Mumsnet Talk

Anyone's DCs schools doing these?
DD2 has been offered the chance of joining a group doing the maths one.

My DS did a practice L6 reading paper on Fri to see if they'll enter him for it or not.

Haven't heard about maths yet, though.

Dd1's been asked if she wants to do the level 6 in all subjects. She said she might as well. Slightly surprised there has been no parental imput on it, but not really bothered for me.

DD1's been asked to do one in English and perhaps maths as well, she's thinking about it and I'm leaving the final decision up to her.

Yes DD did some sort of test to see if it was worth trying which she seems to have passed.
No mention of English which is usually her thing.
She's mighty miffed at loosing the writhing SAT.
I'm miffed at loosing science, I could tutor for that.

startail How do you mean, she is mighty miffed at LOSING the writing SAT? You mean they haven't suggested it to her or that it will be more continual teacher assessment? Just be frigging grateful that you have a 'bright' child, we are struggling to get DD to a four in maths.

Iamnotmimyrested your post puzzles me.
My comments were posted in G&T which is generally a space for discussing the school lives of "bright" children.
Yes DD2 understands English will be assessed by her teachers, but she'd still have liked it externally marked.
We all like to be acknowledged for what we are good at.
I'm sure you wouldn't think it odd if her musical big sister was "miffed" if a concert she'd worked hard for was cancelled.
I don't ask DD1 not to be proud of her singing and not to perform because I'm an appalling singer. Nor do I expect DD2 not to want to show of her literary skills even though I'm dyslexic.
I realise it's very hard seeing your DC struggle when others seem to find things easy.
My dyslexic DD1 is three years older than DD2, yet for most of primary school she had to put up with her correcting her reading and her spelling.
Incredibly she doesn't thump her and carries on working hard to achieve what DD1 does without effort.

Startail - I don't think they've 'lost' the writing SAT. Just that the final mark will be done on teacher assessment - but will be influenced by writing tests they do throughout the year.

They do have to do a writing test, just it doesn't have to be done during SAT week, and it's only one part of the teacher assessment.

DS2 is doing the maths ones apparently. Personally I think they are a load of worthless crap.

SoupDragon - Would you rather she didn't learn anything new this year? Or are you happy for them to teach her L6 stuff, you just don't think she needs to be tested on it?

Eh? Where have I said children shouldn't be taught anything new?

Personally I think teacher assessment will be give a better indication of writing ability than the SAT did. DD just liked the idea of someone outside school saying well done.
The writing task marking scheme is horrendously complicated, I'm not surprised people don't agree.
When DD1 was practicing I gave up even trying to assess her efforts.

My child doing level 6 English and Maths. She has asked me if they are age weighted. Does anyone know? She will be 10 when she takes them and says she wants there to be some benefit to being the littlest in the class!! She said the teacher had told them that their age is taken into account on Level 4/5 papers.

Oh dear! My child IS doing level 6.....
No level 6 for her mother......

I don't think either the L6 or the L4/5 papers are age weighted.

I'm fairly sure there's just a pass mark for each level.

Could be wrong though......

Thanks IndigoBell - I couldn't find anything on age weighting when I googled. The only test I thought that was related to age when they test 'reading ages'.

IndigoBell, please explain what you meant by your remark to me because I really haven't a clue.

It wasn't a dig. I was genuinely confused as to why you were saying the L6 SATS were 'a load of worthless crap'

Is it because you think all SATS are worthless crap, or is it specifically the L6 ones you think are?

No age weighting.

Oh, I think all SATS are a load or worthless crap. WRT the L6 stuff - if they are capable they should be learning that anyway - e.g. DS2 is doing extension maths and has been since Y4, nothing to do with SATS.

IMO SATS are pretty meaningless and I don't think the children gain anything at all from them.

Aaahhh. I jumped to the wrong conclusion. I thought you meant the L6 ones were worthless, as opposed to the whole thing.

I think SATs are very important to make sure schools are all teaching the same thing.

And also they tell if your child is very behind. And IME you can't trust school to be honest about that.

If a child is getting stressed by SATS, then that's because the school is handling it wrong - it's not an inevitable by product of SATS. And all the other criticisms of SATS are actually criticisms of individual schools, not the concept.

@ SoupDragon and said whilst wearing my teacher hat : Personally I think they are a load of worthless crap.

PMSL

I would imagine that all schools with suitable candidates would be offering a L6 paper. My son will be doing the Maths and possibly the English.

I agree Indigo. SATs were handled well in my school (late 90s) - we revised for a couple of weeks, otherwise it was business as usual. No stress. My DSDs' school OTOH made a total hash of it, stressed out children, barely any topic work all year, just a nightmare. That was the school's fault, not the SATs system. IMO.

Having said that - while I'm here can I ask, what are the expected NC levels for yr9 in maths English and science please? No SATs now of course but my DSDs have had exams last week and I'm just wondering what their results mean. Thanks

You should make 1 or 2 levels progress in KS3.

So if they got a L4 you'd hope they'd be L6s now, and L5s to L7.

Except in maths which goes up to L8.......