Year 6 and SATS

[Onedaughteronecat]

Are there any Year 6 parents and teachers out there? Can I ask a question? As a year 6 mum and a year 6 teacher, would you be really peed off if you found out your child's teacher was off with 'stress, depression, anxiety etc' or would you be sympathetic seeing as you work in the same environment? My DD is a mess, caused by her teacher going off sick followed by an endless stream of supply teachers. Am I being unreasonable? (not that I know the reason for the teachers absence as I don't). Year 6 is the most important year in primary school and I feel let down that her teacher, who promised us that he would get my DD to ARE by the time SATS came around, has now bowed out.

[Monr0e]

My DS is currently in year 6. He is also getting extremely stressed with the workload and pressure being placed on him by his teacher and school re sats and preparing for them amongst other things. I have spoken to him and reassured him I don't give a monkeys how he does on the tests, it is a measure of the school not him and as long as he tries we will be happy. I've also tried to explain the teachers are also under pressure however I will not stand for him feeling bullied by them to do more and more.

I don't agree year 6 is the most important year in terms of sats, I think it is more important in preparing them to move on to secondary school.

As for teachers going off sick, it is completely understandable and I feel sympathy for the pressures and workloads teachers are currently dealing with.

Hope your DD is ok

[mamaduckbone]

YABVU. I'm sure the poor teacher didn't choose to be ill just to mess your child's year up, whatever the reason.
Senior management could possibly be doing more to minimise the disruption, however.

[CripsSandwiches]

I can understand feeling disappointed and stressed by the constant stream of supply teachers but YABVU to direct your annoyance at the Y6 teacher whose off sick. Presumably he didn't choose to be unwell (and this applies to mental illness as much as physical illness).

I do think you need to relax about SATS. They're not all that important going into secondary.

[wineusuallyhelps]

I speak as someone who works in a school and have children around your daughter's age. I also nearly lost my partner (as in, death) because of the "stress, anxiety, depression etc" you mention, because of his teaching job.

YABVU.

But it's clear it comes from caring about your daughter.

SATS matter because the school is measured and judged on the results. League tables are published blah blah blah. So they matter to THE SCHOOL!

Not sure if they matter to the child, looking ahead to secondary school. As soon as my DCs got there, they tested them again anyway, seemingly disregarding the SATS.

If I were you I would totally chill about SATS. Jump through the hoops because you have to but it really isn't going to mean anything in a few years' time. Or even one year's time.

[FrayedHem]

DS1 is finding Yr6 miserable so I do sympathise but you're aiming your frustration at the wrong thing. Schools are under pressure to get good SATs. DS1's school had poor results and a poor Ofsted and it is all SATs SATs SATs. They are offering booster lessons and one of the subjects is being run by the Head, so I can't fault their commitment to trying to cover the unsettled Yr6 teaching. (DS1 won't be going on it as it's all just a bit too much for him).

[Middleoftheroad]

I have two in year 6 and trying to not get caught in SATs hysteria (not the school's fault, before I get flamed).

I would only be concerned about a run of supply teachers if this was having a negative impact on my child. I would be concerned about the welfare of their teacher, however and how they are - depression/anxiety is crippling.

[FarAwayHills]

My DD went through a similar situation in Y6. She was devastated but the school quickly put in place cover from existing staff without using subs giving stability and reassurance to parents. The HT played a big role in supporting the class and often took lessons himself. The Sats are about the schools performance so it is really in their interest to make sure the kids do well.

[Saucery]

It has everything to do with the arrangements for cover made by the SMT and nothing at all to do with the poor teacher who is off due to circumstances beyond her control.
Ask to speak to the Head.

[Stickerrocks]

The teacher has not bowed out, they are ill. Do you really think that anyone chooses to be signed off for long term sickness absence? If the school has said that the teacher has stress, anxiety or depression, they have over-stepped the mark, as the teacher's reason for being absent is strictly confidential and is none of your business. As others have said, their absence may be completely unrelated to work and linked to matters that you are unaware of in their private life. You have no reason to speculate.

SATS are not the be all and end all of year 6, whatever you are told. She will be learning all kinds of things in addition to spelling, grammar etc. Step back and take a positive stance on the supply teacher issue. Yes, it is unsettling, but she will be seeing things from lots of different perspectives. Talk to the school about how they intend to get some stability into DD's class, but please cut out the negative attitude towards her teacher.

[BertPuttocks]

I have a DD in Yr 6.

If your DD is upset about school, I think you need to speak to someone there to see what can be done to help her. I think it would be unusual for a child to be so upset by their teacher being off sick.

I have another child who also had a teacher go off sick for several months. The teacher was very ill and I think we were all just very relieved that she eventually recovered.

[TiredMumToTwo]

"I defy anyone to not have similar thoughts" - your thoughts would literally never cross my mind. YAB incredibly U, why do you think these tests are so important?

[icy121]

Get on Amazon, order the relevant SATS workbooks and work through it with your DD yourself after school and at weekends if you want to support your kid, rather than putting it all in the teachers. Parents can help kids learn to....!
CGP do good ones fwiw.

[clarrylove]

If you feel this strongly that your Dd is being let down, why don't you ask for a meeting with the Head. If other parents share your concern, perhaps you could have a meeting to try and agree a way forward? Surely that's a better solution than just criticising the poorly teacher.

[Onedaughteronecat]

I am clearly not doing the right thing by my DD. Being a mum is too hard. Apologies to all I've offended. It was not my intention.

[countingdown]

Wow! Do you have no empathy at all?
If your daughter "is a mess" perhaps you need to ask yourself how you are supporting her rather than pile blame on an absent teacher. Are you spouting off about the teacher in front of her, or piling on pressure over sats?

[Onedaughteronecat]

I completely take on board all that is being said and I know I am being very unfair. I don't mean to be. But seeing my DD sobbing at the experience she is having at school is truly heartbreaking and I defy anyone to not have similar thoughts in the same situation.

My question now is - do SATS really not matter then? If no, why the hell is our school piling on the pressure and causing such trauma for their year 6 pupils?

[AllotmentyPlenty]

I have to say, if I had to choose a "most important year of primary" it would be reception.

That said, teachers do get sick and schools have to work their best around it. A string of supply teachers is never ideal, but sometimes these things are hard to manage.

My daughter's History teacher is having lots of absences at the moment. To have chemo. Yes, it is disruptive to her GCSE studies. But cancer is disruptive to the teacher's life - we need to all have a heart and work round these things with compassion the best we can.

[WilburIsSomePig]

Goodness, you have NO idea what the teacher's circumstances are. She could have had a bereavement, divorce, general anxiety for many, many reasons. My DD is in Y6 and has had similar experiences but my sympathies lie completely with her teacher as she is unwell. You know, being a human being and all, sometimes that happens.

[chickenowner]

So teachers aren't even allowed to be ill now?

Jeez

[Broccolirevolution]

I'm being dramatic, but the teacher could be dying for fucksake and youre worrying about a test.

Any employee is entitled to be sick. The employer has to ensure their work is covered. If it's not covered, or not covered well enough, it's not the sick employees fault.

You don't blame the checkout workers if there's a queue in asda. You wonder why the employer hasn't put more people on. Schools are the same.

[FrayedHem]

You can't equate being too unwell to work as "bowing out." A run of supply teachers is never ideal (DS1 is on his 4th Yr6 teacher since Sept), but if it hadn't been known how long the Yr6 teacher was going to be absent for, it would presumably make it difficult for the management to arrange cover.

I am sorry that your DD is struggling, is there still a lot of SATs pressure within school? Has management given any indication of the plan to cover the class to the end of the year? Presumably they are keen to avoid poor results.

[SaltyMyDear]

Teacher promised to get your child to age related expectations and you believed her.

Sorry. But teachers can't promise that. If your child is behind they probably won't magically catch up in one year.

[ZombieApocalips]

It's better that she takes the time off than continue teaching while unwell. That would damage both her and the kids.

[Nomoreworkathome]

I can understand your worries for your child but yes, YAB very U.
Perhaps you need to voice your concerns to the school. They may be able to tell you more about any plans to ensure continuity for your child.

[teaandbiscuitsforme]

But YY to question the school about a better solution than supply. Often the yr5 teacher is made asked to move up if the yr6 teacher is off.