National average SAT score year 6

[ReallyTired]

I know that the expected standard for a year 6 child is 4B in key stage 2 SAT. The majority of children easily achieve this level.

www.guardian.co.uk/education/2012/sep/20/primary-school-pupils-sats-targets

80% of children achieve this standard in both Maths and English. (I think the guardian sees 4C as a pass rather than 4B)

What is the mean average score natonally as lots of children do better than 4B.

I think there needs to be educational research on what schools do to achieve high results. From an anedotal point of view I don't think its the SAT factories that get the highest results.

Long term the children who do well in maths are those who have a deep understanding. Such a deep understanding is achieved by high quality teaching rather than SATs practice papers.

SAT factory schools produce children who can only answer SAT papers. Everything falls down when the secondary school actually asks them to do something that requires understanding.

Deep understanding comes from breadth.

Nothing in the national curriculum promotes breadth of understanding. Good teachers and schools stand lonely against the tide of league tables and exam results as evaluation. The professionalism of the profession continues due to the vocation and desire to effect a change of the people within it and not from the structure enforced by govt after gove (good typo) tinkering without experience

The whole system stinks

Children are entitled to a broad and balanced curriculum whether they are in Y6 or not - and I've heard of too many examples on MN where Y6 children aren't.

DD is in y6, my perceptions so far:

DC school does teach to the test in that wrt maths+English they focus very much on what the tests require. And openly discuss with children what level standard they are or aren't at.

Nonetheless, the y6s do a lot outside of SAT requirements: art, drama, big science and/or history projects, PE, cooking, fund-raising, choir. They don't appear to be drilling (yet?). Just 1-2 extra tests periods so far.

It's always nice when I read these threads to find so many things about DC school that I do like (plenty I could grumble about too).

Actually, there are loads of ways a parent with visual impairment can teach or help a child learn to read.

Well said Blu. I should have picked up on that

I'm sorry maybe its not politcally correct, but a completely blind woman will find it tough to hear her daughter read. How on earth can someone completely blind know whether a child is reading the correct word in a book if they can't see it themselves.

Life is easier if you don't have a visual impairment. Why would it be a bad thing for a school to have the TA listen to such a child more often than othe children. All it would do is stop the little girl from being at a disadvantage to her peers.

Its about making sure every child reaches their full potential rather than reaching floor standards.

Ask one of the 'completely blind' posters on MN who have children how they supported their children to learn to read!

I'm not saying specific help shouldn't be given in each and every case where it would help a child.