Teachers...please advise me? SATS & our plans

[YouGirl]

DC is in a prvate school and they still have SATS. DD is in year 2...so due for SATS at end of year 2.

Why do they do them if not all schools participate anymmore? We are maybe planning to go abroad for 6 months after Christmas...for work...and return to the same school for year three. Was planning on either a local school abroad or tutor for DC...but now I am wrrying what it will mean if DC is not there for SATS. Will the school mind? I read on another thread here that they use the results of year 2 sats to predict the childrens levels for year 6....is it very bad fr us to miss SATS? Will I be doing the school or my DC a disservice?

The school is tiny and DC quite bright...so the schools results may get affected no? What will cconcern the HT when I tell her about our possible plans?

Talk it over with the HT

Well I know...Im trying to prepare myself for any obstacles.

It shouldn't matter at all. It wouldn't at a state school, except they might not have a place when you come back. It shouldn't affect the school results as your DC shouldn't be on the role for the SATs statistics.

Go and don't worry. If it was GCSEs there would be issues.

Thanks Mummytime....at least I know there is a place when we return....and it's such a tiny and homely school that they will show an interest in DC's travels! You're right about the GCSE thng too!

This information was correct when I was still a National Strategy Consultant 18 months ago, although "times they are a-changin'"!
SATs at Y2 are not statutory, but reporting levels attained by the children is.
Teachers should be using mainly their own assessments to judge each child's level in each area (reading, writing and maths), although many schools, unfortunately, are simply not that confident, and so prefer to 'back up' that judgement with a fromal (as in pencil and paper, not 'sit in rows in silence') test.
Each year, schools are informed in advance which test of the past years' test papers may be used to help inform the decision.
There is quite a large 'window' of time for the assessments to be made, to allow for natural 'peaks and troughs' in children's learning rates, so it might be possible for your school to assess your Dc on work already done.
SChools do use Y2 SATs results to predict Y6 results, but only as a target-setting exercise, so if your DC is generally 'bright', ie, average or above, then they can confidently predict that, all things being equal, Dc should get a certain level in Y6 (ie 4 or 5, depending how 'bright). It's not rocket science, and it's not an exact science either. All sorts of factors can affect a child's levels at Y6, for better or worse, and a 6 month's trip abroad. I would hope, should broaden Dc's experience to the extent that his/her abilities to adapt and learn increase.
If I were the HT, I should have no probs with it, but then, I believe there's more to Education than school!

Thank you very much amistillsexy...what does predicting a child's year 6 results do though? I mean...why predict anything if it's not going to affect the way they are taught between year 2 and 6?

I haven't put that well...what I mean, is if a child gets low results for year 2 SATS...would that have any negative effect on how they are taught or what chances they are given in the years before year 6? And what is the point of them at all?

amistillsexy "SATs at Y2 are not statutory, but reporting levels attained by the children is.
Teachers should be using mainly their own assessments to judge each child's level in each area (reading, writing and maths), although many schools, unfortunately, are simply not that confident, and so prefer to 'back up' that judgement with a fromal (as in pencil and paper, not 'sit in rows in silence') test."

Sorry, but this is absolute rubbish, and I am quite that you are suggesting to parents that the reason the tests are used is because teachers are not confident.

The tests are used in Y2 because they are still statutory in state schools, and have to be administered to children working above level 1.

You have obviously missed reading This little document (this is the new 2011 version, but it is available every year) which sets out legal requirements for schools.

It states:

4.2 The statutory national curriculum tasks and tests must be administered to all eligible children who are working at level 1 or above in reading, writing and mathematics.

"This information was correct when I was still a National Strategy Consultant 18 months ago"

Oh my God - how can you have been a National Strategy Consultant and be peddling this spectacular piece of information????? I am staggered. What you say regarding KS1 assessment has never been true.

misinformation. Too [shocked]!

As he's in private school, I wouldn't worry about it. Talk to the HT and see what he says. One of the reasons we chose private in the first place was no SATs.

How do you think private schools cope with kids who have been educated abroad coming in to the system without SATs? They are not the be all and end all, so talk to the HT, be prepared to pay fees to retain their place whilst away and have a good time abroad.

Feeenie...my DC is in a private school though...so although the SATS are statuatroy in state schools...they are not in private ones...so why do them?

Thanks Scary...one of our reasons was that I just didn't want government crap getting in the way of a decent education. You're right...we have seen a few kids arrive from abroad...and also some Brits leave and come back....dont know why I'm so worried really!

I can't speak for the decisions of private schools! I can answer why children are assessed constantly - as I said on your other thread, it's so that we know where the children are and where they need to go next.

^amistillsexy Sat 23-Oct-10 08:52:27 This information was correct when I was still a National Strategy Consultant 18 months ago, although "times they are a-changin'"!
SATs at Y2 are not statutory,^

I'm absolutely horrified that someone claiming to be an ex Nat Strat consultant is posting this

I trust you know what the ARA is as this is page 18 of the 2011 ARA

Use of tasks and tests
The statutory national curriculum tasks and tests must be administered to all eligible
children who are working at level 1 or above in reading, writing and mathematics. The role
of the tasks and tests is to help inform the final teacher assessment judgement reported
for each child at the end of key stage 1.
There is no requirement to report separately the levels obtained from the tasks and tests.

and this is page 20 of the 2009 ARA

Use of tasks and tests
Tasks and tests must be administered to all eligible children who are working at level 1
or above in reading, writing and mathematics. The role of the tasks and tests is to help inform the final teacher assessment judgement reported for each child at the end of key stage 1. There is no requirement to report separately the levels obtained from the tasks and tests.

YouGirl

the ARA also says

Independent schools in England (not being academies) may choose to take part in
the assessment and reporting arrangements for one or more subjects at the end of key
stage 1.

I've recently looked at a few prep schools for my dd. They all (four schools) said they no longer take part in KS1 SATS, but carry out their own individual progress assessments during year 2. They do all take the KS2 sats in year 6 though.

I'd check how they are marked though, as it may be that they are marked by the teachers as opposed to independently.

Good, the marking might be more accurate then, so they won't have to write reams of forms for endless appeals, then appeals of appeals.