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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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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:

tiredofhavingtothinkofnewnames · 10/02/2017 18:14

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

It is 5 years. It has been like that for many years.

Amy345 · 10/02/2017 18:14

No way would I send her especially as she's been doing well on the practice tests. She deserves time off to relax and have a break, not fair to be doing that at age 11!

Sittinginthesun · 10/02/2017 18:16

For SATS? Absolutely no bloody way!

Complete madness.

Aeroflotgirl · 10/02/2017 18:17

Exactly tired, very unreliable, as children change in that time.

ForAllWeKnow · 10/02/2017 18:19

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

The teachers won't have any choice in the matter and they won't receive any extra pay. It will just fall under their extra duties like parents evenings and residential trips and the extra 30+ hours a week you work at home...

A lot of schools are already running sats booster classes after school now. Teachers from every year group from nursery to year 6, including TAs, will be leading compulsory booster groups after school. For no extra pay and without any choice.

Gatehouse77 · 10/02/2017 18:19

Aeroflotgirl it's all about league tables, proving progress, etc and fuck all to do with individuals, potential and achievement.

cheminotte · 10/02/2017 18:22

No way! Kids need a holiday.

PurpleMinionMummy · 10/02/2017 18:25

Sod that. Better things to do in the Easter hols!

Ime lots of teachers still unofficially tell parents the 4/5/6 levels as a lot parents understand what these mean. Booster sessions are definitely not only given to those not expected to meet the expected targets either.

Aeroflotgirl · 10/02/2017 18:25

No Gatehouse I agree, and writing children off early. Noway could my work at 10, predict my GCSE results, as I was so poor academically. I got much better in my teens as cognive function improved. I got 5 A-C grades, did a GNVQ advanced and got a 2:1 in my BA (Hons) psychogy then on to an MSc degree hopefully now PhD in clinical psychology. Who would have thought it. My grades at 10 would never had predicted academic achievement later on.

Parker231 · 10/02/2017 18:27

Definitely not regardless of whether they were doing well or not. School is for school hours only. I never made mine do any homework until they were 11 - after school and holiday time is for their sports activities and seeing friends and family.

coldcanary · 10/02/2017 18:27

No way would I be sending DD if her school are daft enough to do this! They don't need extra pressure for the SATS just decent teaching during lesson time and support at home.
As for high school, the tests in year 7 have already been mentioned and going off DS's experience it's easy to move up sets with hard work. As for GCSE results - that's what mocks are for! If they used his SATS results as a prediction for his GCSE's he'd be failing the lot. As it happens he's predicted B's and C's this year.

hearyoume · 10/02/2017 18:27

This is about the school's targets, not your DD's. I wouldn't send my child. Let her be a child and enjoy the holiday.

BackforGood · 10/02/2017 18:31

I opened the thread, assuming that your dc were about to take their GCSEs !!

No way in the world I would be sending any of my dc in for more lessons in the school holidays, whether they were excelling, struggling or anywhere in between. Depending on my mood, I might even suggest they look up the meaning of holiday, and let the school no that I think it would benefit ALL the dc more if they allow their teaching staff to have one

liz70 · 10/02/2017 18:34

We always go away for the first week of the spring break, so I know what my answer would be.

BlondeBecky1983 · 10/02/2017 18:35

Levels don't exist anymore, it's not just the assessment that changed it's the whole curriculum. I don't understand why some schools are insisting on reporting something that simply doesn't exist anymore!

Trifleorbust · 10/02/2017 18:36

Actually disgusting to hear a primary school is expecting this of the staff as well!

Aeroflotgirl · 10/02/2017 18:37

I would also not be doing any extra SATS booster classes after school and weekend either, your dd is only little. It is not for her benefit. It will not help her later on. It will just make her stressed and anxious, sounds like she does a lot of work anyway.

TeenAndTween · 10/02/2017 18:38

No way.

Also as Blonde says, there aren't levels anymore, so this talk of Level 5 or level 6 is rubbish.

noblegiraffe · 10/02/2017 18:39

God no. Madness. I feel bad enough about getting kids in for GCSE revision during the holidays and that's for exams for their future.

Hot-housed SATs scores are obvious at secondary school too.

Enidblyton1 · 10/02/2017 18:40

This is crazy! Don't send her and I would gather support from other parents too. All children need a break. And the teachers do too.
A good school wouldn't need to do this...

Madeyemoodysmum · 10/02/2017 18:43

My dd is in yr six but I booked a holiday for second week of Easter purely so dd and younger ds
and us get a nice break from school and the bloody sats. She has homework revision for this half
Term which I don't agree with either.

We would NOT be going in.

mrslaichaoui · 10/02/2017 18:43

Do not send her!! There's too much pressure being put on children as it is! I'm sure that days out/ activities with her family is so much more important to her development than extra classes to meet government set targets that just stress children out! My DD will be taking hers this year and has attended booster classes after school but she will not be going in over the holidays and will be out having fun, being a child.

MoreThanUs · 10/02/2017 18:45

Absolutely no way would I send her. Even if she wanted to go, I wouldn't let her.

InvisibleKittenAttack · 10/02/2017 18:51

god no! SATs are not a qualification - they aren't something that matters to the child at all. I don't see the point in making your DD give up her holiday for something that only matters to the school.

MaisyPops · 10/02/2017 18:53

If they were behind in gcse then id understand odd sessions (often you find that spring of y11 is when some reluctant children realise they really do need to pull it out the bag).

But y6! Not a chance. I'm secondary and i look at the numbers coming up sats and talk to the kids and its so clear thay all of y6 is aboit sats. Their enjoyment gets killed and it's not even ab accurate reflection of ability in yhe end anyway.

Keep you little one at home and do fun stuff

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