To feel these parent are not understanding ( WhatsApp and Sats )

[Bringmecookies25]

I will try not to drip feed.

DC clas have been preparing for the Sats with mocks/ practice and this has included doing it exactly the way it will happen on the day which has lead to other students noticing “ access arrangements “
today a parent queried in the class WhatsApp group about this
for example “ Henry has said that some people are not completing the tests independently and staff are writing/ reading for them and that a few of them do not finish at the same time and can leave the classroom “

it was politely explained by one parent and seemed to be accepted by parent of Henry - this thought triggered another mum who to be fair is often triggered to pipe up and go on a rant about how it’s always the children who get it easier and it will not be a fair judgement for secondary school sets etc
( area means most children will be going up to the same secondary school ) they then started rambling about GCSEs like what happens at GCSE they get an easier ride in them to get in to colleges ?
this then caused a trickle ( not most ) but a few of the other parents to join in agreement.
My DC is one of them who will be receiving the access arrangements and probably more so than the others as they will have extra time / breaks / scribe and reader in maths etc.
from mocks my DC is likely to get
WT nearly WA in spag - last came out at 97
WA in math - last was 102
GD in reading comp - last was 117
will score low in teaching assessment of writing.
one of the complaints was which I did take to it to beinf towards my DC that sole on the children are not even behind and it just means they will be benefit and have less stress than her DC.

I just wanted to shout at them they have no understanding of the situation and that the point of access arrangements is not to give them a better chance than others but to give them an equal chance !

I would have to reply, something along these lines: “My son has access provisions that allow him to type his exam because without them he wouldn’t be able enter the exam at all, due to his cerebral palsy. If you have concerns about your child’s disability or medical situation needing further support, I am very happy to share advice on how to navigate the very difficult process of accessing this support. I know how hard it can be. That said, I would encourage anybody complaining because their able child is being “unfairly treated” because the system offers support to disabled children, to really reflect on their priorities.”

I don't know. Life is unfair. I'd be the short-arse in this case, but I'd go find something else to do... it'll be nice to have the box, but I wouldn't expect it/feel entitled to it.

Sats should be scrapped. Secondary schools find them a poor predictor and have to do a lot of set swapping. Primary schools need to prioritise swimming, practical skills and caring as few intellectual jobs in the future and growing own food in case of import and society breakdown. English should be creative writing at primary schools to engage interests. Maths should be taught in context with real world challenges. Music and drama for wellbeing

At end of secondary school there will need to be more exams due to AI. Extra time is dominated by pushy parents children and we have to be mindful of building resilience as taxpayers and businesses have fewer resources. Better to bring private schools into state sector so more resources to teach in small groups to minimise non readers and behaviour problems

Be honest with them about your child's diagnosis.

Along the lines of 'Yes, X is dylexic, AuADHD & has slow processing, so without accommodations in exams there's no way he'd even be able to attempt the paper, this is despite his falling into the 98th percentile of the intelligence scale.'

They're thick and don't have a clue (the parents).

That's like saying in the London marathon, everyone should start at the same line and have the same equipment or they'll end up with false results - so all the wheelchair racers should have to use their legs or the results will be false.

Reasonable adjustments and disability aids don't give a false result or an unfair advantage. They make sure, as much as they can, that everyone is starting from the same start line.

Without adjustments like a scribe or a laptop or extra time, the kids with no disabilities are on the start line. The children with disabilities can't even get to the start line.

also as soon as people started studying the field was never level, due to some learning better, some using tutors, some doing extra reading etc people learn in different ways

DS starts his SATs today and does them in a separate room with 2 other students who have similar challenges to him (he has ASD and doesn’t struggle academically but does struggle with anxiety in this sort of situation) - if one of them starts panicking then they won’t disrupt the whole class.

I’m sure other parents wouldn’t be too pleased if their children were distracted by DS during the test..

My son has extra support for SAT's as well. He has autism. He has good cognitive ability and he will probably get the questions he answers right but he will probably only do 10-20% of the papers despite support. Thankfully nobody has questioned his support that I am aware of.

I took my year 6 SATs in 1999 and even back then there were kids with readers and scribes and extra time. Us kids all understood why they needed those accommodations as we were in the classroom with them all day every day. These parents are being very sillly.

They do often use them as part of their 'predicted grade scores' for GCSE for something called Progress 8, but again that doesn't actually affect the child really.

I just wanted to shout at them they have no understanding of the situation and that the point of access arrangements is not to give them a better chance than others but to give them an equal chance !

Do it! Tell them! I get that it’s not your job to educate these people, we all have loads on our plate, but equally don’t we all need to pull people up on this kind of ignorance? It really isn’t hard to imagine why a kid might need a scribe or extra time. Oof how enraging!
I’m sure it would feel like banging your head against a brick wall and maybe you should let it slide. But I really would be tempted to get into it with them 😆

In this case though we are talking about education and giving a child who can't use his right arm, extra help because the majority of children can use their arm and don't require the extra help.

A child is entitled to a fair shot at SATS.

My son uses a wheelchair and it would be like taking it away because 'life is unfair'.

Has this been explained to parents in advance? If not, I can see why some are confused and querying things. I'm not suggesting that you divulge confidential information, or details about the arrangements, but you need to explain to the parents and the children that there will be a range of ways in which the tests are completed within the class.

It might not be their business but they are going to hear things and gossip, so a generic explanation might have been helpful.

There is so much statutory guidance for schools to meet when taking decisions about access arrangements. All submitted, agreed and moderated during tests.
The guidance for schools to administer SATS is also massive, as is the scrutiny and pressure to get it right. Maladministration of SATS can be career ending for staff.

Parents need to understand this and not blame schools.

@Bringmecookies25 . I would be sharing the statutory documents.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/key-stage-2-tests-access-arrangements/2025-key-stage-2-access-arrangements-guidance

Just send them the JCQ guidelines and the SEND COP ‘for anyone interested in the big picture going forward towards GCSEs and alevels’. Or the little picture I’m sure you can google that shows people looking over a fence- the difference between equality and equity.

I'd have lost a whole lot of respect for the mums in the group and I probably would have quietly left the group.

I might have said something sarcastic like yes let's take all the glasses of the kids with glasses too. It so unfair they get an aid that puts them in the exact same position as someone without glasses. It's such an advantage.

Or mute the WhatsApp group.

Some people are awful, I can't believe parents are moaning that some children with difficulties get extra help, when the alternative is just setting them up to fail.

This. My daughter is not particularly academic, struggles with maths and is a slow reader, but has no diagnosis or condition. She would really benefit from a quieter room or extra time, but won’t get it.
The children getting additional help obviously need it to bring equity, and people who question that are ill informed, but the disquiet is fed by overall systemic unfairness.

If I was trying to be pissy about it, I'd comment on how nice it must be to have neurotypical children. How much less homework they have to do, how much less support their children need, how much EASIER for everyone.

Not paying tutors, paying thousands for assessments and diagnosis privately because the state doesn't want to help NT children.

How we'd ALL love to have have NT children but that it is what it is. And to just be bloody grateful, instead of wingeing. Bet they hate gay pride month too.

Of course, I'd try not to antagonise them, because we've got to all get on. But they don't seem to worry about upsetting/antagonising US.

Have you sought private assessments to see if she has an underlying condition? I'm ADHD and on the spectrum, but of course, when I was young, no testing and my parents knew no different so...

If she's a very slow reader, she could well have slow processing. Which would open up extra accommodations for her in assessments.

You can't rely on the school to pinpoint if she does need help/support. They will only ever support the neediest 1 or 2%.

Anyone making these kinds of inflammatory statements on your Whatsapp should be asked to apologise. Adjustments are made through the proper channels for children with EHCPs. In addition, children who struggle with reading can have readers in maths only, extra time is given to children with some kind of neurodivergence. Scribes are only given to children with EHCPs for dyslexia. This all gives children the chance to show what they are capable of and not what they are incapable of.

I am confident she doesn’t have a condition. She is just not academic. And that’s ok, she is wonderful in so many ways. But she will start 5m behind this metaphorical start line, rather than on it.

I voted YABU, because you are being unreasonable caring what a random bunch of school parents' think about anything! Don't give this any more headspace.

I’m not an SEN mum but I couldn’t care less about SATs. It’s to show the school progression from foundation to year 6. There is hardly any benefit to the kids.

Quite how anyone can get annoyed about levelling the playing field is beyond me. Equality isn’t about making things equal it’s about everyone starting the race at the start line.