School refusing access to exam results

[Rainbowstarssunlight]

My daughter is just about to finish year 2. A few weeks ago, she started coming home from school saying that they were doing exams. This went on for about two weeks and she told us that for four out of the five days they were doing exams and then having a rest on the fifth day. Obviously, I don’t know if this is true as kids can be unreliable when it comes to time!

I have asked the School for the results of these exams. I’ve been told that they are for internal monitoring only and not to be shared with parents.

I feel a little bit miffed about this. She seemed to spend a considerable time doing them without the School informing us and I don’t really see what the point was if we can’t use the results to help to support her learning at home.

I’ve always had a good relationship with the school and don’t want to upset the apple cart but I do feel that they’re being a little bit unreasonable. Do you agree or is it me?!

You don't need to know, they'll just be the end of year assessments that they use to write reports and say whether a child is working at the expected level etc.

I would like to know though and I’m her parent so I think I should get a say too!

If they told you she achieved a score of 90 for example, how would that help you support her at home anymore than being told she is working towards/expected would? I imagine you’ve been given that information?

Get a say in what?

You'll know as a summary.

She’s 7, school tested her aptitude and will share any concerns with you. What more do you want?

Exactly.

Well, you don't.

Pull your big girl pants up, suck it up and move on.

Secondary school is going to hit you like a brick to the face if you keep making mountains out of molehills.

They would be used to help the teacher write school report. Could be ks1 SATS as some schools still use them even though they are no longer mandatory. Have you had a school report?

A say in what? They go to school, school test children, children are measured!!
what do you need to know for, seems a bit pushy mum! Get over yourself a little bit!! Your child is 7!!

I wouldn't make any fuss, they're just end of year tests more for record keeping than anything else.

I hate administering tests, I teach year 5 or 6. Most of my children I know well enough to decide for myself whether they are working at the expected level, without doing tests for 4 days.

All I’ve got is some wishy washy ‘meets expectations’ / “exceeds expectations “ thing. Nothing I can actually use to help.

they’ve sent home five massive books with every single piece of work she’s done this year across multiple subjects but no marked exam papers. Why the secrecy around it? And why didn’t they tell us they were going to do it? It’s just very odd.

she's in year 2...honestly, relax

We have had this too. DS’ school do KS1 SATS although they try not to make a big deal of them. We got the results of the ‘mock’ ones they did at parents evening and so I had assumed we’d get the results in the end of year report like we got the results from the phonics screening but nada. I would have been interested to know (as DS’ mock scores were extremely low) but I assume there were no issues when they did the proper ones based on the comments and rating in his end of year report. It was a bit odd though.

This!
The assessments will inform teacher assessment. Your child is likely to do a full set of tests two or three times a year every year. H

Not once in 16 years have I had a parent demand to see results. Some I've had polite conversations about.

You are sounding like you have a rather odd outlook on this yourself. They won't be official exams because, if taken, those are in May in y2. They will be taking these kind of assessments regularly throughout the year. Feel sorry for the teachers.

The phonics screening, Y4 MTC and Y6 SATs are legally reportable. No other assessments are

The reason is so that parents don’t make a fuss and get the kids worried about tests. It’s a really good strategy in the early years.

This is normal for year 2 reporting and meeting expectations and exceeding you have no issues. Don’t worry - teacher would speak to you if there are issues!!! Remember they are only 7.

Honestly don’t blame the school for not sending them home. I know of parents who have changed their child’s incorrect answers to the correct ones when papers were sent home and then told the teacher they’ve been incorrectly marked because they weren’t happy with the scores.

I do understand how you feel, we all like to know our kids are doing well! But if they tell you she got 80 per cent in her maths paper, how will that help you to ‘support her learning at home?’ What will it change? You will support her the same at home either way.
These are internal assessments, most schools do them every term to see whether the kids are working at the expected level and find any gaps. Let them get on with it!

My daughter's school is the same. Ks1 sats. What is weird is they did 'mock' sats and at parents evening reported the results to me. But we have finished school and apparently the sats were for internal use.
I'm a teacher and I would tell a parent their child's assessment results. Particularly when the children are aware they've been tested - that only seems fair.

You are entitled to any information they hold on your child - so you can ask for her educational record etc, but you’ll probably have to wait until September now as they have up to 15 days (I think?) to provide it.

I don’t see why you can’t know the exact scores she achieved, they know so why shouldn’t you? You’re her parent 😅

I personally think it’s worth knowing, as (in my experience anyway!) they’re at expected for everything and then BAM year 3 they’re suddenly just below for subjects after being AT for Reception , Yr1 and Y2.
At the school my children attend, they do send them home with the tests once they’ve been marked so hopefully in year 3 you’ll get to see the scores without needing to ask.

I don’t think it’s weird that you want to know.

If for example she got all the fractions questions wrong then I would help her with fractions over the summer.

someone mentioned the phonics screening and come to think of it they did share that with us.

Seems like I am being unreasonable so I will take that on board but I do still think it’s weird.

Look through her books and you will be able to see where she has found things more challenging. Much more useful than a number that you will most likely not understand.