Are SATS at 7 being abolished?

[Cortina]

Have read conflicting things about it. They seem to be alive and well at our primary.

[StinkbotsMum]

They've been modified so no longer given to you as the result of a single week of testing. But rather they are now teacher-assessed over a long period maybe 2 terms of work, I think? Along with some formal sit-down exams some time in May. But it's much more at the teacher's discretion.

So, abolished as they were 2+ years ago, but still very much alive in the new form.

[Cortina]

Thanks. Take it this is an improvement then?

[Madsometimes]

They still do SATs at our school. The Y2 teacher was talking about the mental maths paper at parents evening. The questions are read out on tape, to ensure that teachers do not give children extra time to answer the questions. It seems very formal to me.

I think the teacher is allowed to disregard the test results when scoring national curriculum levels. However, it seems that the children do still have to sit the test papers.

[Cortina]

What are your views on it Madsometimes?

Most prep schools don't seem to bother about it. I am not sure I am happy about DC being potentially 'labelled' at 7.

[MrsMorgan]

They must be doing them at our school because we have had a letter inviting us to a workshop about it.

I really wish they weren't. Ds struggles and hates school as it is.

[Cortina]

Why do schools favour testing at this age? Am I missing something?

[Feenie]

There isn't a mental Maths paper at Y2! There are a few questions at the beginning of the Level 2 and Level 3 papers, but they aren't read on a tape. Have no idea what your teacher was on about, I'm afraid!

Key stage 1 assessment is now collated over the whole year, using many, many sources of evidence; a very small part of the evidence must be the tests. It's a much better system because the judgement is very sound as it's backed up so well - in the old days, a child could achieve/not achieve a particular level by just one mark and that result would over-ride everything, regardless of the rest of the child's work during the year.

Good schools ensure that Y2 children don't even know they are being tested, and the activities completed should be no different to normal classroom practice anyway.

Hope this helps.

[Cortina]

Thanks, it does. Why do they do it at all though? If they don't consider it necessary in the private sector why do the state sector?

I can see it might make some sense to see how the children were doing to see if there were some who needed more help for example? But will admit to being a bit confused by it all.

[Feenie]

It's to check standards in primary schools, Cortina. Children are routinely teacher assessed constantly during their primary school career, but at the end of key stages the government require these assessments to be reported both to them and to parents and and, in the case of KS2 tests, externally assessed also.

[Cortina]

Thanks.

[Madsometimes]

She did say there was a tape, but she must have got this wrong. She was an NQT last year and taught Y1, and now has the same class in Y2. This is her first time doing SATs.

She is an excellent teacher, but I feel sorry for the pressure on her. I could tell at parents evening that she was a little stressed about the whole SATs experience. I was surprised that she even mentioned the tests. I had forgot that dd2 was in a SATs year.

My personal view is that SATs are a waste of time, particulary at 6/7, and also at age 10/11. I think that testing junior children every year does have a place, but the tests should be informal. Unfortunately tests for secondary school are a reality for many children, and I think it would do children no favours to have never taken a test before they were confronted with the 11+.

[trickerg]

MST - as Feenie said - the SATs tests are only used to support teacher assessments that are ongoing throughout the year. Our children don't know they're doing 'SATs' and will be quite used to doing the odd assessment sheet. They are very, very informal and children generally enjoy them. Results of the tests are not reported to parents.

Yes, Year 2 teachers do have pressure to bring children up to the required levels, but no teacher these days should be stressed because of 'the whole SATs experience' as it doesn't exist. I'm also very, very, very surprised that she mentioned the tests, and that WOULD worry me a little!