Oct 2023
Dear Parent/Guardian,
My name is Mrs Lisa Taylor and I am the Raising Standards Leader:English & Literacy. After the forthcoming half term holiday, Yr 7 pupils are moving from a mixed ability arrangement of classes where pupils are taught in form classes to a setting arrangement in English lessons. I am writing to explain the way pupils will be grouped for English for the remainder of this year.
The whole of Yr 7 have been reset for the rest of the academic year based on:
– the National Reading Test done in Sept/Oct of Yr 7
– a standardised writing test done in Sept of Yr 7
– the entirety of work done in lessons in the first half term in Yr 7
The year group is divided into two equal halves:
- 7JW, 7CAM, 7SM2 & 7SHB are together
- 7CB2, 7AJ2, LK3 & 7KHR are together
Each half of the year group will then be organised into 4 sets, based on performance in English alone, using the evidence outlined above.
Crucial to the decision about which set a child is placed into is how a pupil has performed in relation to their peers. It is possible for a pupil to have worked hard, performed well and still be outperformed by a significant number of their peers.
Placement in a specific set is never a punishment or a reward. It is not done because a child has done anything wrong or to do with their behaviour. It is purely where we think, in our professional judgement, that your child will benefit the most in terms of developing their skills and making progress in English.
All children do the same work in Yr 7 in English, regardless of the set. We set on the basis of the pace of learning and the level and type of support given to pupils. Pupils in any given set are all working at roughly the same pace, with similar support needs.
Sets are reviewed termly, with a small number of pupils moving if we feel this is needed for your child’s English progress.
I hope this explains the process by which the changes are being made.
Mrs L. M. Taylor
Raising Standards Leader: English & Literacy: Ltaylor@cathays.cardiff.sch.uk