How can you gauge how well your child is really getting on at school? Teacher Sarah Breame offers us some educational insights.
Just before the summer holidays my daughter returned home from school clasping her end of year report. About an hour later I had finally read through the reams of material it contained and although satisfied that she had worked hard and behaved well in Year 2, I was left wondering just how good her progress had actually been. I was informed she had obtained a mixture of 2’s and 3’s but what did that mean?
Understanding educational language
Schools are very ‘data rich’ nowadays which can often lead parents to be confused about their child’s progress. Having taught myself in a number of secondary schools and with a daughter now going through primary school, I hope to enlighten you a little as to what it all means.
Through primary and secondary school our children typically travel through 5 key stages:
Key Stage 1 – Reception, Year 1 & Year 2. This covers infant school, from ages 4 to 7.
Key Stage 2 – Year 3, Year 4, Year 5 & Year 6. This covers junior school ages from 7 to 11 years.
Key Stage 3 – Year 7, Year 8 & Year 9 These are the first three years of secondary school, covering ages 12 to 14.
Key Stage 4 – Year 10 & Year 11 (gaining GCSE’s) Children aged 15 and 16.
Key Stage 5 – Year 12 & Year 13 (gaining GCE ‘A’ levels or similar qualifications) Children up to 18 years.
(Note that the ages given here refer to the age a child will become during the school year. Most children start reception aged 4 but some will turn 5 within weeks of the first term.)
What feedback you should expect
At key stages 1, 2 and 3 you should be informed of your child’s national curriculum levels in a number of key subjects. This number ranges from 1 to 7 (reaching 8 in Mathematics) and most schools divide each level into 3 parts e.g. 5c means low level 5, 5b means middle level 5 and 5a means high level 5.
What do the numbers mean for my child?
Most people think that for a child to be making good progress their national curriculum level should increase by about two levels per key stage. So, for example, if your child at the end of Year 2 has obtained level 2b in Maths you could be satisfied they had made good progress by the end of Year 6 if they have obtained level 4b or higher.
Children develop at different rates, but national curriculum levels can give you an idea of how your child’s progress compares to what is typical for their age. For example, by the end of key stage 1, most children will have reached level 2, and by the end of key stage 2, most will be at level 4. By the end of key stage 3 most will be at level 5 or higher.
Share any concerns
I think it is essential to remember that you are not alone. Have a chat with your friends and family if you are concerned – they may have the answers you are looking for. Most importantly talk to the school; if they have any concerns about your child’s progress they will be able to suggest a number of positive ways forward. Your child is individual and it could just be that they are better at some subjects than others.
Amazingly, some of the world's most successful people have not always performed as well at school as you might imagine. Shakespeare survived without spelling well, Winston Churchill had a less than enviable school report and Albert Einstein failed French, Chemistry, and Biology!
Five Top Tips to help you monitor your child’s progress:
1) Read their report carefully with your child - remember to praise them for any good points
2) Contact the school if there is anything in the report that you do not understand
3) Compare their most recent report to their report from the previous year. There should be some improvement in levels (this may be as little as going from 3b to 3a, as a pupil should progress 2 levels through that whole key stage not each year)
4) Talk to your child’s teacher or tutor about any concerns you may have
5) Find out more at www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Schoolslearninganddevelopment