SATs

[SATsStress]

Ds1 is preparing for his SATs in May and has always been a good student however we have recently moved and his new School are being awful towards him (in my opinion of course) he's never excelled in maths or English, always been average no matter how hard I push him. His strengths are easily seen in science and sports, he can pick up a rock and talk for hours about its features and that's what he loves.

His new School are telling him he's not a good enough reflection of the school and he needs to try harder. They've just received an outstanding ofsted rating and are keen for this year group to do exceptionally well.

I refuse to put pressure on him at home, he does reading and spellings most nights and that's enough for me.

I've just learned that he will be taking tests in July, CATs I believe. They want to do them soon after SATs so they don't have "summer headed" children placed in the wrong ability groups.

On to the question of AIBU, he came home crying Friday saying he couldn't cope anymore, he's fed up of trying his hardest and it never being good enough for them. Would I BU to tell him to sit at his desk and simply write his name on his SATs papers in some hope of showing the school that they have acted stupidly. Then he can do his CATs without the pressure a month later for his new School.

I probably am BU. I can't stand to see him like this.

The playing with dirt comment enraged me. He's an exceptional mini scientist and if he had heard this - which he could of from outside the office - it would have crushed him.

I never thought I would ever consider telling my child to sit out an exam, I guess I'm just trying to teach him that this isn't ok. How do I teach him that whilst encouraging him to do the SATs.

All I want him to do is draw a huge middle finger across the page, the temptation to suggest this is luckily crushed by my maturity. Just about!

and for all of the year 6 parents. This has been a tough year!

In SATS hell here too at the moment! It is a nightmare! DS told me he is going to fail and then won't ever get a good job!

I tell him he must just try his best, they are testing the school not him!

I was worse when DD was about to do them, the school said they would keep back anyone who failed and make the repeat them instead of going up to Year 7 (middle school system).

So, they wanted to take already struggling children, keep the back for a term to tick their boxes, THEN throw these children in to Year 7, having missed a third of the year and expect them to catch up!

Luckily it didn't happen!

@TheBigFatMermaid
I was also given the scare treatment like your DD - our head of year told us that the first thing we'd be asked in a job interview was our Year 6 SATs results. Can confirm that neither my university or any of my interviewers ever mentioned the word SATs.

OP is there any way you could get DS a diagnosis of situational anxiety disorder or something? Just a thought as it might mean they have to make reasonable adjustments to not stress him out any more than necessary?
Ngl this is why I would be loath to put my child in an 'outstanding' school as I feel that they don't tend to be outstanding for the right reasons IMO!

No your right SATsStress, I change my mind those comments from the teachers are beyond the pale.

How come its a 'group' of teachers? at primary my children only ever had one teacher. Perhaps an email to Ofsted, with the board of governors copied in and all those teachers comments listed?

@Walkingdeadfangirl there's two teachers as the school has double capacity. So 2 classes for each year but the teachers teach both, then it's the head, the deputy head and a teaching assistant.

I usually have the upmost respect for teachers, they are incredible and I would never usually want to undermine them by boycotting SATs but I feel I'm out of options with this school. I'm only at the beginning of the complaint, I'm sure they will find a way to drag it out.

Doctors might be a good call actually. May help me out in the complaint too

Dd is in the top 5 children of her year 6 group for maths and English. She's not in the top 3 for verbal reasoning so she is being given special lessons in break times. Dd has come home several times over the last few weeks crying because she thinks she's stupid because she has to have special lessons.

I've told her just to do her best. The school are telling her her best is not good enough.

I'll be glad when the Sats are over.

I wouldn't complain about the "playing with earth" comment. I would laugh at it though. Many a good living has been made by people who like grubbing around in the dirt - archaeology, geology, petrochemical industry, soil science, farming, construction....

I think the schools approach with your DS is very heavy handed OP and you are right to complain. It sounds like they are in panic mode and maybe kids are not as prepared as they should be. This is down to the teachers not the students.

Having said this, I would not let your feelings towards the school add to your DS’s stress about SATs as this will make things even worse for him. Exams are part of life and the last thing he needs is to develop a lasting complex about them. Just ask the school to back off and keep things happy and calm at home. If he wants to do some extra work great, if not just let him be.