To think we need to get a grip about SATs and stop the drama

[PeaceLoveGonk]

DD(11) has to work very hard just to be average academically. None of this SPAG bollocks comes naturally but she just bloody well gets on with it.

She came out of school yesterday, said test was hard, she didn't finish it but did her best. We then went for ice cream and when we got home she went on the iPad.

No one in her class had hysterics, went into meltdown, cried or did anything other than try their best.

I've read a thread on TES forum describing the test as 'brutal' and there is much talk about ruining our children's lives. I think it's just 4 tense days before they start the wind down to summer.

We're not doing our kids any favours with all this anger, breast beating and angst. They're not working in clothing factories in India, trying to make a living from a rubbish dump or facing death on a dinghy trying to cross the sea to escape persecution. It's 4 days of tests!

I have no idea what the teacher thinks, she has not made a big deal of it.

That is the difference. My dds teacher has made a big deal of it.

givepeas - I think you're getting some unfair criticism on this. I agreed completely with your first comment.

But I think both schools and parents are putting too much pressure on children with SATS. The general atmosphere, chat and gossip around this must be deeply unsettling for young children.

corythatwas - I'm sorry that your DD was put under so much pressure when she had medical issues. That's unforgivable.

DD's school have been very uptight about the SATs but I've told her that they are professionals and should be able to cope with the stress without putting pressure on her. It's not her problem.

She isn't easy going. She works very hard and cares about doing well. She doesn't, however, have meltdowns, hysterics or beat herself up if she doesn't succeed. To be honest, if any kids had been clinging to their parents in the school playground then the other kids would have been about them.

I'm a primary school teacher. Yes, people are angry about the SATs this year.

Why?

Schools and teachers aren't applying any more or less pressure than in other years.
Parents aren't more 'hysterical' this year.
Children aren't less resilient or hard-working this year.
People don't have a problem with formative testing - though ongoing assessment is generally more accurate and useful

So what is the problem?

The problem with these tests is the content.

-children are being taught there is one right answer when it comes to grammar - but grammar doesn't always work like that! Professional linguists argue about the way the grammar being taught to our children 'should' be used - so why does the government insist on trying to reduce language to 'right' and 'wrong'?

-there are grammatical errors in questions in the grammar tests!

-sometimes a question asks for one answer when there are actually two (or more!) possibilities

-the test questions are ambiguous

-some questions ask for multiple answers for a single mark. Say a child is asked to give ten examples of words with the 'ful' suffix and a child correctly gives nine correct examples but one incorrect answer they score a big fat zero! How is that an accurate or fair reflection of their understanding of suffixes?!

I could go on!

Please, please if you think the new curriculum is an interesting one that engages children and inspires them to be creative and have a lifelong love of learning then think again. If you think these tests are a reasonable way to assess children then think again. If you think the anger is just hysteria and over-reacting then think again.

It needs sorting and soon.

Oh and this year's children are being tested on a six year curriculum they've had only 18 months to learn! Brilliant!I

And if they fail they have to resit in year seven (to ensure they have the 'basics'!!!) when they should be getting on with settling into their new school!

And the secondary curriculum hasn't changed so they aren't going to touch on this stuff again!

That shows his stupid it is, Magical

I don't think anyone is denying that the tests are pointless, outmoded and irrelevant, but that is not the same as saying I believe as a consequence of the tests we have a generation of traumatised children.

There are some very unscrupulous people who stand to make much money out of this, and it isn't only the government we should be looking out for.

*that shows how stupid it is.

And no one has commented on the fact that independently educated children have exams once or twice a year but cope with the stress very well.

I wonder why most independent schools choose not to do SATS if they're so useful?

I can only go by what I've witnessed in real life so this is just anecdotal but I think in some cases it's the parents stressing the kids about SATS. There are some borderline hysterical parents on a local Facebook group and every new announcement is immediately met with 'well my child can't possibly do that, effing Tories etc etc' pitchforks at the ready. Taking your kids out of school to wave protest banners about a test isn't going to make them not stress about it.

I'm sure there are kids with genuine anxiety issues, however, I'm certain the majority will be able to suck it up and cope. They aren't being hothoused South Korean style and everyone's in the same boat so it's a level playing field.

I have sympathy for those whose kids have genuine anxiety issues (I am not great on exam situations at all) but I believe some parents (again in my experience) just love drama or want to infantalise their kids. The curriculum and testing has changed many times during my lifetime and previously most kids have shown they have the ability to just get on with it and most parents have coped too. I've also noticed that it's some of the ultra competitive parents who want to boast about their kids achievements on social media who are the most hysterical.

To be honest, if any kids had been clinging to their parents in the school playground then the other kids would have been hmm about them

Gosh. Well I'm glad DD is at her school then. Much nicer children.

She had messages on Instagram from her friends hoping she was feeling better and telling her she wasn't stupid or thick or lame. Her HT approached me outside school and told me what had happened so that I could be prepared. Her teacher approached me in the playground, and gave DD a hug and promised her a chocolate pancake. Two parents approached me this morning to ask after her because their own child had told them she was upset - one had an older sister DD has never met but offered to chat to her about exams and High School to try to make her feel better.

On the playground children that weren't upset were going up to the ones that were and hugging them, walking them into the classroom holding hands or waists. My own DD, despite her own distress, made sure she waited for her bff so they could walk in together.

Oh and parents who spoke to the mum who has taken her child out gave her their support and backing.

Maybe what DDs schoolfriends lack in resilience they gain in empathy and kindness.

Thank you MagicalMM,

I wanted to say this, but didn't have the words or experience to articulate it as you have.

This argument/thread is missing the point.

Read Magical MM's post. This is what we should really be concerned about.

As they test every year they would have a good idea about which areas were pretty well mastered and which needed more work.

Do you think that the SATs are the only assessment that state school teachers use?!

"Sats are really bad because me and my friends have been pressured by teachers to get everything right. It makes me feel really bad though, when I don't live up to their expectations."

^^ This is a comment from the cbbc website. How sad is that? Yes there are many comments from others saying they are finding the sats fine. But really? We want 11year olds to feel like this from their teachers?

It goes back to how schools and teachers deal with them and how they encourage the children. Not stress them out.

My DD did them last year. She said SATS were much more stressful than the 11+.

MagicalMM - excellent post which echoes what my Year 6 teacher said to me last night. What a bloody shambles.

Magical Excellent post

According to a TES thread SPaG was much better, but again they are saying it bore little resemblance to the sample tests - easier rather than harder this time.

I think it depends... So, YABU - even though your DD is okay, doesn't mean the other children are/should be!

I agree with Magical

Which is exactly why I have had a maximum of 3 short conversations with DS2 about these exams each of which dismissed any relevance they may have on his life. They are so irrelevant that it is not even worth talking about more than that.

Certainly not worth stressing about.

I didn't even know what SPaG was until breakfast time this morning when it was on the news.

Also, everyone has done the same prep and same exam so literally everyone will 'fail' if they are as bad as people are making out. Which will show, entirely nothing about the children, only the system.

I am trying to be sympathetic to the stress but it really makes no logical sense.

Also, everyone has done the same prep and same exam so literally everyone will 'fail' if they are as bad as people are making out. Which will show, entirely nothing about the children, only the system

No they won't 'all fail'. Ridiculous thing imo to say.

All children are different. Some will do ok with no prep some will not do ok with tonnes of prep.

Do you really think all children are the same?