SATS support thread for parents

[simpson]

As yr6 SATS start tomorrow, I thought it might be a good idea to start a support thread for parents to say how their DC are finding them.

DS has had a very chilled day due to the lovely weather: loads of water fights and he walked to the corner shop with his younger sister for the first time (with no adult) and loads of ice cream etc.

He went to bed very chilled but am sure the nerves will kick in in the morning!!

[PonderingProsecco]

I just want ds to be well every day, do his best [despite hayfever] and get them over with.
School been good with no homework last few weeks as they feel children do enough at school.
I hope stress kept at bay. [some stressed kids about that may start domino effect].
Lot of pressure for schools this year.....

[ineedaholidaynow]

DS's school have tried to keep pressure to a minimum and DS has been fine until he went to bed tonight and nerves have kicked in. I'm getting all stressed for him now

[Cheesecake53]

Mine was very anxious, too. But he put "SATs" in the worry box and could go to bed.

[simpson]

Ahhh! Don't talk to me about hay fever, poor DS gets it really badly.

[PonderingProsecco]

Hayfever a bastard.
Really kicked in too! With ds just want him to complete booklets without feeling crap cos of nose and eyes.
Changed to tablet based on body weight rather than age- loratadine - which seems to be working bit better.....

[Janefromdowntheroad]

DDs school have been awful with the prep. Really really on their case.

She seems ok this morning, keeps reminding me we have to be on time. We've never been late for school once.

It's the reading paper today isn't it?

[hudyerwheesht]

This is good timing for me, I’ve had to talk down my extremely anxious DS several times over the last few days.

We have recently had him diagnosed with “mild” ADHD and Tourettes but haven’t met with the SENCO yet, either in his current school or the secondary school he will be attending (still filling out forms,etc) and suffers from anxiety at the best of times so this is really difficult for us. He was practically in tears last night. I feel so fucking angry that kids of 10/11 have to go through this pressure for stats that are only beneficial to the primary school but I guess that’s a whole other thread.

I’ve tried explaining that these tests are just to measure the school and don’t affect his future, ie, he has his placement in secondary school, etc but he says the teachers keep reminding him how important they are. Thing is, whether because of his conditions or not I don’t know, he just lacks the ability to understand when I try to explain to him and fixates on the constant reminders from the teachers of the importance of them. Especially the threats of things like having their papers torn up if they talk during the test. Because he has such trouble focusing he is worried sick that he will forget and accidently say something and get his test paper torn up. (Is this paper-ripping thing normal? I know he’s not exaggerating because DD says when she’s outside near the year 6 building she can hear the teachers saying it through the open windows…!)

[ineedaholidaynow]

I'm hoping that the boy in DS's class who is bullying DS again will give it a break for this week

[NynaevesSister]

Oh no INeedAHoliday! Talk to the class teacher? They'll be on that like a hawk given they don't want anything to mess their results.

Son is fairly relaxed in that the school have done their best to prep them without pressure. But he is still nervous. They can't help it.

I am trying to get him to see it as practice so he knows what tests are like for secondary. Hoping that after this he won't feel so anxious of them.

[member]

Dd is nervous. School are doing a pre-SATs breakfast Mon-Thurs this week; dd didn't want to sign up for it because of the likelihood of people whipping each other into a nervous frenzy.

Of more concern, dd has got her second period having had her first only 3 weeks ago and me saying it was unlikely to come again till SATS were over; angst about leakage and tummy pain in addition to hayfever!

[IsItOnTheTrolley]

We've had up to four pages of homework per night here, plus two tests each day since January. As DD says, this week will be a walk in the park in comparison.

All invited to attend SATS breakfast club, bacon or sausage sandwiches, quick run around, then in for the test.

They all looked very cute and ready for it this morning, chatting with their friends.🎓

[oktimetodoit]

Hudy I'm pretty sure you dc is in the same school as mine! ds, year 6, has been told the same along with other stuff not to mention constantly being reminded of how much of a shock he is in for when he gets to secondary, thanks for that teachers YAY! NOT!! I was very close to handing in a de-registration letter not so long ago. This morning he was uncharacteristically relaxed thanks to the bribes and support being used for SATS prep and this week only we think we have finally gotten to grips with his hayfever after years of trial and error with different meds. I would go as far as to say he slept better last night than he has for a long while .

Dd, year 2, is not so relaxed. I have no idea when hers are tbh. I have told her to try her best and not to worry but she will until they are done and dusted, she has recently been moved down a level for her written work and the teacher told her that she had been moved down a level too which really upset her because she works her arse off . We have already had a sit down and a chat about what to do at the weekend so there is something to look forward to. Now I will wait and see how today goes.

[Arkwright]

Dd was fine this morning. Her school are also doing a breakfast for them. They are doing a lot of PE in the afternoons so she is looking forward to that.

[Janefromdowntheroad]

Not good news from the front line at all.

Friend is Year 6 teacher. Said test was equivalent to last years L6. Vocab and questions were beyond most of the kids. Less than half her class finished the paper.

She sounds so demoralised.

I know we can't discuss content as there is a ban on information sharing until Next week but think that is vague enough?

[Janefromdowntheroad]

She said it was nothing like the sample paper and the hardest reading rest she had seen.

One girl sat in tears. What a fucking joke, so angry!

[oktimetodoit]

That's awful Jane. Poor kids . Hope my dc are OK.

[Janefromdowntheroad]

Just read this on the TES forum. Poor kids! Not looking forward to seeing DD this afternoon

[member]

Eek! Poor yr 6's

[ineedaholidaynow]

I know we have to be careful what we say but that doesn't bode well

[23jumpstreet]

I have twins in year 6 they were both just glad to get it over with tbh so all the extra homework and after/before clubs finish. Roll on Friday 👍

[littlenicky61]

The Tes ( teacher forum ) is awash with teachers saying how ridiculously hard the test was ( hardest ever ) and how a lot of children ( even some of the more able ) were unable to finish so if anyones child is upset they didn't finish they are certainly not alone . One of the teachers typed the first 4 lines of the first text ( which is meant to be the easiest ) into some reading analysis system and it came out as suitable for 15 year olds so that gives you some idea of how stupid a test it is . Poor children : (

[Arkwright]

That sounds bad. If lots of children don't score highly in the tests I hope Nicky Morgan and her pals realise the damage they have done.

[tdm1]

Just got an email from the teacher saying that most children hadn't finished the test, and to try to be as supportive and reassuring as possible given so many had been upset.

[hudyerwheesht]

Oh FFS that's bloody ridiculous.

Makes me so angry when I hear about children having panic attacks and in tears - 10 or 11 years old FFS!

[Janefromdowntheroad]

Tdm1, God how awful.

We've had an email saying weather we agree or not with the SATS please try and be supportive and help the kids through the week