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Original poster

Absent for SATs

40 replies

Jourdain11 · 14/05/2023 09:27

DD was absent for SATs on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday last week due to illness and she's desperate to go back tomorrow so that she can do them this week. I understand that the school has to apply for her to do then off timetable and that she mustn't have contact with others who've taken the tests before she can sit them.

I think that a few days of social isolation sounds a bit miserable and I'm also concerned that she's not quite well enough to sit the papers - but DD is adamant that she wants to and very anxious about having missed them. Would it be unreasonable to let an 11 year old (and the school) decide, or should I put my foot down? The school wants her to take them if possible.

OP posts:
Hesma · 14/05/2023 09:30

If she wants to do them then let her, I don’t understand why you’re making a fuss

LittleBearPad · 14/05/2023 09:31

Just let her do them. She wants to.

Original poster
Jourdain11 · 14/05/2023 09:37

Is it fair to let a child make a decision that isn't necessarily in their best interests, though? I'm not making a fuss, btw.

OP posts:
Hummusanddipdip · 14/05/2023 09:38

I think if she is adamant about it, let her.

Oysterbabe · 14/05/2023 09:40

It is in her best interests. She'll clearly feel shit about being the only one who hasn't done them.

Original poster
Jourdain11 · 14/05/2023 09:45

I know, and I do understand why, but I guess my concern is that she is pressurising herself now for that reason.

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Original poster
Jourdain11 · 14/05/2023 09:56

(And I also think being in isolation sounds miserable, but it's only a few days, I guess!)

OP posts:
Boomboom22 · 14/05/2023 09:58

Isolated from yr6 they'll probably let her play with yr5 or on the computer. Heads office is usually fun not that boring. Plus it won't take 3 days as each test is around 40 mins, could do over 1 or 2 days.

HaveANiceFuckingDay · 14/05/2023 09:58

Let her do them. She wants to ! She's old enough to make her mind uo if she's well enough . She will fell shittier for not doing them and might actually blame you for not allowing her.
If the school says no then the onus is on them
Stop fussing

TAmum3 · 14/05/2023 09:59

Can you arrange with the school that once she’s done the paper, you collect her from school? I’m not sure how your school will do it but I’m guessing she’s missed 4 papers and can’t imagine they’ll want her to do all 4 in 1 day. So rather than be apart from her classmates, could she go, do her papers and then come home. That works well if you think she might still be a bit under the weather anyway.

LittleBearPad · 14/05/2023 10:02

Jourdain11 · 14/05/2023 09:37

Is it fair to let a child make a decision that isn't necessarily in their best interests, though? I'm not making a fuss, btw.

You’re being a bit dramatic about the isolation!

Original poster
Jourdain11 · 14/05/2023 10:03

As far as I understand, they need to make an application, which will need to demonstrate that she's physically and mentally fit, and that she doesn't have knowledge of the test contents, and hasn't been in contact with other Y6s. If she can be with Y5 or something, it would be nicer than being stuck in a room on her own with a TA all day - which is what's happened to a kid from her class who's been "isolated", albeit for entirely different reasons.

OP posts:
Original poster
Jourdain11 · 14/05/2023 10:05

LittleBearPad · 14/05/2023 10:02

You’re being a bit dramatic about the isolation!

Show quote history

I said, "sounds a bit miserable", which I don't think is too overdramatic! It depends how it is. If she can lunch/socialise with Y5 then fine, if she's stuck in a tiny room on her own and not allowed outside until the tests are done then less fine.

OP posts:
KateTheEighth · 14/05/2023 10:06

Let her do them

LittleBearPad · 14/05/2023 10:07

No you are, it’s a day or two max. She’ll be fine whatever the school get her to do.

Original poster
Jourdain11 · 14/05/2023 10:10

How long does this application take though? Because if she has to be isolated until it's approved, and then while doing the tests, it could be most of the week!

OP posts:
pizzaHeart · 14/05/2023 10:11

I think you have to ask school how exactly they visualize this process, what will be the timescale, what they are going to do if things go wrong ( re: timescale), how many papers, what about breaks etc.
And you have to tell your DD that it might be possible to organise but might be not, sometimes you just miss things and she will do have test in the beginning of year 7 and these tests will be actually more important for her.
Don’t tell her she can’t do Sats, tell her you will ask and actually ask positively.

STARCATCHER22 · 14/05/2023 10:15

Jourdain11 · 14/05/2023 10:10

How long does this application take though? Because if she has to be isolated until it's approved, and then while doing the tests, it could be most of the week!

If you let the school know as soon as possible tomorrow morning (I.e. 7am) they can make a phone call and should have a revised timetable sorted for the same day. They may ask you not to bring her to school until the timetable is sorted but it should be same day.

Original poster
Jourdain11 · 14/05/2023 10:16

She only did the SPAG, so she's missed the reading and maths. At the end of the day, it's not up to me or the school, if the application isn't approved then she will have to be marked absent.

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Original poster
Jourdain11 · 14/05/2023 10:18

STARCATCHER22 · 14/05/2023 10:15

If you let the school know as soon as possible tomorrow morning (I.e. 7am) they can make a phone call and should have a revised timetable sorted for the same day. They may ask you not to bring her to school until the timetable is sorted but it should be same day.

Show quote history

Oh, that's good to know, thank you! I'd much rather it's all done and dusted - I was worried she might have to hang around waiting all week.

OP posts:
Willmafrockfit · 14/05/2023 10:20

you would have thought they could have used the teacher assessment

x2boys · 14/05/2023 10:21

Let her take the! If she wants but let her know hey mean absolutely nothing
Honestly my 16 year old stats is GCSE,s tomorrow he's also been very unwell and missed a lot of school.,I'm just not stressing about them what will.be will be .

Strictly1 · 14/05/2023 10:22

The timetable variation is completed online and the response is instant. Let her do them.

Original poster
Jourdain11 · 14/05/2023 10:35

x2boys · 14/05/2023 10:21

Let her take the! If she wants but let her know hey mean absolutely nothing
Honestly my 16 year old stats is GCSE,s tomorrow he's also been very unwell and missed a lot of school.,I'm just not stressing about them what will.be will be .

Good luck for the GCSEs! I hope they go okay.

I'm not worried about how DD does, I just don't want her to stress. She puts pressure on herself.

OP posts:
Original poster
Jourdain11 · 14/05/2023 13:56

Strictly1 · 14/05/2023 10:22

The timetable variation is completed online and the response is instant. Let her do them.

Is it instant? My understanding was that it could take longer. But if it's quicker, that is definitely a good thing!

She's already missed out on doing the tests alongside the rest of Y6 and then she's missing out on the residential the week after next, so I'd rather she doesn't have another week of being separated from her friends on top of those!

OP posts: