Bloody SATS

[Ledkr]

I know they are important to schools but its madness at dds school. They've gone on and on at them a out it for months, extra homework, extra lessons and generally created a great deal of expectation and stress.
Poor dd gets migraines and they are currently rife due to her worry over sats. She thinks they will impact on her going to her already allocated secondary school.
Then yesterday she came out with a list her teacher had given them. Apparently it's bed early a d a good breakfast (preferably cooked) which obviously all children need everyday.
It seems ott to me but hey.
Anyone got any comparisons?

True Ellen. And that's just my take on it DS2 doesn't give a monkeys and just does the Paper he gets.

Good luck with the maths today, sparkling's DS, my DS and everyone else.

My DS also sat the L6 reading, but not the L6 SPAG, only one child in their year sat that.

He really isn't bothered about the Maths ones - he seems far more relaxed than i expected!

My DS also only did part of the level 6 English - though he did the SPAG and not the reading paper. He was so pleased to finish the level 3-5 reading comprehension that I'm quite pleased he didn't try for the level 6 which he probably would have found difficult to finish. He said he's never finished a comprehension paper before bless him !
(Possibly him telling his teacher that he had finished the paper at break, and him being so pleased about it, might have influenced her decision - she's very nice like that !)
Extended writing was on a good topic for him, am I allowed to say he got to write about one of his hobbies ?!
I'm no good at secrets sorry - and others have given away far more and posts still standing !

I suspect writing is the hardest to cheat on; what are they going to do, compose an essay at home, memorise it word for word & regurgitate? Neah.

Spelling cheats, on other hand...

SPAG: The types of things DD was learning about grammar the week before were what I was first learned in an advanced English class at age 14. EG: To understand her homework, We had to look up difference between complex and compound sentences, or the difference when same word is used as an adverb or as a preposition (don't think those are spoilers because I have no idea if they were on the test, I just know they were in DD's homework). It was very tricky stuff. And she doesn't at all need to know it yet (or maybe never).

I'd reckon 'never', as I have bugger all idea about the difference between those things and I'm an editor...

English pupils are the most examined in the developed world. An ex-Chief Inspector of Schools has warned that recent Ofsted changes mean that schools are likely to use "all means possible" to raise results. I've posted about this on the Local Schools Network (link below).

The pressure on schools to increase SAT results (and therefore avoid speedy Ofsted inspections and possible enforced academy conversion) leads to Year 6 hell. A friend of mine removed her 3 children from a local primary because her Year 6 daughter was coming home every day in tears and didn't want to go to school because they were forever revising SAT papers (they'd even started in Year 5).

But this isn't education - it's teaching to the test. And it's about time parents shouted, "Enough!"

www.localschoolsnetwork.org.uk/2013/05/recent-ofsted-changes-likely-to-increase-pressure-on-schools-to-raise-exam-results-by-all-means-possible-says-ex-chief-inspector/

It might just be useful then for parents to be told 'expected' GCSE grades of DCs when they leave primary school - just so one has an idea for future reference.....Also are those predictions made solely on the basis of the KS2 Year 6 SATS or other markers too - I ask because although DS got high Level 5s in Year 6 he was ill for his SATS so could have done better....

AFAIK level 5 SATS will give a target GSCE grade of A/A* anyway.

I think SATS inform the official target GCSE grades but the school should internally monitor those anyway if a DC turns out to be more capable than his SATS suggested.

HTH.

DD told me this morning that they have sex education to look forward to after the SATS have finished. She thinks it's too much too soon and that sex education is ruining their young innocence. Not sure what she's expecting to learn.

I'm proud of how she has taken it all in her stride this week though. She'll have done 9 tests over the 4 days but has been relaxed and just trying her best. She says she hopes she got level 6 but she'll be happy with 5 as that's still a good level. I think it's all about attitude, and this is where it starts.

Yes the theme song of FAME is bril (they had a suicide in the last rather poor Fame fiml I saw. )

FAME pressure cooker methods work for some. But should not even be tried on some kidsIts horses for courses. (Unless your Mr Gove and he leans towards Hong Kong school extremes.

I like parodying good pop songs. I did fame

" Dont wanna live for ever, I wanna learn how to die. Dont wanna live for ever.......I,m gonna make you girls cry." Cha, cha, chaaaaa

Cheers chica

dd's teacher told her yesterday she had got all the spellings right

farce

Ok then. Dd told me her teacher tapped her on the head when she made a spelling mistake unbelievable.

I was planning on doin my own sex ed before I realised that dd is mortified by any mention of sex or body parts good luck to the teachers I say. All that cringing and giggling.

Well day 3 here and have an unhappy DD1 tonight, she excels in English but really struggles with her maths bless her. Last day tomorrow - hooray!! I have promised her a KFC on the way home.

They are getting Sex Ed after sats too.

Classic quote from cool DS when I asked him how they went, and was he tired out ? ....

"I don't know why everyone thinks they're tiring. They're not"

They went swimming this afternoon (as usual on Wednesdays) which was a nice idea I thought.

Ok then. Dd told me her teacher tapped her on the head when she made a spelling mistake shock unbelievable.

It is truly unbelievable and needs reporting.

If I knew which school it was, I would do it myself. Cheating really pisses me off.

Yep I think some of the tests must have been different parts of the same thing.
She is doing the silly level 6 papers as well as the 3-5, such a lot of work for the poor thing, but she did get an extra biscuit.

Anyone get a feel for the maths papers? What are your DC saying, were they OK?

DS2 said it was 'fine' but no further info Ellen.

feenie dh and I are still considering what to do.
It's going to be denied no matter what isn't it?
I'm still shocked.

It is shocking Ledkr, but the repercussions of saying anything are huge (unfortunately). I wouldn't know what to do. Can open, worms everywhere IYKWIM.

Dd came home today confident that she had done well so we are all chilled tonight

Just got DS3 home from his friend's house. He was quite happy, said he had time to check his answers on the non calculator paper and the mental maths was ok.

www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearning/assessment/keystage2/a00197262/ks2-maladministration

The LEA has to investigate all complaints seriously.

I have no sympathy for the teacher - she knows she is cheating.