To expect my very bright, autistic kid to not fail his SATS?

[2024namechanger]

My child has always been greater depth, and quite a way into it so teachers have said. His siblings are all academic scholars and he is noticeably brighter than them. He mastered reading in a week when he was 3, that sort of thing. We haven’t done anything to particularly push his intelligence; he is emotionally immature and has had social struggles so all my attention is on that. I have very bright siblings who were pushed and then didn’t achieve as adults so have tried to break this trend! My whole family are neurodivergent which I think has a massive impact on ability to achieve.

Child diagnosed in the summer, this brought him a lot of peace, and classroom issues settled down; everything going great and he stopped using aids like ear defenders. (They are on the side in his classroom so remain accessible; his choice entirely). So far they have had a couple of mock SATS which he has got below expected, which is a complete shock. His teacher is mystified and thinks maybe he’s not trying; I’m not so sure. I asked a tutor friend to meet him, she did some CAT4s with him and said he’s clearly very bright. I have done some maths with him at home; he gets it. It’s not hard for him. He reads constantly.

I’m not too bothered about SATS. But. It is my expectation that he joins his siblings at private school next year, for which he would need a bursary dependent on scholarship. He wants to go, the classes are much smaller and calmer and the clubs are in line with his interests; warhammer etc. It wouldn’t be the end of the world if he doesn’t get in but I am also wondering about him achieving in exams going forwards.

Is it likely that this is linked to his autism? It just seems such a shame if he can’t reach his potential. I am autistic and never reached my potential, but was still able to perform fine in tests, just nothing stunning. I was hoping for more for my kids.

I have posted in AIBU for traffic, hopefully other parents who have encountered the same? Or teachers with specialism? Anyone have any advice?

I am a bit unsure how you think the SATS wil relate to a bursary for private school. Where I am, the private schools hold entrance exams in January (way before SATS in May) and scholarships and bursaries are considered based on the results of these. By the time SATS are done, secondary places are already determined.
Is your son doing an entrance exam?

Oh my goodness, this sounds like the sort of thing that used to happen to (autistic) DH.

More positively, he got over 100% for one of his Science O levels because he was bored so re-answered one of the questions using a different method...

ITA too. Poor working memory can also go hand in hand with other types of SEN, such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, language disorder, etc.

Was DS achieving in line with his high intelligence in the classroom; and the SATs results have come as a big shock? Or was he underachieving in class, before the SATs?

Private schools don’t care about SATs. They don’t do them. Presumably he has already taken an 11+ exam and his place will be confirmed shortly.

My eldest is High functioning ASD and super bright. 10 grade 9s at GCSE etc. In Y6 I wasn’t thinking about SATs at all. I was thinking about his social skills, executive functions and how he would manage a transition from a tiny village school with mixed year group classrooms and a world in which he’d known everyone since Reception or playgroup, to a big senior school further afield. He’s now at an even bigger sixth form college and really thriving.

Have you looked at the papers? The reading and maths reasoning ones aren’t a walk in
the park . What are his inference skills like? Can he apply maths skills?What is his focus like? ASC and ADHD can go hand in hand. ADHD can have a huge impact on SATS.

2026 key stage 2 access arrangements guidance - GOV.UK https://share.google/wjlaC3H8Idvtyt1YO

This is the school guidance.

DS1 is autistic but also has OCD and gets anxious and obsessive about tests. Did extremely well in SATS and grammar tests. I spent years reading to him and with him as I felt strongly his inference skills needed help, not just for exams but life in general.

Have all his siblings got scholarships already?
It seems a lot to expect to send all your children privately and have it subsidised by bursaries

Key stage 2 test administration guidance - GOV.UK https://share.google/r7EDc8FAMACXmf3OS

Found it! If you scroll down to 7.3 the separate room part is covered.

The reasonable adjustments have to be something that have been used previously not just for final tests.

Schools do assessment tests regularly, how has he done in them in the past?

Have you asked your son? He will presumably have some insight into how he did and what the issues were.

Your DS is only in the 1st term of Y6 and most children at this stage don’t score as highly in their SATs as they do in the actual assessment. Give him a break!
Also, there’s no pass or fail, just a raw score and standardised score with Greater Depth, Expected and Below Expected reported.
I’m curious though - how come he no longer uses ear defenders now he has a diagnosis?

My autistic DD is also academically ahead ( possibly not as far as your DS) but needs extra time in exams as she has a slower processing speed. She also sits them in a separate room with a small group and can have movement breaks when she needs. She’s only year 5 now so not doing formal exams, but this helps and will be in place for her SATS.
it’s not clear if the school you’re looking at is academically selective, but we ruled out grammar school for DD as between the slow processing and the pressure it would be too much for her. Selective schools move fast (DS is at one so I know) and don’t have lower sets for those who are struggling.

Reading everything - sorry I have to pop out so proper reply later but in short;
SATS are the only tests he has ever done. The entrance exams are similar in style hence are showing that he can’t translate his intellect; this is my concern.
ADHD (or ADD) he is on the waiting list. He is fairly impulsive.
Anxiety; he has some anxiety which he doesn’t tend to share. He feels no pressure about the locks. First set he laughed about the result and said they were only mocks. Second set he said he didn’t have enough time. Just asked him - he said he didn’t finish. I definitely need to look at the papers thanks.
sorry for poor wording - no child can fail yes. But for him, it is bizarre to be below expected in all maths and English when he has always been in greater depth in terms of classwork, all sch reports etc. I have seen his school work; it’s good.
Ear defenders - he was incredibly upset and anxious pre-diagnosis. Said he felt disabled, felt different, looked different, lots of things. When the diagnosis came in, it brought a complete calm, he has announced he no longer feels disabled. I think he understands he needs extra support with some things due to autism, not that there’s something ‘wrong’. He recognises that there are aids there, but doesn’t feel he needs them. I didn’t even know he’d stopped using them til parents evening. He talks about being grateful they’re there though.

I'd he doesn't want defenders, my DC like the loops but you may need to request to the exam board he can wear them