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?

[mrz]

Mine is perverse lljkk, he loved tests because it meant he didn't have to do any work all year

[cherrycarpet]

Well it's the night before the dreaded SATS! DS1 is a bit nervous but we've had a lovely chilled out day and took our 4 DC's to a stunning bluebell wood where they ran about having fun. We haven't been doing loads of practice papers as I've trusted the teachers to bring them up to the level they think they're capable of. There's been a bit of extra pressure in the classroom over the past two weeks but nothing too severe. He's sitting one Level 6 paper (grammar) but only found out about that last week so hasn't had time to stress about it.

I will be wishing DS1 good luck in the morning and giving him some porridge for extra brain power (!) but reassuring him that it will all be OK whatever the outcome. All over on Friday and his class will be having a big party.

[Sparklingbrook]

I have Science written on the calendar for Friday?

[lljkk]

DD is relishing the challenge.
She even mentioned determinedly getting to bed by 9pm tonite .
Normally I have to mega rant about her light still being on at 11.

[Feenie]

That is an internal assessment then, Sparkling - there are no Science tests this year, not even sample ones.

[mrz]

There isn't a science test this year so it must be an internal thing Sparkling

[Sparklingbrook]

Oh right. Thanks Feenie. I will declare the SATS officially finished on Thursday in that case.

[Feenie]

I am starting to think that 'impressive' SATS scores for a school are a clear indication of a relentless cramming regime and a depressing and unimaginative yr6.

Careful there, ChewingonLifesgristle - there are plenty of schools who provide a broad and balanced curriculum AND still get very good results, mine and mrz's included.

[piratecat]

when do they start, tomorrow or tuesday, is it the same thru the country (england here)?

dd was off ill on friday with a 24 hr stomach sickness, so not sure if anything was sent home.

[Sparklingbrook]

Tomorrow with Reading pirate

[mrz]

Yes they start tomorrow and end Thursday (England)

[ClaraOswinOswald]

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong but I think it is:
Monday- reading
Tuesday: SPAG
Wednesday: Maths Paper A
Thursday: Mental Maths then Maths paper B (calculator)
Friday: And breathe....

Just spoke to DD, she said she's fine, asked if she wanted me to speak to her teacher and got an eye roll followed by "Mum, I'm fiiine, stop stressing!" She's so cool.
:)

[piratecat]

thankyou, we are so not stressing or bothered here. Yet that may be that school have had a very relaxed approach. She's worked hard this term, when well. Maths has come along lovely (best teacher she's ever had- and now I can see how crap a few have been tbh).

She says she's not worried, and i have just said, nope neither am I, you just do your best sweetheart.

[SaltaKatten]

As a year 6 teacher I am also looking forward to the end of this week. The pressure from above is horrific but I have been trying very hard to not pass this on. We have been doing a lot of revision but I've tried to make it fun as much as possible. Woe betide me once the results come back if they aren't good enough though =(

[ClaraOswinOswald]

Several teacher friends are really feeling the pressure. It is unfair on the kids, the teachers, everyone really. Surely there must be a better way. It all seems so unnecessary. 10 and 11 is so young.

[JugglingFromHereToThere]

DS is not at all stressed and neither are we.
School do breakfast club which he's quite happy to go to - DD said the breakfasts were great when she went a few years ago. Mind you they were even better on the residential trip she says !
DS is doing the level 6. He might have some small chance in Maths I think.
But Level 5's much more likely I would think.
He already has his place to follow DD to good secondary school and that's what matters to us.
But he'll give it all his best shot as good practice for him and we know it's important for the school and the teachers and staff.
I don't mind if they've been doing lots of past papers and "cramming" - honestly DS just takes it all in his stride. A little work might be good for him

[JugglingFromHereToThere]

oh and DD did hers 3 years ago and I can't even remember what she got, and neither can she.

[Sparklingbrook]

Same here juggling DS1 did his 3 years ago. Have no idea what he got. He's doing v well in Year 9 so it was probably ok.

[PinkyCheesy]

Some schools will do a teacher-assessed science test on Friday.

As our yr6 teacher put it: "science is still a core subject and Ofsted will, at some point, still ask for evidence that the required skills are being achieved. The best way of evidencing that is to sit a quick test so all children are under same conditions. Might as well do it Friday morning when they're still full of adrenaline, and then they will not have to hear the word 'test' again until they're in secondary school."

It won't be revised for, nor moderated, just taken in silence and marked by teacher for the files. Makes sense to me, especially as I am also a parent governor and the thought of Ofsted questioning me about evidence terrifies me!!

[pointythings]

I wonder about the end of Yr7 exams and how dreadful they will really be - DD1 has had termly exams at the end of every term under full exam conditions, she seems to take it in stride. She's certainly finding it much less tough than SATs in Yr6.

And two languages? DD1 is only doing French at her school, not starting German until next year.

[Feenie]

The best way of evidencing that is to sit a quick test

What a load of codswallop!

The best way of getting the narrowest possible snapshot, more like.

[roadkillbunny]

My eldest is currently in Y3 so we are still a few years off this.
Our school gets consistently strong results for SATS even taking into account we are a small school and with a small cohort so each child carries a large percentage. Our school do not seem to stress the children or staff out, no endless past papers and pep talks. Our Y6 have had a great year so far and done a lot of different things and interesting topic work, same is true for the whole school so I don't think it is fair to say that exerlent SATS results are a sign of a pushy exam factory of a school although I do know that for some schools this is the case and like everything else there is a large variation between schools.

Every year though when these threads come up it does make me think though, next to each other on the education threads we have people worrying about school allocations, talking about either wanting or rejecting schools in large parts based in the schools T6 SATS results. Then in the next thread we have this, concern for stressed children being pushed too far by schools despite to maintain their results.
By the time our children reach Y6 I think most parents have seen past the whole SATS results thing they spent so much time worrying about when choosing a school for their 4 year olds and can see how the results can't and won't tell you how your child will do through primary school or the quality of education their child will receive.
I wonder how it is though that so many people can't seem to put the dots together.

[fishoils]

If you don't do the SATS - do they not know where to put you, if children are streamed, in Yr 7.

What are the consequences for your child of boycotting?

Does anyone know?

[Picturesinthefirelight]

Some of dd's friends will be going to state secondary schools I. September and won't have done SATS. As far as I am aware it's never been a problem in the past.

[BooksandaCuppa]

pointy I don't think the end of yr 7 exams will be 'dreadful'; just that there's an exam (and sometimes two or three) for every subject in the curriculum - so there's just a LOT more to them than SATs - testing only two subjects. I think SATs are good practice, that's all: they have to have their first exams at some point.

(Ds is doing French and Spanish - I feel a little that with them being so similar, he's not doing as well as would with one one its own, but I think he'll get there!)

roadkill - couldn't agree more.