Dip in grades in Year 8 ? Is this common?

[swifts]

Ds is in Year 8 at an independent school. In Year 7 he did really well and ended up with nearly all A grades (one B) ? pleasantly surprised by this. We?ve just got his first half-term assessments which have shown quite a drop from the end of last year with a just a few As and a fair sprinkling of Bs and Cs. Is it common to have this dip at the beginning of Year 8? I?m wondering whether to go and talk to his form tutor about it but don?t want to overreact and make a fuss over something that may be just a blip. At the back of our mind is the fact that they set in all subjects in Year 9 so this year is important in sorting out the sets for next year. Any one have experience of this? Any teachers who could comment?

[fizzbuzz]

Yup, completely normal. I am a secondary school teacher, and Year 8 are recognised nationally as an underachieving year.
The government tried to tackle this by introducing exams at the end of year 8 about 4 or 5 years ago, but there was very little take-up.
The reason is, in Year 7 everything is new, and SATS take place at end of year 9. In my experience (and most other teachers) Year 8 is the worst year to teach because of this.
By Christmas in year 9, most students start to rally ready for SATs, so don't worry!
Having said that if they are really drifting it is time to be concerned, because it should only be a temporary blip.

[shimmy21]

Yes, actually it is very common - nationally so. I've done a bit of research on the year 8 dip for work and apparently there is a massive levelling off/drop in motivation/ achievement etc on average in year 8. Factors seem to include the fact that schools don't 'rate' yr 8 as an important year. It's one of the few years which isn't either a starting point or major assessment yr and so quite often the less inspiring teachers get dumped in the year that 'doesn't matter'. Teachers even tell the kids that they can take it a bit easy in yr 8 because they'll be having to work so much harder in yr 9. In yr 7 they come in all excited with very high motivation levels and by yr 8 the novelty has worn off, some of the teaching is rather uninspired chalk and talk (compared to primary school) and add to the mix the onset of puberty and there is little motivation for anyone to work hard at anything.

Realise that all this is a bit general to help you but thought it might help to know that your ds is not alone.

[shimmy21]

beat me to it ,fb!

[swifts]

This is really helpful - and reassuring! Thanks. I think I'll hold fire a bit and see how things are at the end of term. We've got a parents' evening in November so I'll have a chance to mention it then if we're still worried.

[Lilymaid]

Both my DSs (one at independent and one at state school) had Year 8 blips. They aren't new and frightened as they may have been in Year 7 and they don't have any assessment that really matters that year - e.g. in Year 9 they will have KS3 for state school kids and the re-setting in independent schools when the 13+ lot arrive. This is probably the last opportunity for the pressure to be off them until they have done their finals/professional exams, so don't be too hard!

[Blandmum]

Echo what the others have said. the drop off in grades in Y8 is a recognised issue. In fact the KS3 curriculum in science was redesigned to try to take care of this. TBH it isn't that sucessful.

I also feel that part of the reason for this is the visit of the Hormone Pixie. You see the nicest of children go from fresh faced little cherubs of 11, who are eager to please teachers to snarling soptty Kevin and Kevinnas who think that everything is 'crap

Year 8 is the nightmare year in my experience, it spills over into the start of year 9 and then they start to grow up a bit!

I have a year 8 class this year.....we all have to have one! Actually they are quite sweet but have the potential to be real little PITAs