Yr 6 SAT Maths paper today

[hippyhil]

How did your kids find it? Mine v upset...

no problem

I just asked ds, but he is very good at maths and said it was ok. He suggested perhaps your dc got stuck on the 'kite' question! Apparantly it was really difficult and ds had to come back to it at the end when he only had six minutes left, and by the time he had finished there was only one minute left. I think that's about as much information as I'm likely to get out of him!

It was a very wordy paper. There were some nasty questions involving several processes in just reading the question, never mind answering it!

Only one she's been upset over. She finds maths hard but felt ok about yesterdays papers. Lots of terms she didn't feel familair with - which she can't remember. Still, at least its all over....

DD has to work hard at maths, but overall she feels fairly confident about it. She found the comprehension on the first day the worst.

That must be it then, wordy with several processes. She has really worked on her maths too... rotten eh?

All you can do is reassure her that it doesn't matter as long as she tried. It sounds like she did try her best if she's getting upset, bless her.

The only other thing I know was that a calculator was allowed today.

Just goes to show, it is impossible to devise tests that suit all different leraning styles and preferences.. At least the teacher assessment is recognised now.

@bubblecoral - yes she tries so hard yet rarely gets results from the tests. its hard knocks for her as she see's her pals getting higher marks easily - or so it appears to her. She's had a good cry, feed, being spoilt at nans before guides.

Sorry to report, but DD and her friend found it really easy and "well good". She found the kite problem easy, the toughest one for her was coming up with two digits multiplied together which made 176. But solved it by guesswork.

I asked DD and she said definitely harder than yesterdays paper. Glad its all over!

Don't let her get downhearted, its unfair the pressure thats put on them.

Does anyone think the SATs marks have any real influence on banding in their secondary schools?

Even if they do, they'll shuffle the kids around if they're in the wrong class.

It doesn't in DDs but she passed her 11+ and is going to a grammar. Apparently it does at the local comp and the boys grammar.

hippyhil - it will set them initially, but secondary school will do their own assessments in the first term and may shake-up existing groups.

I was told by a secondary school teacher that at their school, they find the SATs results unreliable and tend to shuffle the kids around after they've been at the school for a bit.

Yes thats my worry. Her sis is in a grammar, so SATS were a breeze at that time. This time, totally different SATS experience - and luckily, not one we'll have to manage again...I have a totally irrational concern that because she generally doesn't produce 'the goods' in academic tests she will be incorrectly banded...despite knowing she is going to a good comp...

@lovecheese and MaryBS - thanks - good to know. Think I am having an irrational moment because she was disappointed.

Hmm, I worry about my ds (yr 3) They are also doing 'tests' at the moment, and he really is not happy about them

Yesterday's paper was fine; today's was tricky.

Madness really. Tests suit some kids - they did my eldest and she thrived on them (now in grammar) Completely different for her sis, where testing is telling her that despite working really hard, she just isn't 'as good' as the others. Its hard work keeping her self esteem up. Ideal world scenario - tests for some, not for others, and teacher assess all the way please.

MaryBS, my ds liked that question, he got all animated when I asked him. It's good for me to have something specific to ask him about because he hardly gives me any information. He has AS and is quite quiet usually. He called it 'process of elimination' rather than guesswork though!

hippy It's horrible seeing your child upset about tests, they are still quite young really. But if you have faith in the school she is going to, try not to worry. As long as they work out what's right for her and help her to achieve her best, that's all that matters.

It does seem unfair, despite, as posters have said, the sub-banding done by teachers, that 7 years of primary education is judged on a couple of hours of tests in year 6. I second hipphil's call for more teacher assessment, as in key stage one.

What do others think. Teachers particularly. Will it go more like key stage one or tests gone completely in future?