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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be pissed off with a letter sent home from school today ...

48 replies

BloodySATs · 28/01/2011 16:57

...telling me that my dd isn't making expected progress in Maths and this could result in her not hitting her [unrealistic IMO] target?

Now, if my dd wasn't trying hard enough, or wasn't focussed enough, then I could see their point, but as it happens her teachers are always full of praise for how hard dd tries, how much effort she puts into it and how exemplary her behaviour is. So what EXACTLY is dd supposed to do about 'not making expected progress'???

Her teacher wants me to focus more on Maths at home with dd on top of the twice weekly compulsory SATs booster classes that dd has to attend. Dd also has hobbies that she enjoys (and I've got no intention of making her give them up for more SATs revision!!) so when is she supposed to have relax time?

The whole thing pisses me off. She's 11 ffs!! Gah.

OP posts:
mutznutz · 28/01/2011 16:58

SATS are a load of bollocks anyway...hence the reason my son's Junior school refused to do them last year.

Numberfour · 28/01/2011 17:00

I would have been pissed off, too. A face to face conversation in this situation would have been much more appropriate so that you could have raised any questions then and there, rather than worry all weekend....

BeerTricksPotter · 28/01/2011 17:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

rolandweary · 28/01/2011 17:00

I would make an appointment to see the teacher and say exactly what you have said here.

HecateQueenOfWitches · 28/01/2011 17:00

It wouldn't have anything to do with school league tables, would it?

Ignore the letter.

Or write back saying she is doing her best, and you are proud of her and she can be expected to do no more than her personal best and you have no intention of piling such pressure onto a child.

These things really piss me off.

I just don't see them as being about educating children.

valiumredhead · 28/01/2011 17:05

Ignore, ignore, ignore! Kids progress at different levels and not because a document somewhere says they should. Makes me very cross!

oopslateagain · 28/01/2011 17:05

Who set the target for your dd? If you really think it is unrealistic you need to discuss it with her teacher.

Schools put so much emphasis on SATs these days, we were lucky that dd's school just took them in stride and made it all very low-key. Less stress - AND they all got reasonable results.

Are the booster classes outside of school hours? Is everyone attending them or does your dd need extra help?

Don't let your dd get too stressed, she needs to relax with her hobbies. If she's having booster classes AND you are doing maths with her, she really does need to do something totally non-school related.

KateF · 28/01/2011 17:05

YANBU, my dd has been "invited" to an early bird maths session at 8am. She's already at level 4B and going to a booster class so I will be declining the invitation Grin

Original poster
BloodySATs · 28/01/2011 17:06

The target is a 5c

Her SAT in Y2 was a 2b

She is very average academically (yes, a mnetters child who is average Wink ) so the target is ridiculous IMO

Numberfour - yes, there are plenty of opportunities to talk face to face, which I agree would have been much more appropriate. There are reports 3 times a year and parents evenings 3 times a year - I would have thought they could have managed to co-incide one of them!

OP posts:
Mrsfluff · 28/01/2011 17:07

We had a similar report before Christmas, I was really annoyed as DD works really hard and has always done well at school. Was very annoyed to get the Ofsted report last week, the school received a notice to improve and it was noted that my daughter's year group was particularly badly let down!

Original poster
BloodySATs · 28/01/2011 17:08

The teacher sets the targets and yes, everyone has to attend the booster.

Ignore is great advice!

OP posts:
saffy85 · 28/01/2011 17:12

Revision for SATs? What the hell for? Confused

I thought the SATs only really benefitted the school and not the child, so why in the name of arse should any child have to revise like mad and stress their little lives away about test scores that have no bearing on their longterm future whatsoever? Hmm

BeerTricksPotter · 28/01/2011 17:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
BloodySATs · 28/01/2011 17:17

My feelings exactly saffy!!

Yes, 4b is where she should be (average at end of Y6) and where she is now ...just obviously not where they want to her to be [madness]

OP posts:
BeerTricksPotter · 28/01/2011 17:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

oopslateagain · 28/01/2011 17:19

So everyone has to attend the booster... why exactly? Because the school wants everyone to improve by the time they do SATs?

Doesn't that imply that the school has realised they haven't taught well enough so far and they're panicking over the league tables?

The SATs are supposed to measure how much each child knows, not how much can be crammed in at the last minute.

Ignore the bloody letter.

MarioandLuigi · 28/01/2011 17:28

I hate SATS - DS's school make all the KS2 children do mock ones every year. DS is a natural worrier and gets so stressed. No amount of telling him not to worry works because his teacher has already put the fear of God into him.

YANBU - I would ignore too, They probably gave it out on a Friday so parents couldnt take it up with the teacher for a couple of days so the edge of the annoyance will be gone (or so they hope)

MerylStrop · 28/01/2011 17:35

oh I'd be totally enraged.

I would send in a note and ask for a brief meeting to discuss, at which I would decline the suggestion to pile on the homework and excuse her from the SATs classes.

What ever happened to child-centred education?

kittens · 28/01/2011 17:36

Funnily enough I've been fighting to get the levels published to parents in my school (each parent only gets their childs levels). Its been a struggle, but they have finally agreed. My reasoning is that if your child isn't progressing at an average level then the school should have an intervention strategy in place and an action plan for how to deal with it within school, such as 1 to 1 tuition , additional booster classes on their weak areas or look into any special needs that may have not been identified. I think this will help the child and keep the parent informed of what is happening rather than being told they sit quietly and are polite, but not mentioning the fact that they can't read or add up!!

MrsDmitriTippensKrushnic · 28/01/2011 17:39

I refused to give permission for DS1 to go to the booster lessons in Yr6. He didn't need them, and his SAT results would be of no use to him in any way (his prospective Secondary school did its own 'entrance exam' to get an idea of what level the children were at)

DS2 is now in Yr6 and I'm in the same position. However, he's another perfectly average child (he's very creative and imaginative, more so than DS1, but not academic) and he's missing lessons due to a music festival he's rehearsing for so I've reluctantly agreed for him to attend. It's more so he's confident about the SATs than any attempt to raise his level. I don't want him to feel stressed. I'm quite happy to pull him out if I feel it's too much for him (they have two 45 minute after school sessions)

Do what you feel is best for your child. SATs results only benefit the school and in some ways booster lessons are a bit of a cheat by them.

seeker · 28/01/2011 17:40

I am bemused by all this outrage at a state school "stretching" children. I thought mumsnet was usually up in arms at schools not having high enought expectations!

soccerwidow · 28/01/2011 17:40

stop sending her to the "compulsory" boosters!!!

She is not struggling, not behind and attending them will not benefit her in anyway!

There is a lot of pressure on schools to achieve good results from OFSTED. I used to work in a school that was graded "Good" by OFSTED but still ended up on a "School Improvement Programme" less than 6 months later because the SATs results were below National Average. This was despite having very good "Value Added" scores. (and despite any changes to the staffing or management structure)

I think that any school atm with below National Average SATs results is under HUGE pressure to improve - and improve quickly.

It is a real shame because the system was becoming much more child-orientated and teachers were being given more freedom. Now we have gone back to hot-housing and SATs being more important than the education of the "whole" child. Sad

bulby · 28/01/2011 17:43

And I am one of the teachers who takes the time to send these letters. Glad to know you sling them in the bin because I'd like to know if you are the same parents who moan if you are not informed early on that your Child is not hitting their target. It might be ideal to have a face to face about it but there are only so many hours on the day. The fact that you are going to worry about the letter means you are glad you were told and do care IYSWIM. Sorry if I sound mean, I really am not but you really can be dammed of you do dammed if you don't in this job!

soccerwidow · 28/01/2011 17:45

Pretty much every school near me that is not achieving National Average or above has been given a "Notice to Improve" so don't think too badly of your child's school if it has been given one.

I would still look at the value added scores before SATs results.

pointydug · 28/01/2011 17:53

Sounds like schools are having to cover their backs to deal with appeals and claims of parents saying 'we never knew' after the event.

Is that what's ahppening?

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