To feel upset about DD being removed from SATS?

[Risingmountains]

I don't know how to feel about this.
I'm upset about it, and I don't know if I am BU.
DD has a diagnosis of severe dyslexia. She is aged 11, in school year 6.
She is currently reading monster phonics books stage 10, which is for year 2 children.
So she is reading 4 school years behind her actual age.
It's been a long, fraught battle with the school to acknowledge her learning difficulties and a fight with them to accept she had a diagnosable condition. They point blank refused to refer her for any assessments. They all absolutely insisted she wasn't dyslexic when I kept telling all different teachers and the Senco that I thought she was. I eventually paid for private assessment at end of year 4 which diagnosed her as severely dyslexic, with very poor working memory, dysgraphia and likely dyscalculia.
Since then they've spent a year refusing to apply for an EHCP, telling me she won't meet the criteria. I've asked several times at several meetings to several different staff including 2 teachers and 2 different Sencos, and they're all refusing to apply for her.
I cant understand why.
Now she's in year 6, and her teacher and the deputy head have told me they don't want her to sit her SATS but have said they need my consent to remove her. They caught me off guard because I had actually asked for a meeting with them about something entirely different, which we discussed, and then once I thought we'd finished, right at the very end as I was putting my coat on, they suddenly said by the way they don't want her to sit her SATS. They said she won't be able to perform in them because of her reading, spelling and maths delay. The deputy head said "It would be cruel to make her sit them".
I wasn't prepared for this to be brought up at a meeting about something different, and felt like they sprung it on me.
I asked for a few days to think about it.
And now I'm full of questions.

1. How is it they refuse to apply for an EHCP for her because they say she doesn't meet the criteria, yet they want to remove her from the SATS because 'she won't be able to do them'.
2. Are they removing her because they don't want her poor results to bring down their overall results? I feel really sceptical about this, but am I right or am I wrong to be suspicious about this?
3. Is it true that it would be cruel if she sat them? Surely she would only answer what she knows? My DD is a very bright, intelligent girl. She is a brilliant learner. But her dyslexia locks her out of reading and spelling to the age she should be able to perform at.
4. Will it affect how she feels about herself being the only one in the class to not sit her SATS? Isn't this singling her out from the rest of the class? I don't want her to feel like she can't do them and everyone else is. I'm trying so hard to keep her self esteem intact. I'm really worried that this exclusion will make her feel a failure.
5. I know the school is running constant extra sessions several days a week that all the year 6 kids are going to, all for SATS practice. Extra sessions after school and at lunchtimes of Enhlish and maths. Even all the super bright/advanced kids are doing these. However, DD is not doing them. No extra sessions at all. She's completely excluded. But noone told me she wouldn't be included, I've had to figure this out for myself and have only pieced it together by hearing about these extra sessions from lots of othef parents that im friends with. Why would the school exclude my DD from these sessions and not tell me about it? I can't get my head around this. If anyone needs extra sessions, it's my DD.
6. School have spent years telling me they don't have the resources to give DD extra support to help her. Years. And yet here they are magically creating extra sessions several days a week for 40 kids. AIBU to be furious about this?
7. DD is suddenly asking me why all her friends are going to extra maths and English lessons at lunch and after school when they are already good at reading and maths. She's asking why can't she go so that she can get better. What do I say to her about this? I'm at a loss.
8. What on earth is she going to do at school during SATS week?
9. Why can't she have a 1-1 staff member supporting her in her SATS? Why are the school simply wanting to remove her?

I feel like my DD is being let down by the school. I have had to fight so hard to get them to acknowledge her learning difficulties, they failed her for years, and now I feel like they're falling her again. Like they just want to remove her from their system. Part of me wants her to sit the SATS so that it shows that the school have made no progress with her reading and maths. Which they haven't. But on the other hand, is the deputy head right - would it be cruel to make her sit them? I feel like they've given up on my DD, but I don't know if I'm BU. If you could meet my DD, you'd see that she's the brightest, cleverest, most imaginative, radiant little girl who is brilliant at learning, is interested in everything, is inquisitive, is insightful, kind, empathic, has a fantastic sense of humour, is loved by her friends, she's honestly wonderful, and she is so, so desperate to learnt to read well. She doesn't deserve to be removed from data like this. But AIBU?

I’d ask them all these questions. I’d ask why they aren’t letting her attend these extra sessions. I’d also apply for the EHCP yourself. They are clearly wanting to remove her for their results and for that reason alone. I wouldn’t allow it, as if she sits them they have to invest some time trying to help her

I work in year 6. We have had to ask the parents permissions to take children out of SATS. Results wise, if we remove a child, it still counts as a fail-they do not get scrubbed off the results. We genuinely only suggest children do not take them as it is stressful for them.

It definitely won't make the schools results better. Last year, 3 of ours didn't sit so that was 3 fails before we started.

She can’t be removed from the results. The government advises schools not to enter any childrem who are working a key stage below, they’re following government guidance.

Haven't RTFT so I don't know if somebody has already said this, but dis-applying a child from SATs does not affect the schools results. It counts in their data as working below expected standard, just as it would if they sat the paper and scored less than 100 (scaled score).

Why on earth haven't you applied for an EHCP yourself?

@Risingmountains this is just a random thought - but has she had a speech and language assessment? Developmental language disorder (DLD) is often missed. If she has had one, that’s good, but if she hasn’t it may be worth seeking an assessment.

I agree the school should have done more.

you dont need school to apply for an EHCP. Make a parental request!

Sorry I meant removed from stats not results. I still wouldn’t want her removed as they will have to put effort into helping her improve if they enter her

Tbh I would be delighted about the sats element. They are pointless tests that simply pile pressure on for the entirety of year 6. The fact that they are making the children do extra lessons in their free time when all of year 6 is about sats prep anyway is bonkers.

Children with additional needs are entitled to support during sats. She can be allocated extra time, have a scribe, use a laptop.

I have you contacted your local authority about this? There with be an advocate service in your LA ours is calledSENDIASS.

Find it out and contact them for support, there will also be a SEN team in your LA you can also contact them.

Op I expect your point number 2 is exactly correct. They don't want your daughter bringing their results down, despite doing fuck all to help her learn and progress. The attitude and behaviour you have described of this school absolutely disgusts me, they have , and are continuing toz let her down .

I would refuse her removal,let their results be affected, that's not your problem. It might kick their arses into gear.

OP, I am really sorry but your school have lied to you.

They do not decide if your child will or will or will not get an EHCP. They don't even know the full extent of her needs! Because the needs assessment hasn't been done.

I'll post a link to the EHCP support thread in a minute.

If I were you I'd throw all my efforts into finding the most suitable secondary school.

I'd maybe consider a change of primary too to get her away from this toxic atmosphere.

EHCP support thread no. 4 - www.mumsnet.com/talk/special_educational_needs/5197351-ehcp-support-thread-no-4

I would complain to ofsted and your local MP. The school sounds absolutely useless.

I’m a Year 6 teacher who has advised parents in the past that I feel sitting the SATs would cause their children undue stress - it has been nothing to do with not wanting results affected. Actually, it’s been everything to do with the amount of reading needed in a KS2 reading paper, where no help (other than 25% extra time/scribe) can be given. It’s a lot. So yes, theoretically she could answer what she knows, but there’s 3 (at least double page) texts to read in order to access information.
Maths and SPaG have more support available as school can apply for a reader. Without an EHCP in place, school cannot just give extra time - they need to apply for support such as this though a government portal, gathering evidence to prove why this support is needed.

Yes, they are KS2 SATs but if she is not working at KS2 level, she will find them incredibly hard. My school do sets of mocks throughout the year, do yours? Her results here could help you make a decision.

I am not saying the school has not done wrong by your daughter - the lack of support for her is not okay and I can understand your frustration. However, I would advise you to download last year’s papers and sit with your daughter to see how she gets on before you make any decisions.

I'd be complaining via ofsted. It's not necessarily about the SATs for me, it's the contsant refusal for many years to do what's best for your child. If the head won't help, I'd also go above them to the learning trust/council/governors. Whoever but you either need to be listened to or move schools (probably too late)

You have an opportunity when she goes to high school to get it sorted too.

How disgusting, I would definitely NOT remove her.
Apply for EHCP yourself, I did for my DD and got it.
push and constantly email school, local council, Education dept, Education minister, make yourself a nuisance.
Every child is entitled to an education.
have they given her a reading pen ? She’s entitled to one, larger spaced out print, coloured overlays
Your dd just learns differently, mine also has dyslexia in maths and English, she’s in last year of university now.
Fight every step of the way for her
God I’m angry on your behalf x

What support has she had? If she is working at Y2 in Y6 she surely has had a lot of in-class teacher support just to access the work. Has she done anything like Toe by Toe or did she do additional phonics perhaps in LKS2? Unfortunately for a child with dyslexia something like Toe by Toe for 10 mins around 4 times a week would be seen as reasonable. There is just no money. The argument that they suddenly have resource for Y6 boosters doesn't really follow as they will be out on every year and are for much bigger groups.

I would pretty much cut and paste your OP - send it to the head, governors and the LA and demand this being addressed.

Aside from the obvious lack of intervention and support which could have made the world of difference to your daughter. The school are actively discriminating against her.

A broomstick is needed.

Do not let them stop her from sitting SATS. They will use this as an opportunity to weasel out of the shit show that they created.

OP, this exact situation happened to my husband over 30 years ago. I am amazed things haven't moved on! In his case his parents also paid for a private assessment, and, later, support to improve his reading. The school were not very helpful at all, and then told his parents that it was 'pointless and unfair' putting him in for SATs exams when we wouldn't pass.

His Mum dug her heels in and told them she wouldn't consent to him being removed from the exams, and he is so grateful she did. It has lasting implications if they don't get any SATs results and he went on to do better than expected at every level afterwards.

The school, and the teacher, won't want your daughter's result to drag their metrics down, that is not a good enough reason to compromise her future.

Two comments from a fellow mum of a dyslexic child.

• as others have suggested, look through previous papers with your DD and see what she thinks. As she gets older she will have to advocate for herself,so use this as a starting point. SATS don't have to be stressful, depending on her profile she might do better in maths?
• Also think about secondary, if the primary is useless could SATS results be a useful way to start a discussion with her secondary about her strengths and weaknesses?

Virtual hugs!

Are they an academy?

Your daughter is very likely to get an ehcp and you should try and do everything to get this sorted before secondary.
I would have one last conversation with the head and tell them you are going to escalate. Ask them why they think she won't get an ehcp and get them to put it in writing.
I would then contact your local councillor and the councillor that is the education lead at the local authority. I would even consider involving your MP. I would probably do this now even if the school agreed to push for an ehcp because most LAs are in a mess due to lack of funding.

Firstly, there is absolutely no reason why you, as her parent, cannot apply for an EHCP. Contact your LA today and ask them to send you the form. The school will then be contacted once the LA receive your completed form and they will have a short time to provide their evidence.
Secondly, SATS serves absolutely no purpose to the pupils who sit them. As a SENCO and Y6 teacher for many years, I would be loathe to make a child with the issues you describe sit their SATS - it would be torture for her! In the reading test, she could have a scribe and possibly some extra time, but would have to read absolutely everything herself - lengthy texts plus the questions. If she has a reading age of a 7 year old, she will absolutely struggle to even understand. It really would be cruel to put her through that. If she has a poor working memory and possibly dyscalculia, she will also find the mathematics papers very difficult - she would have 30 minutes to answer up to 50 calculation questions and the average Y6 child often doesn’t get to the end of the paper in that time. The she would have to complete two reasoning papers. Yes, she could have a reader for these, but that usually doesn’t make much difference to a child who's already struggling. Ive seen children have a reader and still only get 2 or 3 marks for the whole paper. Her NOT sitting the tests will not impact her in any way, and the school is making the right decision. It would be like putting your average ability Y6 pupil in for a maths GCSE paper! It also makes no difference to the school. She will still be counted in the figures and her not taking the tests will automatically mean their % figures will drop by around 4% if its a 1 form entry school with 30 pupils. Its the same drop as if she sat the tests and scored extremely low.
What assessments have the school carried out? Has she been seen by an educational psychologist? Given her very low reading level, I’d be surprised if she hasn’t. This is what you need to push for before she goes to secondary school.

You really have no idea what youre talking about. Withdrawing a child who is working well below the level of the SATs tests is very common because to make a child sit a test they are not capable of doing is just cruel.
If there are 30 children in a class, each child counts for around 3.5% of the total in the results. If one child is off ill on the day of the test, the total result could not be more than 96.5% if all children get full marks. The same if one child is on holiday. If a school does not put one child in because they are working below the level of the test, the same happens. It always impacts the results because the school has to report the number of children who reach particular levels (which we now call standards) regardless as to whether they sat the test or not.
It is impossible to manipulate SATS data.

I second Toe by Toe but they should’ve been facilitating that programme or similar themselves years ago.

I would be making a complaint to the Academy Trust too. This is woefully uninclusive.