"Withdrawing" DS1 from Year 6 Sats

[CuntyBunty]

This is a very tentative thought at the moment; I haven't voiced it aloud to anyone. DS1 has some dyslexia and is getting stressed with not being able to work quickly enough to finish the same work as the rest of the class. He can read well, he just takes longer to process the work. His maths is good, but here the dyslexia is a problem in that it takes him a while to adapt to the language of maths at this level.

They are all preparing for it, mock tests and what not, but as he isn't finishing in time, he is kept in at break to finish off. This is marking him out and he is coming home to me, able to talk about it, but when he does and when I try to tell him, "the teachers just want the best for you, they need you to learn", he gets all choked up and starts crying. He is no shrinking violet and will speak up and say, "It's because of my dyslexia" to the teachers, even though he is a bit embarrassed by it. It does sound like they have gotten to the "eye rolling" stage with him at this point and nothing has been done to facilitate him.

At our end, we've had an ed pysch assessment, a home tutor for a while and I take him every week for an hour to a dyslexia support centre for some tailored teaching, all this funded by us, of course and quite rightly. We've also communicated with the school, and a scribe to help DS was mentioned by his latest teacher, but after that, nothing. It hasn't happened and he is unhappy and stressed and playing up.

Parents evening is coming up, and I would like to politely ask for this scribe to materialise and to have this firmly in place. As we have done as much as we can do to help DS, I would like the school to do this little thing. If not, a part of me wants to throw the toy out of the pram and not "play the game". Would it be so bad?

This is all so preemptive, but I really do need to get my thoughts clear and tohave some leverage when negotiating at the forthcoming parents evening. Thank you in advance for your thoughts, opinions and especially to those with experience.

Here's the info you need for access arrangements for the KS2 tests.

www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearning/assessment/keystage2/ks2tests

The school still has time to sort this.

Her test was unequivocally NOT a test of her - as the school knew she was working on p-scales, a test that tests from lvls 3-5 cannot POSSIBLY be a test of her abilities.

And although her (very well chosen) Secondary school has done their best, on a limited budget as the LA refused to even assess her, on SA+, with 15 hrs on her IEP, plus floating support in Core lessons (was every lesson until September and Academisation, but that's another thread!), plus a scribe and reader, plus 25% extra time in written exams...and my DD now has, due to her Dyspraxia and processing disorders, 25% extra time in all PRACTICAL exams and tests. Which I had to personally appeal to the exam board for (she's in Y11 now)

No, SATS are NOT a test of the child, not when that child has SEN and is unsupported.

Don't withdraw him, it will be a pain in the arse at secondary school as they are now judged on expected progress from KS2, using SATs results as the baseline.

Just spotted that the process for applying for extra time this year has changed and it appears to be easier as you don't need to provide a professional recommendation.

couthymow I'd agree that sats are inappropriate for a child working below level 3 and I simply don't enter a child if they are working at such a low level. We also facilitate the use of additional support for children wherever possible. However it doesn't change the fact that the tests are there to test the child if they are working within those levels.

Also, if your child has no KS2 SATs level data their 'expected progress' across the board at GCSE will be a B grade. The same as if they have had got a level 5/6. You can get a teacher assessed end of KS2 level but it is capped at level 2 and this gives an expected progress grade of E at GCSE.

You need to sort the scribe as soon as possible, ds will need time to practise using one.

Also, if your child has no KS2 SATs level data their 'expected progress' across the board at GCSE will be a B grade

Where did you get that gem from? I deal with incoming data and B is not a default grade if SATs are missing

incidentally, Op, dont be thinking, if you keep your child home that day they wont be doing SATs - oh no - they get picked up for a week after very corrupt local primary and if they come to my secondary, I'll be doing CATS with no parental notification, and I do catch up sessions too.

You can run but you cannot hide

Bohmian, 'B' IS now the 'expected progress' grade if there's no KS2 data. We have many EAL students with little prior schooling and even they will only 'count' in the figures if they attain B or above.

This does not mean they have a target grade of B or even that we will be in 'trouble' as a school if they don't attain it, but we'll receive no credit for a lower grade.

The table on page 2 here is the clearest explanation.

I work in an EBD secondary school where we have a lot of pupils who sabotaged SATS papers or were between schools, or not attending school, or excluded from school who now have "target grades" of a B (I teach English).

From the point of view of the child,what difference does it make what their expected progress is?
Sort of genuine question,as my DCs secondary sets children on the basis of CAT testing initially and then by class/assessment results.
Their SAT results,and predicted GCSE grades are there on the school pupil record,but don't seem to bear any relation to how they are actually doing. (And in fact could be counterproductive - DD blossomed at secondary school,with the excellent support they provided-comparing her predicted grades with her actual grades showed this,but predicted grades could equally have been used by either her or the school to accept less than she was really capable of.)
How will their education be different if there is no measure of how they performed in a test at age 10-11?

My DD is in Y11, didn't get a level in SATS, and I can assure you none of her 'target levels' are above a 'D'!

Couthy, what your DD is given as a target by the school and what the school is given as a target for her can be very different.

I've been a reader for SATS many many times. Your ds should be able to access a reader for Maths. I've also scribed, which is a nightmare as you aren't allowed to put in any punctuation and have to be completely led by the child.

Your ds shouldn't be kept in at break. Tbh the school sounds a bit shit.

Sorry high jacking this thread OP. But I have a dd year 6 with dyslexia. And auditory processing problems. I have just found out about the spelling, grammer and punctuation paper. The school never mentioned at parents evening. I know she will not do well in this, and am planning to practice papers at home. (She is happy to do this). Is this a good idea or not. It will help her but not be reflective of school teaching. Also they haven't mentioned extra time.

Florence- personally I wouldn't bother. The school should do a couple of practice papers so she knows what to expect. However, if you do lots of practice and artificially inflate her mark (so she seems more capable than she is) she will be put under a lot of pressure at secondary school as they will have a target grade that they are supposed to get her to- which may be out of her reach. Also a poor SATs result may mean she gets more support at secondary, if she does ok as a result of your help then they might think she doesn't need any extra support.

I have 9 children in my class who are eligible for scribes and extra time ( some 15% and some 25%) Only one has a statement.

I'm a Y6 teacher and I (or my TA) regularly scribe for 3 or 4 of the children in my class so they will have an emanuensis for the KS2 tests. Although the guidance has changed this year it still allows for children to have a 'scribe' if that is normal classroom practice and if there is evidence to that effect.

Children who need one can have a reader and a scribe for maths, for the reading paper and the SPAG test. It is also possible for the test papers to be opened early (with permission) in order for them to be copied onto coloured paper/other adaptations made if appropriate.

Has your DS been taught any strategies for completing the tests e.g. have a go at all the 1 point questions (there are usually some right at the end), or do all the + - x and / questions so you are concentrating on calculation before revisiting ones that aren't so straightforward?

My whole class use highlighters to identify important bits of information in what they're reading (in general practice, not just tests) which can help with processing...perhaps that's another thing that your DS could try doing. Don't bother waiting for the parents' evening - contact the SENCo and say you'd like to discuss the access arrangements for your DS and that you're keen to ensure they are forming part of the day-to-day classroom practice so that your DS has the opportunity to make good use of them. KS2 tests shouldn't reduce children to tears they are for beating teachers with and, if they are, the school needs to know about it and do something differently.

Thank you all so much for the help. I know now I will not be withdrawing DS for the sats. You've all helped me come up with the scribe strategy and given me the conviction to fight , especially to you Couthy. I can't believe you've spent the time to try and help me, when you have so much going on at the moment.

Bohemian this is not a game, so please quit with the "run but you can't hide" nonsense and your special powers to make children do "CATS". I am sure DS wouldn't be going to your school and if I thought it was your school, I'd give it a swerve TBH.

This post has made me cry. For fuck sake, these are children. Why the fuck has our education system turned into something that keeps a child in on his break and instills anxiety to the degree that he is in tears!

I am so angry. Surely a bit of play is going to enhance learning. ? People are stupid if they think the stick approach to learning and exams is every going to get outcomes. Children do not learn when they are anxious

Sorry Cunty I've just read the whole thread and realize it has moved on a bit. All the best to your son in his SATS.

A scribe can be very effective for those with processing difficulties - DD finds hers helpful. She has expressed a preference for 2/3 of those who she was using in the classroom, for her exams, and she has dropped the other one as he seemingly didn't understand what DD wanted him to write. But the other two have been a most useful adaptation for DD IYSWIM!

Thanks Period. Sorry my/DS's thread made you cry. You've made me want to cry on your behalf now....

I went to see Ds's teachers today and got a pleasant surprise; she is in the case! I mentioned the scribe and she said she was waiting to hear from the sats board about whether or not they would allow it, having applied ages ago. I mentioned having done some research (thanks you lot) and that it had to be seen as a routine practice and she seemed aware of that and wanted to look into it before sats. Phew. Thanks everyone.

Bunty, I don't want to seem snippy, but you are coming over as though you are stunned that your son's teacher has shown that she knows her job.

I'm really sorry that you would feel that - every Year 6 teacher that I know wants the children to do the best that they possibly can.

One final thought about the 'completing the paper in break' thing - if the class are going to go through the paper the next day and analyse errors, your son will be disadvantaged if he hasn't had a chance to finish it. I suppose he could have finished it during Art or PE but that's not much fun for him either.

I currently spend the majority of my breaks with individual children editing or correcting their work or going through fractions for the nth time - but that's their choice.