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Secondary education

Year 7 Maths

11 replies

lottysmum · 10/09/2013 22:25

DD just started year 7 ...first Maths homework yesterday where they were asked to complete as much as they could and then speak to the teacher if they had any issues ... (my daughter did exactly this) ...However what I cannot for the life of me understand is why a teacher would tell a new Year 7 class that the work they are doing is GCSE and sometimes occasional A Level work...? My DD has natural maths ability but lacks confidence sometimes and I instantly felt that she was somewhat uncomfortable with her homework because of what she had been told...she did manage to do most of it...

Is doing GCSE work normal at year 7...?

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HmmAnOxfordComma · 10/09/2013 22:31

Well, if they're a top/high ability set, it's not necessarily unbelievable that they're doing around grade C GCSE work (that was roughly was ds was doing last year in yr 7); however, I agree that it seems rather daft to tell the class that before you even know them and are sure of their actual levels/confidence/personalities etc. Just my opinion.

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HmmAnOxfordComma · 10/09/2013 22:33

And unless they really are a whole class of amazing ability (a superselective?) the A level comment sounds a bit of a stretch.

At my junior school, in our final year, a few of us did some extra work with the HT for a term or two and were told that it was equivalent to first year of GCSE...BUT, he only told us this at the end - when we'd understood and grasped and completed the scheme of work. Bit silly to scare kids off in advance?

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MadameDefarge · 10/09/2013 22:39

Are they assessing the children? a child working at level 7 would be working at GCSE level, and while few and far between at the start of year seven, there are always a handful in the top sets of maths who are.

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MadameDefarge · 10/09/2013 22:44

in year seven the homework will cover a range of levels in each homework. If in the top set I would assume it would range from level fives to level sevens depending on the actual maths being taught. Ie, a gifted mathemetician might do the the level 5 and 6 questions, and the last level 7 question, if appropriate, while a perfectly bright and high achieving child would do the level 5 and six questions.

(Although I would be surprised if they had taught any level 7 maths just yet).

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lottysmum · 10/09/2013 22:46

That's my thoughts too... my daughter was a solid level 5 with level 6 ability (let down my lack of confidence in mental maths)...but I know that she is in a maths class with some children who were set 2 so level 4/5 (secondary intake small at year 7 just 60 split into 3 ability classes)... Having worked so hard at trying to build her confidence I can see it may plunge back down just from thinking that she cant do the work...

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HmmAnOxfordComma · 10/09/2013 22:47

Yeah, I'm talking about the end of year 7 as well where the teacher assessed most of ds's group as being borderline grade C; not the beginning!

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MadameDefarge · 10/09/2013 22:54

are they even using levels any more?

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MadameDefarge · 10/09/2013 22:55

I think ds' school is, as its an academy and I think they could call them pink or purple fairy levels if they fancied...

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lottysmum · 10/09/2013 23:02

I'm not sure what they have used to set but I would imagine that the top set is just above average - nothing special ...perhaps teacher thought that she had a year 9 class and not a year 7!

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HmmAnOxfordComma · 10/09/2013 23:02

Ds is at a (non-selective) independent and the teachers use a mix of nc levels, and not, and random other scores, class placings etc.

It was strangely liberating after the obsession with nc levels at primary. But having said that, tangible things which I can understand are occasionally helpful (such as the odd piece of English work with a level on and the maths teacher saying 'work on this area of algebra to get up to grade C')...not that we know what qualifications our yr 7/8s are working towards...

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lottysmum · 10/09/2013 23:22

Tend to agree about the NC levels - I know my DD found Year 6 quite boring because it was so intense with regards to practicing for SATS ...I think like most children if she engages with the teacher then it gives her more confidence (not frightened to ask questions) Funny enough the homework was algebra ... she's with her dad this evening so will be interested to find out how she got on with the bits she needed to ask questions on...