Sorry! Another Ks1 levels question

[Dorris44]

I know this will sound petty and apologies in advance but i would like advice on whether to speak t the teacher or whether I should leave it alone
I've just had my DS school report and at the last parent evening I was told he was working at level 3 for everything. However he got a 2A for writingon his report which I received today. I know that they weren't moderated in the school this year. Is this an acceptable query to ask the very experienced teacher or should I let it go. I just want to understand (and I do know that 2A is a good level in itself)

[dinkystinky]

I dont think KS1 SATs are moderated generally - they're teacher assessment arent they?

My son got a 2A in writing- the teacher said if he could put down all the things he has in his head, as he has lots of great inventive ideas in his head, he'd get a 3 but he struggles to do this and is also abit lazy when it comes to writing so got a 2A.

[Smartiepants79]

Is he year 2?
Ks1 sats are moderated. Cluster groups of schools get together and moderate each others stuff.
It could be that his end of year 'test' simply wasn't good enough.
You must speak to his teacher if you are worried.

[mrz]

KS1 SATs are moderated (again it varies from LEA to LEA how often this happens) in my LEA you are either moderated in school or you take examples of each level to a central moderation meeting so effectively schools are moderated every year, in other LEAs it can be every other year or sometimes every third year. All schools will have some form of yearly moderation in place.

[Dorris44]

Wow quick responses thanks. I think I meant that he'd not been moderated down from a 3 to a 2a, by someone external coming in and saying the standard of work was not high enough for a 3. At parents evening she said he was working at level 3 so I assumed he would get a 3. She was judging him then and also judging I'm for his report

[Dorris44]

Judging him for his report!

[terribleteethinitsterriblejaws]

At our school, year two teachers go to three moderation meetings a year where they take an example of each sub level. This year they also had a visiting moderator in school for reading and writing, last year it was a focus on maths and ICT. Extra moderation meetings are booked in if a member of staff is new to teaching that year group, the same goes for key stage two and foundation stage two teachers. Lots of internal moderation goes on between staff as well.

[BabiesAreLikeBuses]

It may be tht be was borderline so put at a secure 2a. Personally i'd rather that than a not quite 3. I agree their earlier comments may have been misleading. I'd be surprised if they weren't moderated - every one of our writing assessments were moderated in school.

[Dorris44]

I take your points that although no external moderator came in, that there may be internal moderation. So would it be inappropriate for me to speak to the teacher and ask why he 'dropped' from a 3 to a 2a or should I just leave it?

[terribleteethinitsterriblejaws]

Not inappropriate, I would want to know why as well, do you have a chance to go in and talk about end of year reports? Or would you need to organise a time convenient for you both. I imagine that the teacher will be able to answer your questions easily.

[blackbird41]

I think the numbers of children who get level 3 in writing is less than in other subjects. In my son's report the numbers of children who got level 3 in 2012 SATS were: writing 14%; reading 27%; speaking 22%; maths 22%; science 21%.

If he got 2A in writing he's done well.

[Smartiepants79]

It is pretty hard to get a level 3 in writing.
I would speak to his teacher justo check. They should be able to tell you why he didn't quite get it.

[toomuchicecream]

A child can be working at level 3 but have achieved a level 2a. In other words, they've secured all the necessary skills to be 2a, and their work shows some elements of level 3 but there is either insufficient evidence at this stage to be sure a child is that level, or they aren't yet at level 3 in all areas of writing. So for example, they could be using level 3 vocab, connectives, content, structure but aren't yet using a wider range of punctuation consistently correctly, or aren't using a range of sentence constructions (simple, compound, complex).

The teacher will be able to tell you the areas in which his writing isn't yet level 3 and therefore will be his target for next year.