Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
Strictly1 · 14/05/2023 14:09

Jourdain11 · 14/05/2023 13:56

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!

Show quote history

I did one last week and it was instant.

toomuchlaundry · 14/05/2023 14:15

Why is she missing out on the residential?

Original poster
Jourdain11 · 14/05/2023 14:33

Strictly1 · 14/05/2023 14:09

I did one last week and it was instant.

Show quote history

That's good to know, thanks! I thought it was more long-winded.

OP posts:
Original poster
Jourdain11 · 14/05/2023 14:33

toomuchlaundry · 14/05/2023 14:15

Why is she missing out on the residential?

Oh, she's not been barred from going or anything - we just didn't sign up for it.

OP posts:
90yomakeuproom · 14/05/2023 14:51

Why didn't you sign up?

Merseymum992 · 14/05/2023 14:56

Sorry, you're worried about her being isolated for a day but not worried enoufht about her being isolated while the rest of her peers are on a residential?

Original poster
Jourdain11 · 14/05/2023 15:02

Merseymum992 · 14/05/2023 14:56

Sorry, you're worried about her being isolated for a day but not worried enoufht about her being isolated while the rest of her peers are on a residential?

I don't imagine she'll do all the SATs in a day and I wasn't sure, also, how long it would take to get the response on the timetable variation (the guidance online implies that it could take longer). Also, that wasn't the key or only thing I was concerned about - it's one of the points, like I said in my OP.

OP posts:
MidgeHardcastle · 14/05/2023 15:36

Gov.uk details what happens when a KS2 test is delayed and the rules for taking it later. It's from 2019 but apart from the deadline dates in May I presume the procedure hasn't changed.

spongebunnyfatpants · 14/05/2023 15:57

I wouldn't hold out too much hope of her getting to do them, they might say that she could have already been in contact with someone who has already taken them.
The school will have to find 2 members of staff to sit with her while she does them, which might not be possible and most schools are doing KS1 SAT's this week.
It's not the end of the world if she doesn't do them, she'll have assessment tests in secondary school anyway.
We've had children miss them before and they've just not done them, it made no difference.

Original poster
Jourdain11 · 14/05/2023 17:22

See, this is partly what I'm concerned about - her getting set on doing them and then after waiting for an approval for days someone says no. But others say that the approval (or otherwise) is instant, so idk 🤷‍♀️

OP posts:
GetTheGoodLookingGuy · 14/05/2023 17:33

We had a child last year who broke her arm just before SATs and ended up having surgery. When she came back, she did all the tests across two days, with the deputy head to scribe for her. She was escorted out to play and the deputy head told her friends they weren't allowed to talk about the tests with her, and then hung around near her to make sure she didn't.

There was definitely no waiting around for days to be approved - as soon as school knew when she would be back, they applied and were approved.

In your situation, I'd ask if she could do reading and Maths paper 1 tomorrow, then you pick her up so she can get some rest and doesn't need isolating for the rest of the day, then do Maths 2 & 3 on Tuesday and then she'll be free to go back to her class by Tuesday lunchtime.

HaudYerWheeshtYaWeeBellend · 14/05/2023 17:46

I personally wouldn’t, they will test her in secondary school.

Ds didn’t sit his SATS due to covid, his primary school put him on the lowest set… due to this he was placed in a setting that he was incredibly frustrated (bored) in however could not be moved for 2 years due to his covid bubble.

He was only moved at the beginning of Y9 when covid restrictions were lifted.

We had a meeting with the school a few days ago for other reasons and unfortunately due to him being in this bubble he has struggled with friendships as the bubble he was in was frankly with a bunch of idiot/troubled kids, of which 8 have been suspended multiple times and 3 were expelled. (The bubbles are their form groups)

Hopefully with DS starting Y10, he will be going into new lessons and they are also going to move his form group to another class.

He is now in the top sets and is predicated to achieve 8/9 in his GCSE’s.

Personally, No I wouldn’t not let her do them.

Original poster
Jourdain11 · 14/05/2023 19:41

Hmmm. We'll see what happens tomorrow. My main concern is she puts too much pressure on herself and she ends up doing them in a more compressed time, when she's still not 100%.

OP posts:
Original poster
Jourdain11 · 14/05/2023 23:08

There was definitely no waiting around for days to be approved - as soon as school knew when she would be back, they applied and were approved.

In your situation, I'd ask if she could do reading and Maths paper 1 tomorrow, then you pick her up so she can get some rest and doesn't need isolating for the rest of the day, then do Maths 2 & 3 on Tuesday and then she'll be free to go back to her class by Tuesday lunchtime.

Forgot to say - this was helpful, thanks! I am planning to ask exactly that re the papers. She's still a bit under the weather but okay to be in school. I don't think the contact should be an issue, but if the school say there's too much of a risk then so be it.

OP posts:
toomuchlaundry · 15/05/2023 14:01

Any update @Jourdain11

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread