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?

[MadeOfStarDust]

Y2 sats are usually subsumed into classroom work so they don't even know they are being tested.. Ours are happening here over the next 2 weeks...

[LackaDAISYcal]

DS is home. Teachers told him to go even though he wanted to stay. I think they were worried about him spreading his germs around too generously

He said the papers were fine, pretty easy. He generally does well with spelling and grammar though.

He better not get used to these half days though!!

[Sparklingbrook]

That's great Lack. Phew.

[nipersvest]

just reading some of the comments, funnily enough, dd has said the same, yesterdays paper wasn't the easiest they had done during practices, but wasn't the hardest. and of the level 6, she said it was a nice passage to read, but the questions were hard.

[mumofthemonsters808]

DD said yesterday's level 5 paper was ok but she found the level 6 paper very difficult.I did not even know she was doing the higher level paper and she was surprised also.

Lack- Glad your son got to sit today's paper, it's not easy having to do a test when you do not feel too good so I'd be very proud of him regardless of the result.

[ProudAS]

I work in education and will try to clarify a few points.

SATs in year 2 and the phonics check can be pretty low key depending on how the school handles them and children may well not realise that they have been tested. The year 2 tests inform teacher assessment and are normally administered round about now but there is no set time.

If your dcs are in year 6 reassure them that they won't lose their (already offered) place at high school if they don't do as well as they hoped and that the results do not map out their entire future. They may initially be placed in sets at high school depending on the SAT results but this should be reviewed later and teaching staff know that one test result does not tell the entire story of a child's ability.

I am not aware of any proven link between test preparation (extra homework versus relaxing weekend) and performance in the SATs but would be interested to know whether it has been investigated.

[lljkk]

Ooh, ooh, let me in, budge up. Saw DD at noon & she is manically happy doing exams (weirdo) so I have green light to rejoin the thread.

DD's teacher wasn't planning to enter anyone for L6 SATs until end of March when I told him when the L6 tests were. I cannot say there's been any pushiness either.

[ClaraOswinOswald]

Is there a separate level 5 paper or do people mean the 3/4/5 paper? I know there is a level 6 but it's all getting a bit confusing.

Glad the SPAG seemed ok.

[KateSMumsnet]

Hello all,

Just a quick note to say please be circumspect with how much info you give about your DCs exams, as some won't have taken certain papers yet.

So it's fine to say "DD found the English exam a breeze", but not "DD found the English exam a breeze, she's been able to spell quixotic since she was 3". We will withdraw post that give away too much info.

[KateSMumsnet]

Oh and good luck to all involved!

[Sparklingbrook]

DS2 had to go for a poo in the middle of his test.

[lljkk]

yes, there was some rather specific info on here! I don't blame anyone, but glad I restrained from even reading the thread until now.

Clara there is a usual test to discriminate from level 3c-5a and another test for those thought able to obtain 6c-6a marks. A small minority are being offered the L6 and of these the vast majority will not pass (probably).

[ThreeBeeOneGee]

Sparklingbrook*: at least he wasn't being marked on that!

[ThreeBeeOneGee]

bold type fail!

[Sparklingbrook]

He may have been Three. I would give him a Level 6 if he flushed and put the lid down.

How horrible to have to put your hand up though. he said one child's constant coughing was a bit of a distraction.

[CatelynStark]

My girl was poorly last Thursday and Friday so I kept her off school. She had panic attacks on Saturday and Sunday night :( so I was expecting a bit of drama.

I told her that if she was still ill on Monday, then I'd keep her off. She told me that the school had said if anyone was absent, they would deliver the papers to the house so the child could do them at home???

My first thought was 'Shit! I'll have to Hoover!'

Yet she's been fine - coming out of school very tired though. I think I'll be happier on Thursday afternoon than she will!

Apparently the school have organised a surprise for them - it had better be at least a trip to the bowling alley as that's what my two older ones had :)

[lljkk]

4.5 hours of tests for DD, today. Missing a day is definitely not advised. :)

[grants1000]

My DS has just developed a hideous cough and asthma wheeze, all kicked off by frigging hayfever in the space of 24 hours, he took his SATS today, then school called me at lunchtime saying they were concerned, but now feels terrible, looks grey, can't stop coughing, Ventolined up to the eyeballs, got an emergency docs appt at 6pm after earlier phone appt, I am praying they give him some prednislosone (sp?) I have been giving him hayfever meds for the past 8 weeks in preparation for this f'ing SATS week. We are both utterly pissed off.

[lljkk]

the can be rescheduled, Grants100, but will mean social and Internet isolation until he's done them, which could be into next week (or so I've heard).

[lljkk]

THEY even

[EllenJanesthickerknickers]

Had a look at the 3-5 SPAG test, first one I've seen so no idea if it was particularly easy or difficult. It was easier than I expected, though. I could answer all the questions, which, considering I was brought up in the 70s with very little formal grammar teaching, was amazing! I shan't give away any details...

[Myliferocks]

DD3 came home yesterday and today saying that both the level 5 and level 6 papers were easy.
I did nicely point out that that doesn't necessarily mean that she answered them correctly.
Hopefully she'll still feel the same come the end of the wee.
DS1 is in year 5 and has been doing internal sats all week and he reckons the ones he has done have been hard.

[spanieleyes]

The Year 5 optional papers are harder than the 3-5 Year 6 papers for some strange reason!

[Myliferocks]

Aaaaaahhhh! Just noticed!

the end of the week