primaries sending kids up with a level 6.

Apparently the Literacy is harder to achieve than the Maths because it requires a level of maturity of understanding found in a 14 yo. As opposed to Maths which is based on facts, I suppose.

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lisson · 19/03/2013 14:24

The maturity angle makes sense. Isn't it true that most genius mathematicians produce their best work in their early 20s and burn out/ have a nervous breakdown before they are 30? So, I guess that maths is one of those things that you can do exceptionally well at an early age.

Not that a level 6 when you are 10 or 11 years old is exceptional or the mark of a genius....

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StuffezLaBouche · 19/03/2013 19:02

I have parents' evening next week and will suggest it to parents then. I am dreading the backlash though, as I know how competitive the parents are. I have already had one ill-informed mum come in to tear a strip off me, asking why her level 4 child isn't receiving level 6 tuition when x, y and z (who are far stupider, obviously) are.

Luckily my level 6 maths candidates have been having one level 6 lesson a week with a specialist since September, so there should be no shocks there.

Feeling a little deflated and ready to let fly, tbh, as I've been doing 3 early morning revision clubs for various groups all this term. Physically couldn't give any more.

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Myliferocks · 19/03/2013 20:43

My DD3 goes to a middle school so stays at the same school until the end of year 8. There's 10 of them out of a year group of 125 doing the level 6 literacy paper. They are doing one session a week extra preparation for the level 6.
I don't know about Maths.

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ThreeBeeOneGee · 19/03/2013 20:46

We've been told that DS2 will be doing the level 6 paper for Maths. About half of his English set will be sitting the level 6 paper.

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teacherwith2kids · 19/03/2013 21:18

DS's teacher - who had his psychology down to a T - told him that IF some children made it worth her while, she COULD order some Level 6 Maths papers. But she wouldn't unless they made it worth it...

A far as I remember, 15 % of the year group got Level 6. They did have a secondary maths teacher from the local secondary come in to teach the more able kids one afternoon every fortnight - not specifically Level 6 material, much more problem solving, team maths, talking about maths - and I suspect that was to allay any fears from the secondary that the children weren't really that level. Certainly DS in Year 7 has a target level of 8A at the end of KS3 and is getting low level 7s in tests at the moment.

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teacherwith2kids · 19/03/2013 21:20

(DS did do the Level 6 reading paper, but got a Level 5, which I think is totally fair given his rlative immaturity and how this affects his understanding of subtext [he has many ASD traits and finds non-literal meaning very hard]. His end Year 9 target for English is 8c)

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Sparklingbrook · 19/03/2013 21:24

DS2 will be doing the level 6 English paper, don't know about Maths.

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areyoubeingserved · 19/03/2013 23:29

DD is doing the English and Maths 6, am aware isn't a proper 6 in the sence, more like a 5* as a secondary level 6 is much more in depth. Not a fan of them tbh, though DD certainly wants to sit the papers as do her teachers. Sats work is mostly done through homework and practice session once a week during school time and we are doing no extra revision at home.

I've told her getting a 5 is fantastic, so that's her goal but know she'll do her best hopefully in the day. Can't believe they're doing the level 5 and 6s on same day! The 6 was done the week after last year. Grrrr.

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bangwhizz · 20/03/2013 09:18

We had a letter home to ask permission that she be put in for L6 but she didn't do any extra classes or anything like that

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lljkk · 20/03/2013 09:36

15 % of the year group got Level 6
There's 10 of them out of a year group of 125 doing the level 6 literacy paper. (8%)

Blimey, it's 0.5-3% nationally. I get the impression that about 3% at DD's school are working at or near L6 (in something).

RUBingServed: Can't believe they're doing the level 5 and 6s on same day! The 6 was done the week after last year.

Well that's very strange. DD's teacher was adamant that this year the L6 is the week after. (I think teacher meant L6maths, did you mean maths?)

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Myliferocks · 20/03/2013 09:43

DD3 says she's doing the level 5 and 6 on the same day.

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MadamNoo · 20/03/2013 09:53

I had parents' evening last night for ds Y5 (state primary). Since he is at 5b and 5c levels now, I was told last night that he would be put up for level 6 next year. I think about 4 or 5 out of the yeargroup of 30 are expected to sit level 6. I had never beard about the effect on secondary pressures, that is interesting. I didn't get the impression that we could refuse to have him put in for a certain level either.

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lljkk · 20/03/2013 12:15

Is that Maths, Myliferocks?

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