Are parents usually told when SATS start?

[PigWhisperer]

Dc1 came home from school last week (year 2) talking about a special maths test the class had done. I knew the SATS were coming and am not concerned about them, but I am interested in the results and like most, in my children's education.

At drop off today I said to the teacher "oh they have started their SATS then? " just by way of conversation really and she replied that she was not allowed to tell me when they started or if the children were taking them.

I find this odd! Is it normal practice?

You are not supossed to know in case you tell your child, and the pressure gets to them etc.

DD came home and said "It was the REAL test today" (years ago). I asked how she knew, and she said all the other papers had old dates on them and that was the only one with the actual "todays" date

You'll never know your children's results on the test (unless you ask specifically). You will know the teacher's assessments of their levels. The tests are only used to support these assessments.

Don't know why she said she wasn't 'allowed' to tell you, but it matters not one way or another.

Thank you Milliways. I had better cancel the tutors, motivation coach, masseuse, hypnotherapist......

Eggsit, thanks for posting, that was my understanding and why I wasn't worried about the tests, but after getting the secret squirrel treatment I thought maybe I had misjudged!

DS1 's school go to great lengths to not let the children know they are being tested. They call them 'quiz' booklets and all parents told not to tell etc etc.

Anyway his 10 year old sister was complaining about the tests she is doing at school at the moment. He replied that he too was doing tests! I said he wasn't. He said that of course he was, as he had been given whole books of questions. I said they were quiz books and he insisted they were tests! LOL. Not as daft as he looks...

Oh and he has done at least some of his SATs this week (I am a teacher - so know what the writing tasks are).

However, they can be done at any time - at least that is my understanding. It is the KS2 ones that are done on certain days.

The teacher assessment will be reported to you at the end of this year.

I never knew when my children were doing KS1 SAT's. I liked it that way, the teachers didn't put any pressure on the children and they barely knew it was happening. They don't tell parents because if parents don't know, they can't put pressure on a home.

cece - would it be ethical to let on what the writing booklet is called? . Just curious as to whether DD has done hers yet. I'm thinking not.

Ask her what writing she has been doing this week?