Dont understand child's SATS grades

Kimitatsu

Can I just say as well that when she gets her results in year 6 for the National Tests - they wont be in 4 a-c or 5 a-c as I found out!!! :mad:

You just get a grade 3, 4 or 5 and nothing else - not that this years are laible to be in the least bit accurate anyway, but thats another thread.

I found that a little worrying as although the school gets the marks back - you dont, so you have had detailed grades up until the time it gets to the bit where it is important and then you just get a flat grade.

misty

Can I just clarify in my own mind - I thought I new but now I'm not sure. My son got a great report and I'm not too fussed about SATS results - he is in year 2.

He got a level 3 for Maths (no letter on it though?)

Level 3 (again no grade ) for speaking and listening

Level 2 a for reading and the same for writing

Am I right in thinking - he is roughly where he neds to be for reading and writing and oing better in Maths. He prefers maths but gets good comments for his reading and writing too.

Why do some have grades / letters next to them and others don't ?

I will ask at school when I can catch the teacher - it's not worht an appointment because I don't really agree with all this testing anyway!

andyrules

MortgageMamma wrote: »

Hi All, hope someone knowledgeable can help

So much has changed since I was at school!:rotfl:

I have just received my eldest daughters school report, she is 10 and on it are her mock SATS grades - problem is, I don't understand them and there is no key or guidance to tell me what they mean

for English Writing she got 4B

for reading she got 4B

For maths she got level 3A

Science Level 3A

Now I know these are only mocks and I'm not the sort of parent to get all obsessed with grades(as you can tell) but I'd love to know what these mean and if she is below, spot on or above average

Can someone please help?

Thanks in advance

MortgageMamma

Hi MM, as others have said, she will be expected to move 2 sub-levels next year and hence finish above average in English and on target for maths. If you have a parents evening coming I would ask if there is any area in particular that they feel she is weaker in with maths. If it turns out to be tables and general addition facts then she could do with practice as those skills really need to be tight for KS3 work.
It is useful to have the grades now as it gives you an idea - I was told at Easter in Y6 that my DS was only Level 3 in science:eek:, so we had to sit down and do damage limitation.

Misty - unless things have changed in the last couple of years, you should have had letters. There is a big difference between a 2c and 2a for reading and writing. If he is 2b or 2a, you have no probs, a 2c should alert his next teacher to keep an eye on him. A 3 at Y2 is fantastic! As far as I know, with the test they take, he wouldn't be able to attain higher than a 3c, but I may be wrong on that. Good for you for not pushing - his grades will be a good reflection of where he is.

bestpud

We've always been given the letters with SATS grades.

Although the last we received were two years ago. Have they changed it, or do some schools just not provide the info?

sooz

christineperseus wrote: »

They go in the order 3c,3b,3a,3,4c,4b 4a,4,5c,5b,5a,5.
hope this helps!

Is it just me, or does anyone else think this is an insane way of grading? Why would the numbers go up, but the letters go down?Couldn't they just use use numbers, with no letters? I bet someone was paid a huge amount of money to come up with a system that no-one understands........

Kimitatsu

Well that was what suprised me Bestpud!

For all of their optional sats we have had letters, and for KS1 we had letters but this year for KS2 we have just had numbers

So to be honest I am really none the wiser as to how much he has improved since last year, the only thing I am sure of after this years fiasco is that the value added marks at secondary school will be great in 3 years time :rolleyes:

andyrules

Well it does seem to be quite arbitrary who gets what information from school to school! I'm surprised that misty wasn't given the letters at Y2, which is a mandatory year for testing. As for the optionals, schools don't have to supply the results, but I don't think they can withhold them either, so ask. Especially misty.

Like testing or not, it does give you a useful guide - but only a guide - as some schools are VERY pushy and know how to get the child to hit that level! (they have to be).

btw - the grade up from a 3a is a 4c, not a 4 and then a 4c. The number gives you the general level, and the letter the more specific sub-level as there is a vast difference between the a and c grades, so yes, the sub-levels are useful. Indeed, some secondary schools run summer schools for those (due to enter Y7) in the 4c level as they don't consider it a secure 4.

Personally, I think testing (without the manipulating beforehand) is great if used for informing the teachers. I don't like it the way it currently is.

specialK

I was always baffled by these results, however I found an easy to understand explanation on the net. I have just been back there because of my sons Year 2 sats!

HTH

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/SATS.html

Forgot to say that I was given the results with his end of year report, along with a page explaining the results etc. (Just could not be bothered to type it all out :d) This is easier to understand though

Oh, one more thing. We always celebrate good reports, as we do Student of the week, Helper of the week and all these other things. Costs a fortune! I keep all their cerificates in a folder and when DS was in reception class, he came home every week with a certificate or trophy. After a fabulous report he came home on the last day with Student of the year cerificate and trophy with his name engraved on it, it was a dear year!

bestpud

sooz wrote: »

Is it just me, or does anyone else think this is an insane way of grading? Why would the numbers go up, but the letters go down?Couldn't they just use use numbers, with no letters? I bet someone was paid a huge amount of money to come up with a system that no-one understands........

No, I agree with you!

I could never remember whether 4a was higher than 4, for example!

If it were just a,b,c it wouldn't be so bad but having just number in there as well is very confusing. Or maybe they could just have and upper and lower level in each grade, if they really need to split them?

I may add wew were given very little info about the grades either! We were told they should be at level x but given no further breakdown. Of course, parents made their own mind up about the letters then, depending on what their child had done!

bestpud

andyrules wrote: »

Well it does seem to be quite arbitrary who gets what information from school to school! I'm surprised that misty wasn't given the letters at Y2, which is a mandatory year for testing. As for the optionals, schools don't have to supply the results, but I don't think they can withhold them either, so ask. Especially misty.

Like testing or not, it does give you a useful guide - but only a guide - as some schools are VERY pushy and know how to get the child to hit that level! (they have to be).

btw - the grade up from a 3a is a 4c, not a 4 and then a 4c. The number gives you the general level, and the letter the more specific sub-level as there is a vast difference between the a and c grades, so yes, the sub-levels are useful. Indeed, some secondary schools run summer schools for those (due to enter Y7) in the 4c level as they don't consider it a secure 4.

Personally, I think testing (without the manipulating beforehand) is great if used for informing the teachers. I don't like it the way it currently is.

That was the bit that confused me more than anything. Now if they just said 'overall grade' and 'broken down grade', it would be easier!

I hate them being manipulated too! At my older childrens school, they didn't do PE for weeks before the SATS! Everything was geared towards getting them through it but only in the weeks before, not consistently all year round. Used to really annoy me if i'm honest!