Year 9 school report panic!

[lem73]

I just got my ds's end of KS3 report, very late because of 'IT' issues at school. Here are his grades in certain key subjects:
English 6C
Maths 7C
Science 6A
History 5A (which he has chosen as an option)
How do these compare to the average year 9 and how would they translate into GCSE grades?
I am VERY disappointed and surprised about the English grade. He moved schools in February and he got a 6C in his autumn report with a target of 6B at the end of KS3 in his old school. His English teacher was happy with him. I gave him some time to settle in at his new school and then asked for some feedback. The English teacher was quite positive about him and he was actually moved up from set 3 to set 2 (from 4). I had never thought of English a particular problem area for him as he always made steady progress so to receive a 6C is worrying at this stage. Could it be a blip?? What can I do to help him?

[inthename]

do you know what he finished yr 6 on as I think they normally work on 2 sub levels progress a year from yr 7 - 9

[lem73]

He got level 4s in his SATs. He's definitely not met up to expectations in English although I am pleased at his progress in maths.

[MillyMollyMama]

4c or 4a in year 6? That is a year of progress just in itself so it could well be that he consolidated level 4a in year 7 and has progressed 4 sub levels in years 8 and 9. Also, moving schools tends to stall progress. Basically his progress in English is not disastrous although a 6b would have been better. Do you know why he is not a 6b? What does he need to do to improve? How has the teacher said he can improve?

I am sure the school would have statistics on how levels normally equate to GCSE passes but children are individuals not machines so perform differently and outstanding teaching can pull a lot out of the bag. I would not panic just yet!

[Hakluyt]

What did he get for "attitude to learning" or whatever they call it at the school?

[Hakluyt]

My ds missed his target by a sub level and he asked his teacher about it- it was just one thing he wasn't doing (basically he wasn't using formal writing when he should-everything he wrote was good-but chatty and informal even at times when it should have been formal). The teacher reassured him that once he had cracked that he would move up to where he should be because everything else was in place. Could it be something like that?

[crazymum53]

The average student is expected to achieve between a 5a - 6b by the end of KS3 (year 9). Anything below a 5a would be considered 'below average' and anything above a 6b is 'above average'.
dd has just finished Y9 and has grades in a similar range for Maths, English and Science but in a slightly different order.
For English we obtain different grades for Reading, Writing and Speaking & Listening. Her lowest grade is for the latter, which is no longer tested in the GCSE. My understanding is that level 6 writing is the hardest part for most pupils.
dd had a higher level for History, but hasn't chosen this as an option.

[Hakluyt]

"My understanding is that level 6 writing is the hardest part for most pupils."

That ties in with what my ds's teacher told him.

[foxdongle]

Hi my ds has similar to yours.
He knows he has to focus a bit more in September. All his teachers says he contributes well in lessons, but all the written work is lacking. They all say he is bright , but it doesn't always show in his books and h/w.
It's frustrating!
he has a flight path thing showing possible gcse grades of b-couple, but mainly/c/d.
I've just bought him cgp, gcse core science revision guide (science was his worst level) which he says he will read after the holidays of course!

[gobbin]

My son had mostly 6s with the odd 7 and one 5 in Year 9 (no subdivisions in Wales). He was predicted to get mostly Bs at GCSE and got 7 Bs and 3 As (although we were expecting 5 of each).

He's now done AS levels incl two sciences (only did additional science at GCSE). This might give you an indication of your child's future pathway. I'd say my boy was a good all rounder at GCSE with strong Maths and Geog in particular, but not outstanding (except at cricket lol). Bs are not the end of the world.

[cardibach]

SUb levels are made up. There are no actual criteria for them. YOur child got a level 6 from the base of a level 4 at KS2 THis is good progress. Level 5 is average at the end of KS3. I am vey confused as to why you are so disappointed .
Pupils who get level 5 in something wold be expected to get C or better at GCSE, level6 - B or better, etc.

[GretchenWiener]

Levels are shit tbh. I make them up worryingly often.

[TheFirstOfHerName]

DS1 got a level 5 for English at the end of KS2. We received his KS3 results a few weeks ago, and for English he got... a level 5!

I emailed the English teacher, who said that all of DS1's classwork has been a level 6, but he just did badly in the assessments.

He started his GCSE courses at half-term. Predicted grade for English: A.

I'm starting to take these levels with a pinch of salt.

[TheFirstOfHerName]

His other end of KS3 levels were all level 6 apart from level 7 in Maths, Science, History & Latin.

[lem73]

I guess disappointed sounds harsh. It's a competitive world and basically I just want him to get the best qualifications he can.