I'm a year 6 teacher- AMA

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I've been teaching year 6 for a few years now, if you have any questions feel free to ask

Do you feel like a significant part of the Year 6 year is taken up by teaching children how to pass the SATS tests?

Do you think this is to their benefit?

Many secondary schools set in English and maths by SATs score. Do the SATs score tally with the child's ability in your experience? Or do you tend to have many surprisingly low/high scorers at SATs?

Are you perfomance managed depending 9n sats results?

Do you find there are more friendship issues in year 6 compared to other years?

Are you in state primary or independent? Have you ever worked in both? If so, which is better for you as a teacher and which is better for the child?

Good question jointhedots I was just about to ask the same!

Well, this isn't going well. I've taught in primary schools for fifteen years, and I would say that the whole of teaching in year 6 is about says. I'd be incredibly surprised if anyone comes on here and disagrees. Year 6 is game over and job done. The secondaries take over then, with their own criteria and issues.

I'd say the worst years for friendship issues are 3 and 4.

Sats not says. Sorry!

What percentage of parents think their child is gifted? How many are right?

What do you teach after Sats? Is it going to be a 2 month rest? Or is my dc going to be bitterly disappointed

Elizabeth really!!!! Oh no dd starts year 3 September I thought it might improve

*Do you feel like a significant part of the Year 6 year is taken up by teaching children how to pass the SATS tests?

Do you think this is to their benefit?*
A large majority of the year is taken up by SATS preparation, I do wish there was less emphasis on it as it should be more based on their ability on the subjects rather than what's been crammed into them in year 6

Many secondary schools set in English and maths by SATs score. Do the SATs score tally with the child's ability in your experience? Or do you tend to have many surprisingly low/high scorers at SATs?
It's quite a large mix of how the results turn out in my experience but I wouldn't say they're completely reliable. There's a lot of extra support beforehand for them, especially those who are struggling which can bring their results up. Others don't do well simply because they struggle with tests whilst what they're capable of doing in classroom work is completely different.

Are you perfomance managed depending 9n sats results?
Yes I am
Are you in state primary or independent? Have you ever worked in both? If so, which is better for you as a teacher and which is better for the child?
I've only worked in state schools, no experience of independent schools really
Do you find there are more friendship issues in year 6 compared to other years?
Well we go on a residential trip at the start of the year and there's always a few fall outs and tears during the week and there's occasional friendship issues throughout the year but compared to other years they usually get better at resolving issues as they get older so by year 6 it's not too bad

What are the traits you find most beneficial in a year 6 child in prep for Secondary?

How involved do you get in issues with Whatsapp? (Current irritation in my DC class )

What info do you pass on to your local secondary schools?
Do different schools ask for different things?
Are you asked re friendships / who to keep apart?

Does it bother you if parents refuse to do SATS preparation at home?