Year 6 Sats

[16april]

My DD is sitting her sats next week and is predicted to get level 5's.

They have not done any work other than practise sats for the last few weeks. DD doesn't mind doing the sats although has been nervous for last couple of weeks.

Since they went into year 6 they all had to go back to writing with pencil. They had to earn a license to use a pen, probably 2/3 of her class now writes with a pen.

The pen licences are given by their form teacher. DD does not have her teacher for anything other than last lesson of the day which is usually about anything the teacher chooses, art, it etc.

DD asked her english teacher the other day if her writing was up to standard as she has not got a pen license. Teacher said her writing was lovely. DD then spoke to her class teacher who said the same.

She has come home yet again today to say more children have their pen license but she still hasn't. I've told her this will not affect her sats paper.

She sees the fact that she still writes in pencil is a critisism of her work. She is very sensitive.

I find the whole thing really annoying as this whole pencil thing has dented her confidence. As childish as it is I really would like to keep her off on sats english day and say she is ill. What do others think, would this really be wrong of me?

Doesn't she need to write with a pen on the actual SATS paper? Surely if she's using a pencil for that it leaves it open for subsequent tweaks/changes etc?

Rather than keep her off on the day, which will probably just make her fret that you don't think she's up to it - call the school. Do it now. Ask WTF is going on with the pencil thing (maybe phrase it more politely) and could they please just give her a sodding pen.

The pen licence thing is the oddest rule I have ever heard of. I would have made a big fuss about this but I don't really see how this is linked to your dd doing her SATs?

Hi Hassled, I mentioned it on parents evening to her english teacher who said there was no reason why she should not have license. DD said form teacher told her on tuesday "I cant believe I havent given you a pen license yet as your writing is lovely".

She has come home today (licenses are given on a friday) really upset. I think the other children also use to compete against each other.

It's just really knocking her confidence. She said she cant understand why they say her writing is lovely but then ignore her when licenses are given out.

I am just so fed up with it. She was one of the first in her year 4 class to get a pen license but the new head made changes last september so they all had to revert back to pencil.

Bloody school!

All our DC complete all their SATs papers in pencil. Pen licences or not, they all use pencils for literacy and maths papers. I really wouldn't keep her off for such a petty reason. In my LA secondaries use SATs results to initially set for maths and English.

Cansu,

She is under the impression that if her writing is not up to scratch, she will lose marks on her english writing paper. I have told her she wont.

However, for some reason children seem to listen to what their peers are saying. Which is if you arent allowed to write with a pen, your writing is not good enough.

As far as I was aware secondary schools re-test them anyway to set them.

She is working to a level 5a on the literacy targets as assessed by her teachers.

Yes, they initially use the SATs results. That usually changes after the first term, but other schools will do it differently. Will they be using pens for their literacy SATs? IME, maths is often written in pencil until after GCSE.

You would keep her off school because she is upset she has to write in pencil??

If its that much of an issue, ask the teacher to explain her results won't be affected?
I've got to say, it amazes me you would consider keeping her at home because of this, you haven't spoken to the teacher, you don't why she is still writing in pencil.

Seems a bit over the top IMHO

I can see why you think it odd she can't use pen and that she may be upset about the lack of a license but this has nothing to do with SATS and keeping her off wold be daft.

Just go in and talk to her teacher!
Or send a note.

"earn a license"? That is weird. Should just have everyone use pencil only.

Just go talk with the teacher/phone the school! It is probably something daft like the teacher has accidentally marked your dd as already having a licence in her records and given she see's her form tutor so little and teachers have so many, many things to think about when it is time to give out the licences on a Friday the teacher has forgotten the conversation with your dd earlier in the week. It happens, teachers are human and you can't complain and threaten to keep your dd off school for her SAT's when you haven't even talked to the teacher about it, even then, why would you keep her off for her SAT's? I don't see the connection sorry!

Yourf & soup dragon

She is obsessing over the writing aspect of the tests. Teacher has told her it wont affect the score. I have spoken to theenglish teacher, no critisism of her writing, said no reason why she is still writing in pencil but is up to form teacher .

Unfortunately she is worrying over the sats paper now as they start them monday. I really dont want her worrying over them. Yes I know it is over the top to keep her off. I am just fed up with all the sats talk in school.

As ridiculous it is to us adults over something as pathetic as writing in pencil, in DD's year it is a sign of your writing capability. DD is putting to much emphasis on this and whatever I say, only takes notice of what is happening in school.

I am surprised to learn that 11 year olds will be using pencils for their literacy SATS
At DDs school all the children use ink pens from year 3, is this unusual?

The writing tests aren't till Tuesday so plenty of time to phne school/go to speak to the teacher about this on Monday.

FWIW I let my class use pen or pencil - whichever they prefer.

And actually using pencil is better as youcan then rub things out easily.

Oh and the handwriting element of the tests are worth only up to 3 marks out of 100 for her overall English result.

Thank you cece, will tell her about the 3 marks!!

I get she is worrying over SATS, most children feel a bit apprehensive, I know that. The whole "being fed up with SATS" and your attitude of feeling like youre fed up of the whole thing and feel like just keeping her off school probably won't help in the long run tbh, schools have to do practice papers and stress the importance of doing as well as you can in the run up to SATS.

I can really sympathise with the whole " the teacher is the law and I have to listen to everything they say, even when I know they are wrong" thing though, my ds1 year 5 teachers told them they were not allowed to take off their sweatshirts, now she said this once, in winter but it convinced my DS he could NEVER take off his sweatshirt, even in the boiling hit summer and no matter how many times I told him to just ask, he refused because "the teacher said"

The whole pen lisence thing is ridiculous idea IMHO but I can see why it would upset your dd, it may just be an oversight though.

My dd didnt get her pen lisence for ages and when I asked the teacher, she said she forgot, and because my dd didn't "make a fuss" it didn't occur to her to check.
It was a bit annoying to me because my dd wouldnt make a fuss, she is another "the teacher is god so don't argue" child and she also got quite upset by it, that's why I had a word.

You might need to chase them a bit especially as they have a different teacher for writing, and a different one who hands out the licenses IYSWIM.

and try not to stress too much, SATS will be over soon and if I remember correctly the rest of yr 6 is when they do all the fun stuff.

Then it secondary and a whole lot more stress-sorry, so just try and enjoy the last bit of primary.

Thank you too yourf.

You are so right, she is a child who believes the teachers are god!

When I have suggested to DD that she speak to the teacher who has told them something that DD has interpreted wrongly, she'll say I cant do that as teacher might think I am being cheeky or back chatting etc etc!

Yes have been told secondary is a lot more stressful!

We use pens normally in class (apart from maths), however during the tests I have all children use pencil. This is because 1) it is much easier to rub out mistakes and stops kids getting stressed about changing answers (as sometimes crossing out repeatedly makes the paper very messy and hard to read), and 2) it is more comfortable to write for long periods in pencil, especially as we use those horrible berol handwriting pens that have a tendency to dry out and become hard to write with.

Oh and I hate pen licenses, mainly because I can't be bothered with the whole admin faff of it. Our school has a blanket pen use policy for all of year 5 and 6 which stops this ridiculous malarkey.

The bigger issue here is that your DD is already getting so stressed about exams. The very fact that you are considering keeping her off school for the exam, makes me wonder if you might actually be contributing to the problem.

The pen licence for Year 6 children is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard (and I've taught in Year 6 for many, many years). THAT needs addressing.
But not this week! Run with it, then deal with it afterwards. You certainly cannot keep her off school over it, let alone this week. What sort of message would that give her?

I've worked as a secretary for many years and I'd be very surprised if many of the men people I've worked for would qualify for a pen licence, based on their current handwriting.

Well, she has gone to school quite relaxed after having a good chat with her.

Yes the pen license is ridiculous and I am annoyed at the impact it has had on her.

She has always worked hard in primary but feels that the pen issue is a reflection of her work. It isnt, as all her previous teachers have always praised her for her writing as does her current english teacher.

She is confused as she will always try to improve on the areas that need it but this issue is out of her control.

I'm glad she is a bit more relaxed now.

It is difficult if there is not actually anything to improve on IYSWIM, but hopefully you have put her mind at rest a bit now.