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?

No, some schools manage to provide the broad and balanced curriculum the children are entitled to without the endless revision and hot housing.

I'm glad to hear some schools do Y6 well.

None around here though.

lynn yes that's the only good thing that yr 7 seems less daunting now.
I was told two weeks ago that unless my poorly dd was actually sick she should come to school cis of the upcoming sats she had a temp and could hardly move with weakness and nausea.

SATs test 7 years of education, why are some cramming this into the final year

Good question. I asked our head teacher but he couldn't answer me.
I also asked if dds extra maths lessons would continue after the sats. He said no.

DS1 is also on SATS next week. School seem quite laid back to be honest. No past papers been sent home with the exception of one this weekend. He doesn't seem stressed about it but has said he's a bit worried, which I've told him is normal. As long as he knows he's done his best, then that's fine. They're getting toast and fruit as snacks.

We did get a letter asking that we ensure that they go to bed at reasonable times which went down really well with DS1 . I think he imagined me packing him off to bed at 7pm every night.

I imagine the teachers are stressed though but they seem to be keeping this from the pupils.

It's a bit sad to read how much stress some of the schools are putting children under.

Would it be possible to homes chool for Yr 6 and miss out the SATs? I mean that for us - not everybody would want to do that, obviously.

Would it impact the child once they start secondary school?

My youngest, taking SATS next week is currently at Windsor Horse Show sleeping in a tent. She will be home tomorrow night about 9pm. I have 4 kids already done SATS/GCSEs/Degrees and I can honestly say I couldn't care less. She will do the ridiculous number of papers she has next week (10 in 4 days - really !!!) and I hope do her best. But she is 11 and a kid so if she does rubbish then that's OK too.

Dd and I have had great chats about how she can only do her best, and that's fine! We went off for a great weekend camping last weekend and dd came back with a broken right thumb ( obviously not a natural at goal keeping ) she now will have a scribe and can't hold a pen. Ho hum .... Could be worse ! Am having to persuade her not to try right handed cart wheels !

Oops meant one handed cart wheels .... Right handed cartwheels definitely a no no !

Ds currently at PGL , his school doesn't do SATs ( independent ) and I am so pleased . There was a little bit of stress with entrance exams in Jan but nothing like the SATs reports. This stress I'd just ridiculous

I think dd1 must have year 2 next week not sure as school not sent home any test papers.

Contrast to nearby high performing infants they been doing past papers since sept in year 2.

Spoke to 1 year 6parent at dd old school and pressure this year immense due to poor ofsted last year focussing on attainment.

When we moved to new school copy year 2sats results in prospectus so maybe not published widely but at request of parents year 2 info given?

Good question fishoils Yes you can home ed. You could even continue with school up to SATS and then say you are withdrawing him/her.

TBH reading this thread I do wonder why parents don't just boycott them by not letting their child sit them. I mean, what can the school do, they're not going to physically force your child into school if you say you're home edding/they're ill etc.

My DS's school expect us all to get them there 30 minutes early. Yeah, RIIIGHT!

I have to travel by bus, with 3 major roads closed in our town, but first have to ensure my 15yo DD with LD's is out of the door at 8:05. And she will not leave one minute early, or the world will end. But if I'm not there to get her out of the door, she won't go.

I usually leave at 8.15am. To get there for 8.30am, I'm going to have to leave at 7.45am.

It's for some free breakfast club. As if we aren't going to feed our DC's before they leave?!

(This is exceedingly unlikely, given their class...)

DS1's only comment was "cool, two breakfasts". .

I'm assuming the HT thinks I have perfected time travel, or that I'm going to borrow the effing Tardis for a week, as last time I checked, I can't leave the house at 7.45am whilst still being able to get DD out of the door at 8.05am.

(The HT does know what time DD has to be pushed out of the door, as if I struggle to get her to go, then the DS's might be slightly late, occasional issue, but definitely known).

DS1 is just "yeah, whatever" about the SATS - he doesn't seem fazed by them. Not even the lvl 6 ones.

His view is that "they are all for the school league tables anyway, otherwise why does the Secondary do CATS tests in the first half term to set us. Maybe a bit for GCSE predictions, but a prediction only says what they think you will get, not what you actually get. As long as I do my best, what's the worry?"

He worried far more over his 11+, tbh.

DS1 - no homework, told to rest and relax over the weekend, and also told NO past papers (pushy mum territory in this school...)

DS1 showed two levels of progress by the end of Y4/start of Y5. The school have still pushed him - end of Y2, he was lvl 3. End of Y4/start of Y5, he was hitting lvl 5c. Now working in class at lvl 6 English, lvl 7 Maths.

I guess that's why he seemingly feels far less pressured than his classmates? To show two lvls progress since Y2, 'all' he has to show is what he was capable of at the end of Y4/start of Y5, so anything past that is for him and the school's prospectus, I guess!

God, Wilma, is your DC in my DC's class?! That is exactly what the HT said at the meeting we attended...

Wonders whether Wilma's DC has a residential trip the week after SATS?!

"The kids don't really have a clue what these tests are for"

I don't think most people have a clue what these tests are for either ... many seem to cling to the idea that it's a test of the school ... erm no!

Those who ate reading and panicking about their younger get kids being stressed / pushed like this - remember this is MN.

Neither of the 2 kids my school go to stress the kids out about SATs. Both still provide a 'broad and balanced curriculum'

Obviously, from reading MN, some schools get it wrong. But there's no reason to assume most, or even lots, do.

If you're unhappy with the way school handle SATs I bet you're also unhappy with loads of other things which you've brushed under the carpet. Ie handling SATs badly is just a symptom of a bad school. Nothing more nothing less.

Couthy , no the residential was in November
sounds like standard issue threats then.

A good friend who teaches yr 6 in a different school told me breakfast clubs are only offered in schools

"Handling SATS badly is just a symptom of a bad school" complete tosh.
Ours are a fantastic school. No complaints other than the heavy handed way they've dealt with SATS. My DD is in reception and I couldn't be happier.

Sorry missed a bit.

Breakfast clubs only offered in schools with bad attendance or punctuality which is odd because our school has improved no end in that department.
There's so many tales around its hard to know what to believe.

A good friend who teaches yr 6 in a different school told me breakfast clubs are only offered in schools with bad attendance or punctuality

That's a bit of a daft thing to say. SAT breakfast clubs are very popular, usually as a treat and a camaraderie thing than a way to solve an attendance problem - that would be more of a long term thing, and would take much longer than a week to solve.