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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Not to send DD to school in Easter holidays?

121 replies

muminthecity · 10/02/2017 17:23

DD is in year 6, and preparations for the SATS are well underway. DD is very bright, and expected to do well, but she is really feeling the pressure and is not particularly happy at school at the moment, mainly because her favourite subjects (art and history) have been sidelined in favour of extra SATS practice. She gets practice tests sent home every week which she does well in, as well as maths, English and grammar homework.

Today we had a letter home informing us that the school are laying on extra lessons to prepare for the SATS over the Easter holidays. They have asked if DD can attend 4 days (mon-thurs) in the first week, for 3 hours a day (1-4pm.)

On one hand, extra education is no bad thing, and it is good of the teachers to give up their time in the holidays for this. On the other hand, DD is only 11, she's under enough pressure as it is, shouldn't the school holidays be a chance for her to relax and do things she enjoys? Not to mention the awkward timing which will really limit what else we can do that week. I'd like to have days out, visit family and friends etc. Having to be back by 1pm for school would severely limit that. WWYD? AIBU not to send her?

OP posts:
AChickenCalledKorma · 10/02/2017 17:45

No I absolutely would not have sent my daughter to Easter holiday classes. She did SATs last year, so I have recent experience. I also refused to let her to do the HUGE amount of revision she was set over Easter, because she was already stressed out of her mind and desperate for a holiday.

Don't get sucked into the pressure for them to cram for every last mark. If your daughter is doing well in practise tests, there is absolutely no call for it. Even if she wasn't, there's a fair chance that a proper break would do her good.

FartnissEverbeans · 10/02/2017 17:47

I'm a secondary English teacher and under no circumstances would I be sending my child for SATs preparation over Easter! The nerve of the school even asking!

If she's going to a good secondary school her teachers will learn what she's capable of from what she does in their class, not what she did at primary.

This genuinely gives me rage Envy

tiredofhavingtothinkofnewnames · 10/02/2017 17:47

Thank you for your thoughts. Just to add, DD definitely doesn't want to go. At the last parents evening her teacher said she is well on track for a level 6 in English and grammar and a borderline level 5/6 in maths. She is already attending an after school maths club for an hour every week to try to push her up to a level 6.

Where do you live that has level 5/6 sats?

AChickenCalledKorma · 10/02/2017 17:50

beachy the sets are not remotely "sticky" at the secondary my daughters attend. They are reviewed regularly. And they don't set until they've done their own tests - SATs are not a major factor.

MongerTruffle · 10/02/2017 17:52

I understand the point about how they are put into sets at secondary, but these sets aren't permanent are they?

Secondary schools do their own tests, either at the beginning of the year, or they have an extra induction day in July.

PerspicaciaTick · 10/02/2017 17:54

Either just tick the "no thank you" box on the return slip or write a note saying "We have other commitments this Easter holiday". Or you could say "Just because SATs are important to you, doesn't mean that they are a priority for us".

There will be lots of families who don't take them up on the offer of hot-housing. Some will be going away on holiday or visiting relatives, others will have working parents who will be sending their children to all day holiday clubs, others will simply think that all this flapping by schools is just a load of self-indulgent wank.

Coloursthatweremyjoy · 10/02/2017 17:56

If it helps. I asked my sons secondary if his SATs results would make a difference to which sets they put him in. He has SN and his primary so relentlessly coached them that I felt his results were inflated. The secondary teacher laughed and said that they would be assessing them themselves. Apparently they are "well aware of what goes on."

Oh...I wouldn't send her.

Original poster
muminthecity · 10/02/2017 17:56

Where do you live that has level 5/6 sats?

In London. Is this not how they are marked anymore then? The parents evening was in October if that makes any difference?

I used to work in the school and am friendly with DD's teacher, maybe she was using old terms?

OP posts:
SarahMused · 10/02/2017 17:56

This is crazy. The school is doing this for their benefit not the childrens'. Secondary schools will mostly do CAT tests when the students arrive and they all know that SATs are often inaccurate due to the different approaches in schools. Enjoy the holidays, let your daughter have a break and go back refreshed next term. That will do her much more good.

MsGameandWatch · 10/02/2017 17:58

Ridiculous! No way would I send her, even if they did try to say it was "compulsory" Hmm

tiredofhavingtothinkofnewnames · 10/02/2017 18:00

In London. Is this not how they are marked anymore then? The parents evening was in October if that makes any difference?

I am not sure if you are the daily mail in disguise but giving the benefit of the doubt as you have a long posting history.

There is no L4, 5 or 6 anymore and wasn't last year either.

SATS booster classes are usually targeted at children either at risk of not making the expected grade and/or making enough progress from KS1.

If you teacher was talking about L4, 5 and 6 in October for indeed at any point since September 2015 then you need to be very worried as the school obviously is not on top of their game. That might be why they are now running Easter classes.

tiredofhavingtothinkofnewnames · 10/02/2017 18:02

Secondary schools will mostly do CAT tests when the students arrive and they all know that SATs are often inaccurate due to the different approaches in schools.

They can do as many CAT tests as they want. They progress 8 score is based on progress from KS1 to KS2 and limited if any value is given by Ofsted to their own on entry testing unless it is at a non-standard entry points (i.e. not Y7)

ForAllWeKnow · 10/02/2017 18:03

At the last parents evening her teacher said she is well on track for a level 6 in English and grammar and a borderline level 5/6 in maths.

Nope. No such thing. She can't achieve level anything since we moved to the new system.

AChickenCalledKorma · 10/02/2017 18:03

Level 5/6 SATs were abolished in 2015. Everyone does the same test now. Not sure what your school is up to with the Maths groups, but there is still a category of marks for the highest achievers and maybe that's what they are targeting. I still wouldn't play along with ridiculous holiday cramming though.

toptoe · 10/02/2017 18:03

boosters should be after school, not in hols imo. What were the teachers thinking...it means they have to come in too, and some dc will be on hols abroad or in uk.

Gatehouse77 · 10/02/2017 18:04

My older 2 told the youngest not to do too well in her SATS as they use them for predicted GCSE grades. DD1 is now being put under pressure for her GCSEs this summer because, even though she's on target for A's, B's and a couple of A*s, she's not on the trajectory as set by her SATS results.
This is not related to her CAT tests that she did at the beginning of Y7. We are not pushing her at home.

Personally, if she doesn't want to go I wouldn't make her. I'm very pro education but I wouldn't be doing anything to discourage the love of learning.

5moreminutes · 10/02/2017 18:08

toptoe it won't be the teachers, it will be a senior management top down decision - the teachers are probably as unhappy about it as the parents, but won't dare say (or will be reminded that they are not in fact entitled to refuse to work during the school holidays and that their own performance will be judged upon the performance of the poor kids)...

Aeroflotgirl · 10/02/2017 18:08

I agree don't send her, she is only 11, the pressure they put children under is disgusting. Not for the children's benefit.

RedSauce · 10/02/2017 18:08

I would not send my child against their wishes, no. SATS are pointless.

If they actually wanted to go, then I'd let them, of course.

AuntieStella · 10/02/2017 18:10

I would be seriously tempted to write back 'Just as you will noi authorise a holiday during term time, I regret I cannot authorise school attendance during the holidays".

Only do that if you know the staff well,enough to know they wouldn't take amiss!

I am very grateful to staff at my DS's school who will be giving up holiday time to run GCSE revision classes and DC that age I would encourage to attend. Age 10/11 is I think too young.

Foureyesarebetterthantwo · 10/02/2017 18:10

I was just about to post there are no level 6s!!!!

So either you/her have creatively embellished what the teacher said or the teacher is in dire need of spending the Easter break getting to grips with the new SATS system.

==

Aeroflotgirl · 10/02/2017 18:10

Omg I am hearing it now, using a child's SAT scores to predict their GCSE results, that's a whole 3/4 years, children can change in that time, no wonder kids have burnout and want to leave school.

eddiemairswife · 10/02/2017 18:11

I'm surprised that any teacher has agreed to do this, unless the school is paying a considerable amount of money to them.

EweAreHere · 10/02/2017 18:13

I would say a firm NO.

And I work in a primary school and no how important the tests are. For the school. Not the child.

Let her have her holiday. She's a child.

Aeroflotgirl · 10/02/2017 18:13

If my children were struggling academically, I wod refuse the Seats not have extra hiday classes for them.

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