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Secondary education

Setting them based on results of joint project?

3 replies

Madmog · 04/12/2012 14:42

My daughter is in Year 7. In some classes she has already been placed in a set based on what the tutors have seen/results of SATS and school testing which all makes sense.

However, she has 3 projects she is working on with other girls (life skills, music and IT) and understands it will be decided which set they are put in based on the mark given for the project. They have been able to choose who they work with. Is this something that generally happens? I can't see they will be put into the correct set based on their own personal ability if it's based on something they've done which someone else. Luckily, one of the projects she is working with someone who is in the same English and Maths sets, but the other two (although lovely girls) have always achieved below my daughter in all subjects and in all their academic work in the new school are in lower sets.

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noblegiraffe · 04/12/2012 17:00

It would be unusual to set in Y7 for ICT, life skills and music, let alone base that setting on the result of a group project. Are you sure that's what's going to happen?

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Kez100 · 04/12/2012 18:15

You can't be sure that the other girls are less talented than your daughter either in ICT and life skills. My daughter was in 4/5 and 3/5 Maths and English sets but completed her ICT at Distinction level and PSHCE 'beyond her age'. Music is also a subject that doesn't necessaily follow academic ability and some able musicians are not identified until secondary because their parents haven't had the money for lessons while they were young.

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Madmog · 05/12/2012 14:25

Thanks for your replies.

noblegiraffe - just checked the website and it confirms they will be set for ICT, life skills and music in January and it's based on TA (which I assume means teacher assessment). Hopefully my daughter has the wrong end of the stick and perhaps the joint projects will just be part of the teacher's assessment. It also says the sets will be reviewed at the end of Year 7.

Fair point, Kaz100. I can't comment on the life skills, but I do know the girl she's doing ICT admits she struggles with ICT. Also, with regards to music three of them have been told they are capable of working one level above the others and my daughter is one of them, hopefully the teacher will take his thoughts into consideration on final setting.