Headteachers have voted to boycott SATS....

[deaddei]

but in RL what will that mean?
Will some schools not do them?

busymummy3

There are still the CAT tests in year 7 which will combine with teacher assessment in Y6 (which will be accurate, honestly they really will and will also probably include the results of a previous SAT that the children will have practised). Indeed teacher assessment will go on in Y7 and it will all feed into streaming/setting. IF the SATs fold then there will still be plenty of data to go on. I guess that's why the SATs aren't needed.

We still don't know as yet some heads may decide to open the papers, some won't - but don't worry.

"Following a successful ballot of both unions? leadership members, the NUT and NAHT executives have decided that the boycott of this year?s SATs will go ahead.

Clear majorities in both unions voted to support action. The ballots focussed on leadership members because of the immediate impact on the terms and conditions of those members. This is categorically not strike action. Schools will be open and children will be taught.

Members taking industrial action will not administer the 2010 SATs. SATs are scheduled to take place in schools from 10 ? 13 May.

SATs in their current form disrupt the learning process for children in Year 6, and are misused to compile meaningless league tables which only serve to humiliate and demean children, their teachers and their communities. The NUT and NAHT are supportive of a system of assessment that highlights what children can do rather than focussing on failure."

From the NAHT site

OK, I read pages 1-4 then 16, so I know I've missed a fair bit of 'content'.

My tuppence-worth is how DARE schools NOT administer the tests they've been preparing DCs for for at least a year?

What sort of message is that sending to MY DC? Adults lie? I wouldn't take revising for this test too seriously, son, it may not happen.... By all means address the issue of SATS but do it in June ready for next year's Y6s, don't trick MY DC, thanks.

FWIW, I am an older mum. I recall when a DC could go from 4-16 with only the 'stumbling block' of the 11+ to interrupt 12 years of arsing about.

Personally I am astonished that the distinction between SATS and League Tables hasn't been made. One is a reasonable way of testing progress over 7 years of primary education, the other pits one school against another regardless of intake and the national publication of this should be banned.

And, teachers here who support the non-administration of this years SATS, can I be guaranteed that my DS will, for the last 2 months of his primary education, be treated to a full, stimulating, broad and engaging education in place of the -ahem- 'training' they've 'endured' over the past 4 years?

I doubt it, too.

By ampere Wed 21-Apr-10 18:54:17

Personally I am astonished that the distinction between SATS and League Tables hasn't been made. One is a reasonable way of testing progress over 7 years of primary education, the other pits one school against another regardless of intake and the national publication of this should be banned.

As a teacher I have stated a number of times that my issue is not with the idea of a summative test (SATs if you like) but with the purpose/s they have come to be used for in recent years.

By ampere Wed 21-Apr-10 18:54:17
OK, I read pages 1-4 then 16, so I know I've missed a fair bit of 'content'.

My tuppence-worth is how DARE schools NOT administer the tests they've been preparing DCs for for at least a year?

I would like to say that not all schools work this way my school has started SATs prep this week ...

I think you ought to read the thread - you may find that teachers have answered you query regarding what to do for children who are geared up for the tests.

We fully understand the issue of this year's Y6 and what they have been working towards, so we asked our children what they would like to do. They opted to do some tests anyway and, having watched me as Y5 teacher and Literacy co-ordinator be pulled out of their class to quickly prepare 37 appeals in 10 days because of the absolutely dire standard of marking, they much preferred
the idea of them being marked internally.

Many schools intend to do the same - but of course, if you had bothered to read the thread before venting your spleen, you would have known that.

As for this:
"And, teachers here who support the non-administration of this years SATS, can I be guaranteed that my DS will, for the last 2 months of his primary education, be treated to a full, stimulating, broad and engaging education in place of the -ahem- 'training' they've 'endured' over the past 4 years?"

That's just damn insulting, and totally unwarranted.

Also, the timing if the boycott is due to industrial law.

have not read thread, but has anyone pointed out that children with low/medium level learning difficulties used to be put into 'special' schools?

They are now in Mainstream, contributing to the literacy statistics.

There is a kid at my son's school with Down's syndrome. This kid is six, and, to his mother's pride and joy, has just achieved daytime continence. He can't read, or recognise writing as anything other than 'writing', but his mother and his teachers are proud of him nonetheless.

His stats will make up 3% of his class's sats literacy results, and it will record that 3% of the children in that class are illiterate.

But what is the teacher supposed to do? She can't teach the Down's syndrome out of him, she can't FORCE him to be literate if he isn't ready for it!

The teachers on this can't have it both ways.

SATs exist but the profession didn't need to move from inspiring children to 'teaching assessment proforma'seemingly pretty much throughout KS2. This has encouraged children to engage with learning only in so far as there is a mark or two in the assessment guidance.

Exam prep is one thing but AFL type initiatives from as early as Year 3 has diminished the profession.

I say abolish SATs now if only to help the teaching profession off the hook that they (not the politicians and not SATs per se) have got themselves on to.

feenie in response to your 19.04 post to me:

'That's just damn insulting, and totally unwarranted'- so you're telling me that as of now til mid July you (the putative 'you') could pull that 'full, stimulating, broad and engaging education' together?......

I think that I should state that I am 47. I recall the days when it was perfectly possible to traverse the whole of one's education having never been tested. Back 'then' there were JOBS for the academically less able. Now they're scarce- and done by EU immigrants.

I was 'lucky' in that I passed my 11+. My DB didn't. In Ys 7-10 he got perfectly acceptable teachers reports from his SM. He was acheiving well, he was getting on. Then Y11. Ohmigod! DB was suddenly 'messing around', 'failing to engage', 'disappointing'- he walked away with 2 low grade CSEs. And you know what the interesting thing was? In comparing notes it transpired that every DC who went through that school had exactly the same experience! 4 years of steady progress followed by 'disaster!'- or perhaps otherwise the exposure of a truly crap school? The girls SM in the town where I was at GS got many girls into the GS 6th form so it wasn't a 'failure' of 'the system' specifically, it was a system where a DC's ENTIRE SECONDARY SCHOOL CAREER could be trashed. Why? Cos NO ONE was TESTING THEM EXTERNALLY to reveal this crapness!

My DS is reasonably clever. He'll do OK. He will get 5s in his SATS, for what that's worth. OK, so he didn't necessarily have a marvellous, broad, stimulating, enquiring or wildly engaging time through juniors. But he can sure read, write and grasp basic science. He's also perfectly happy and is only NOW, 11 days out, considering the reality of SATS! He has 5, 7 or ad infinitum time in which to 'broaden his education' IF indeed the current primary school system can be said to have denied him that in the alleged 'mad' focus on SATS..

My primary school teacher (1970-73, my Y4-6, all in!) was inspirational: challenging, off beat, eclectic. The academically able amongst us flew. The less able looked on in incomprehension. SATS would have revealed how his teaching failed THEM. They left, many of them functionally illiterate.

My DS2 isn't academically gifted. I need for him to be kept up as those apprenticeships and traineeships will be increasingly like hens teeth. While the ideal of a broad, enquiring, creative education may appeal, what I require of the school is to make him literate and numerate. I can do the rest. Yes, of course there are many DCs out there whose parents don't give a toss, but trying to impose a broad 'classical' education on all because of that shortcoming sells them ALL short.

Keep the testing.

pixie, my DS, like the ones interviewed on the BBC news says that he wants to do the SATS. He's been preparing for them, he's ready. What a let down if now he doesn't get to 'strut his stuff'. OK, I've stated he should get 5s (if he doesn't completely misread the Englsig long paper!). My DS2 may well get 4s (hopefully). I still support SATS before anyone says I only like them because my DS1 is reasonably academically able.

SATS are a great way of introducing DCs to the concept of proper testing. All the better if, as many of the teachers here are saying 'they don't matter'!

So it's the external publication of the results that's the problem?

...like I said at 18:54?

My DB was (internally) 'tested' every year at his dire SM, too......

So it's not actually SATS themselves you're objecting to, is it?

zanzibar "SATs exist but the profession didn't need to move from inspiring children to 'teaching assessment proforma'seemingly pretty much throughout KS2. This has encouraged children to engage with learning only in so far as there is a mark or two in the assessment guidance.

Exam prep is one thing but AFL type initiatives from as early as Year 3 has diminished the profession."

Sorry, I honestly have no idea what you are talking about.

ampere Read the thread yet? At our school since September Y6 have been taught 'a full, stimulating, broad and engaging education', and I fully anticipate this to continue until September. We are proud of our curriculum, and Ofsted praised it last month using words not dissimilar to yours.

No -one disputes that children need to leave school both literate and numerate - I refer you to this article which explains a lot on this very subject. However, many dedicated and well respected professionals can explain to you in great detail why they believe external SAT tests don't necessarily help this cause.

Until July, obviously - we won't make them come in over the summer holidays .

By all means look at the alternatives such as those given about 12 pages ago: sample testing, snapshot testing, whatever- just DON'T boycott my DS's SATS 11 days before he is due to sit them!

It's disorganised and shambolic to do so- traits we try and 'educate' out of our DCs...

To quote feenie, 'That's just damn insulting, and totally unwarranted'.

And feenie, I am getting the impression that only one or 2 people still sticking this thread out HAVE read all 16 pages.

I now have.

Hasn't changed my opinion!

Oh fgs, I am clueless tonight - this article.

Really? I can count at least 8 regular posters on this thread.