to allow children who've finished to wander round the classroom, get books and comics off the shelves and sit on the floor to read them? This is KS2 reading and comprehension paper today. My dd found it a bit distracting and I'm not sure if I should say something to the school. I know it's probably the teacher's two fingers to the tests but it seems rough on the children who've been working hard over the past few weeks and want to do their best. Some dcs were apparently rushing to finish so they could read the comics!

at the end of the day, the SATs results are mainly for the school's benefit, so his/her problem.

What would you suggest the children who finished should do? Are the class used to only working in complete silence?

I'd expect them to sit there and wait. It's not a long test. They're 10/11 yr olds.

No, they're definitely not used to working in silence! And I'm not a great lover of SATS - just wondering what people thought and what happened elsewhere. In answer to hatrick, perhaps if they've finished they might check what they've written?

At the school I work at they used to do SATs in the hall & they took a book in with them which they could read when they'd finished.
This year they've decided to do them in the classroom & I haven't been in, so I don't know what they do - I'd guess they are just allowed to read in their seats - I wouldn't think moving around would be a very good idea - too distracting.

They will have been told to check it when they finished definitely , then told when they were sure they had finished they should read. Our year 6 classes always did this too. My year twos who sat the level 3 papers did too , but they had to go straight to the book corner so in one area only. Did your dd mention to her teacher how it had distracted her? maybe she should and he\she can find an alternative in the future.

Ours weren't allowed a book on the table during the English papers, could be put under seats though I guess.

Yes, they had to keep the book on the floor till they were finished

I think it was more where dd was sitting as she had to keep moving her chair to allow people to get to the books behind her. It's probably not worth saying anything though as it's all in the past now in any case.

Frankly if they have to sit in silence for the 'exam' and the school are treating them as if they are GCSEs then the children should be made to sit quietly when they have finished. To wander around making a noise is very distracting and unfair to other children.

Its all very well saying that these tests are for the schools benefit however we know that some schools are acting as if this a life and death situation. If teachers feel so strongly against these tests then they should, en masse, take it up with heads who should then take it further. They have the power to change this situation, I hear them bleat but I don't see much action.

Oh believe me teachers are trying their hardest to change things, there is action as well as words. I took a career break from teaching 4 years ago and even then teachers were making their voices heard re SATS tests. If you honestly think that it is that easy to change then get campaigning as a parent, the more the merrier.

Yes, please do.

Assuming these ridiculous tests are still in place when the dc are of an age to take them...we're off to Disneyland that week (& I hate Disney...)

As a teacher - well, I don't keep my views to myself. But my pay progression depends on continuing to get excellent results.

OP: I would've thought it more appropriate for students to choose a book before the exam & have it uder their desks. If you're going to have an exam, do it properly!

This is actually one of my objections to SATs - familiarity breeds contempt & it becomes impossible for students to take real exams seriously.

I'm only moderately interested in the existence or not of SATS (dd doing them this week). But I don't think it sounds too hard to expect 10/11yos to sit in silence for 10 minutes or so.

They should use every minute of the allocated time to check, check and re-check their work. The number of times I've had kids say they've finished and, when I've marked the paper (mocks), found they've missed questions out and made silly mistakes. Failing that, they should sit still and quiet for the remainder of the time. It is very unfair on those still working to be distracted by others moving around. And as for a child having to move her chair to let others past! What was that teacher thinking of? It's unprofessional, at the very least. Hate and loathe SATs as I do, I would mention it to the HEad.

If you are going to do the tests then they should be done properly. These kids are mostly 11 years old I presume. They should be able to operate under formal exam conditions.

I think they should be made to sit quietly until the other children had finished. Whatever you think of SATs it is a little disrespectful of the other children - if they are struggling to finish and having problems maybe, to see other pupils wandering around would be quite upsetting I should think.

Thanks everyone. I think this teacher probably feels strongly that SATs shouldn't be taken too seriously but I think it is unprofessional to impose this on the children. Unless it's the policy of the whole school - which it isn't.