To be deflated at Ds KS2 SATs results even though he passed them all....

[RockYourSocksOff]

As with maths he just got through by the skin of his teeth and I know he can do better.

I also know that even though High School do their own tests, his SATs score will be a benchmark for his future GCSEs so will stick with him throughout his time there, in some form or another.

Don’t get me wrong, I AM proud of him but the more I hear of other dc results and the more I look at the ‘raw scores’ I know he really did just about get the ‘magic’ number.

He did better in SPAG and Reading but not ‘greater depth’ better, a point off GD in reading (I think) and 2 points in SPAG (on the scaled score) although that’s depending on the score being 110 for GD.

I’ve posted on here because I want you to tell me I’m being an arse because I am but still, I can’t help the way I feel.

Those who say SATs don’t matter, well they do don’t they?

Sunshades
DFOD he’s 11. 11 yos should be out having fun in the summer holidays, not sitting on the naughty step eating gruel.

I know you’ve had tons of answers op. Just to say, my dd is just going into yr6. I’ve told her I don’t care what scores she gets in sats, just to do her best. Of course I want her to do well and I know she will do just fine. But I don’t think they have anything to do with what she will attain at GCSE.

Rock, don’t worry about the grades (except if you’re going to Tunnock’s school). But do have a look at how you can support your son’s learning calmly and in a non-pressured way over the summer. Work out a good reading list, go through the basics if need be (times tables) etc... Your school report should help you highlight areas that need to be worked on.

I'm feeling very sorry for him. He's passed yet his marks aren't good enough for his parents. Children should have unconditional love and never ever feel pressured by their parents as they aren't good enough.

From my own experience, I was heavily pushed at school and now don't go home as I only need to be good enough for myself not others.

My daughter’s school bases all predicted grades on SATs results. It doesn’t matter how the fuck she performs throughout her five year tenure there, her predicted grades remain the same. Sure she may move up or down a set dependent on performance in class, but they refuse to adjust the end-game scores because the compute just won’t allow it.

It’s infuriating, because they’re judged against this mystical age 16 possibility from being 11 onwards. Reports are grim reading in those early years at seniors because they graft like hell to be shown they’re not achieving these predicted grades. That’s because those grades are for their future 16 year old self.

I raised it once, and was told the teachers hate the system too, but have to work with it as it’s school policy.

Ironically, my son has just got hisnSATs results, and smashed them. Greater Depth all over the show. He’s off to special school where they give zero fucks for them. Yay! :o

I don’t know ONE person who got their child a tutor for the SATS! My daughter has just done hers (year 6) and it wasn’t even a ‘thing’ at school, just done like any other assessment. No big deal. Can’t understand all the fuss! I didn’t even know what the scores meant - I had to look it up as the school didn’t tell us. Seems the best way to go about it!

So he’s passed way over average? That’s great!! Our high school give them an expected gcse that they have to aim for based on their sats and that stays with them throughout. It can be changed if it’s very wrong but it doesn’t mean they won’t go on to do better or worse than expected. My daughter is going through into year 9 this year and is sitting on 8/9 across the board but realistically she’s not performing at that level for every subject. This expected grade will stay there however and I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing

No school worth their league table will think that a test taken at 10/11, esp the very first formal test for lots of them, can predict anything at age 14/15. They do know that children change a lot, they know that some primary schools suck, others teach to the test and therefore the result has to be taken with a pinch of salt.

What do you think they do with children coming from public schools who don’t do SATS? Or home schooled children? Or children moving back from abroad?

Honestly, sats are a load of rubbish. I did amazing in all of them, both at 11 and 13 - school tried putting me in top streams both times and promptly had to move me back down as I am thick as two short planks.

Some great responses, can’t reply to you all.

Of course we haven’t told him we’re deflated by his maths score, we’ve told him we’re proud of him but it’s not just about passing a SATs test.

He got 103 in maths, what used to be his strongest subject was his weakest result. Of course I’ve spoken to him about this and that maybe we need to practise a little in the holidays.

High School have sent a booklet home for maths so it will give him something to focus on. He hates homework with a passion though so we’ll see. This is an area where I know he could have done better, homework and practising. With maths the more you practise the more things begin to ‘stick’.

This attitude might change during his time at high school.

They will shift him up or down sets in secondary school according to his ability. If a child does shite in their year 6 SATS when they’re 10/11, they won’t continue to judge that child on those results for the rest of their time in secondary school. How ridiculous would that be? GCSE predictions go on mocks sat in year 10, absolutely fuck all to do with SATS.

I do agree that the more you practice, the more things stick, but this might not be the issue with his results.

A lower than expected mark might be explained by knowing the content but being tripped up by the problem solving aspect to questions on the reasoning papers.

private schools don't do them so how does a secondary school decide what GCSE grades those children are predicted? Genuine question

My DD went to private prep. They do SATs in year 6, however it’s totally downplayed. They’re used to doing tests each year so none of the stress that seems to appear in some state schools.

I asked all secondaries we looked around whether they used SATs to set. One didn’t reassess until Xmas, we discounted this. One reasses at half term, the other sets on entrance exam, discounts SATs for setting purposes and reassess regularly

My DS2 is just finishing Year 7. SATS blighted Year 6 for him, even though I told him it didn't matter what he got. It was so bad I offered him the option of not doing them.

When we got the results he wanted burn the envelope without opening it. So we did! Presumably his results weren't great because he started high school in the lower sets. He must have out performed his predicted scores because this term he was moved to the top set for most subjects.

SATS offer no benefit to children. They just provide a way for the government to measure schools against each other.

you are an arse.

In particular you probably shouldnt have told your son you are proud of his test results. Its better than telling him you aren't pround...but still a bit shit.

Be proud of his actual learning...be proud of his progress....ask him what he is proud/ not proud about and support him.

This test is crap....all other tests are also crap. A-level in particular seems to have decoupled entirely from actual knowledge or skills. The only way to survive formal education these days is to call out the tests as the bullshit they are and support your children to enjoy and be proud of their real achievements.

M3, you are right and yes, I am an arse.

I hope I will look back on this post in 4 years time and call myself an even bigger arse!

We shall see.

Small, well done to your Ds!

sorry - I'm probably a little harsh...but I teach at university level and every year there are more and more students dropping out and failing because they are simply too anxious to deal with assessments.

I believe the primary cause of this is experience parental pride in test scores for 14 years straight, giving them an overly important weighting on the importance of exam results over actual progress let alone things like happiness/health. They are just totally burnt out and unable to function when put in a room for the upteenth time and told their whole life depends on not screwing up.

I'm dangerously close to giving up on actually trying to teach any physics and focusing entirely on getting students through 4 years with their mental health, and not to put too fine a point on it, their LIFE in tact.

I've had 1 suicide and 1 very nearly successful attempt in the last calendar year alone.

It would be great if even one person on this thread can vow they will do everything in their power NOT to be the person we have to phone explaining their child didn't make it through the exam period....and the most crucial thing you can do as a parent is to show your child how very much more important their happiness and personal development is to you, than their test results.

Jaques - the stress doesnt come from doing tests. The children will be used to doing tests!
The stress comes from the importance the schools place on them (and have to as it affects their ofsted and pay scales) so the pressure to get all kids to perform regardless of background or circumstances is immense. To the extent many schools spend a lot of year 6 doing SATs practuice and booster classes and the other parts of the curriculum miss out. I would far rather a private prep.

@Sisterlove a whole back someone from the dept of ed, said that they'd expect 6 kids in the entire country to get all 9s. I really think schools shouldn't predict them as I imagine they'll just pick some tiny percentage after they're all marked to award them to

Jaques - the stress doesnt come from doing tests. The children will be used to doing tests!
The stress comes from the importance the schools place on them (and have to as it affects their ofsted and pay scales) so the pressure to get all kids to perform regardless of background or circumstances is immense. To the extent many schools spend a lot of year 6 doing SATs practuice and booster classes and the other parts of the curriculum miss out. I would far rather a private prep

Absolutely. School told students in no uncertain terms “all that matters is you do your best”. They did no revision other than as part of their usual homework.

Although I do think for some children simply doing a test causes stress, however the school handles it. I know a couple.