Special treats for some year 6 who have done sats

[kidshurt]

This year our school have decided that 6 children that sat level 6 in the sats should be treated to a outing of bowling and Mc Donalds, what about the rest of the children that worked so hard at the level they are at? Does anyone else think this is wrong and unfair?

[kidshurt]

School have had a change of heart all yr 6 are going bowling now!

[PastSellByDate]

Kidshurt:

In principle I have nothing against rewarding achievement - and sitting L6 is quite an achievement. According to Mumsnet Learning the target for end KS3 (so for Y9 of senior school) is NC Level 6 (see bottom of this web page www.mumsnet.com/learning/assessment/national-curriculum-levels).

My question would be what was the lead up to this? Were all the children told (at start of KS2?, start of Y5?, Start of Y6?) that if they worked hard enough to be eligible to sit the L6 paper in English or Maths (or both) they would earn the right of going on a special trip?

I suspect the entirety of Y6 will also be offered a special trip as well at some point? That's pretty normal.

So I suppose my question is what would you prefer - a prize for only those that pass the L6 or a reward for all those who attempted it and worked hard to be eligible to take a L6 (because it requires working to that level standardly to be eligible to sit the L6 papers apparently).

So if your school didn't handle it in this way it is a shame - but playing devil's advocate those children who've done well enough to be eligible to sit the L6 also deserve reward for their hard work (which is over and beyond what is expected in Y6).

Perhaps a half-way house is to agree with the school that these children's achievement should be acknowledged, but the school should be better at publicizing there is a reward for achievement and signalling this to parents earlier in KS2.

[kidshurt]

No they never had a treat while the others were sitting there level 6 papers.

[pointythings]

Last year DD1's school did treats for everyone, and the ones who sat and got L6 got certificates in assembly at the end of the year. THat was pretty much it. DD has been G + T all through primary and has definitely benefited from extra opportunities, she definitely didn't need more recognition.

[talkingnonsense]

Sounds v unfair BUT is it possible that the rest of the class had a lovely treat one day when the level 6's had their tests, and this is just to make it fair? Why not ask the school?

[Theas18]

The sporty kids in our junior school didn't get to go bowling, but they'd get taken to matches/spend days at athletics comps and yes that would involve fast food! I think a day out of school competing with other sporty kids is quite a " treat" even if it only cost transport etc

Fortunately it doesn't affect me now but just putting the case.

I wish there was an answer to the " praising/rewarding good stuff" that suits all kids, but I'm not sure if there is. DH school have many many cups at prizegiving with many for the "most improved" (can be given to the child who couldn't read and now can read the 2 words on a page books as thats infinite improvement!) and even an " all round good egg" type of award. THey are boys aged 7-11 and love prizes.

DD2s school (girls grammar) have a " sunshine award " that is voted within the form for the girl that adds a ray of sunshine to the class. That is nice, but could be awful if they were allowed to be catty and cliquey!

[AintNobodyHereButUsKittens]

Recognition, yes, definitely a good idea, but a special treat like this is OTT. Lambeth do (or did) an annual ceremony where the Yr2 children who got straight level 3s in their SATS got medals. Most boring morning of my life, but it meant the world to DD. This proposal is different though.

[jeee]

My son sat all the level 6 papers - he found it stressful. Should the school have taken him bowling? Absolutely not.

Like most of the level 6 sitters, he has been rewarded again and again throughout primary school - science workshops, meet an author workshops, a visit to a farm on a G & T day out..... He really doesn't need any more treats.

As has been said earlier, the children who really miss out are the nice, quiet, well behaved 'mid-range' children. They never get given anything special.

[TeenAndTween]

To those with non-sporty, geeky kids:

I think the issue here is not giving the cleverer kids recognition, it is that what the OP's school have chosen to do, seems disproportional.

So if sporty kids get praise in assembly for doing well in a match, then likewise the children taking level 6 papers should get praise in assembly for taking the extra tests. Schools with a 'house points' system should give points to bright kids as well as to sporty ones.

[QuintessentialOldDear]

Wrong and unfair.

(My son sat L6 Maths) All children are worthy of recognition. If they want to treat them, treat the entire Y6 that sat their sats, not just the L6 children.

[crazeelaydee]

Now then let me just have a ponder on this....SATS.....select rewards.....No I don't think that is fair. Some schools push SATS (I have had experiences of pressures put on Dc and parents). It's made into such a huge deal resulting in some poor Dc being really affected by it so just imagine putting in all that effort regardless of what level is achieved effort is effort...to sit and watch a handful of Dc be rewarded?? Personally I would feel like I had just had a swift kick in the chops!

[ReallyTired]

"I'm mum to a non-sporty slightly geeky DD who gets no recognition for her musical/academic achievements whereas the football/netball/cross country team gets to stand up in assembly every single week."

In most children the year 6 children get tons of recognition. Infact they get so much recognition it becomes part and parcel of normal life. Prehaps you dd doesn't realise when she is getting recognition.

My son who did not do level 6 papers, has regularly had his work put up on the wall in the classroom or his poems displayed in the school's entrance. (There are hardly any level 6 children at his school.) ds has had several head teachers accomodiations for leader learner awards for excellent projects. He has had special extra curricular trips.

The children who get left out are those who are plodding at level 4B. There is a very quiet well behaved little girl in ds class who never gets stickers, certificates or does anything special in the school play or assembly.

[Tiggles]

The question is, does the football team get a massive (paid for) celebration by the school just for taking part in a match? Do they get it for winning the match? Or do they just get a 'well done' in assembly - for taking part, or for winning?

These children have taken the exam, but presumably it isn't known if they have passed it. If the school pays for the football team to have a celebration just for going to a footie match, then yes it is fair for these children to go bowling. Else it isn't.

[Periwinkle007]

Sparklymommy, we get the same from my reception daughter - why did so and so get a certificate for something I did months ago, why did whoever get one for something I did at the same time and I got it all right and they didn't, why when I have harder homework do I not get a prize each week when they do.

[Sparklymommy]

I think this is a bad idea. I have a child who is currently year 5. She sat the SATS last week as at her school they do them alongside the Year 6's in a kind of "mock" way. She found them relatively easy and expects to sit the L6 papers next year.

She also is of the opinion that she has to do far more to get recognition of "good" work as she is capable. Even at age four she questioned the teacher who gave a boy a gold star for a piece of work that she new she had done much better, where was her gold star? However spending money, be it £30 or £100 on 6 children is unjustified. Our school did a school trip to reward all the children who sat the exams. Much nicer and no bad feelings.

[FadedSapphire]

Not fair.
Well OTT.

[AChickenCalledKorma]

DD1 did all the level 6 tests, which meant that she was doing tests every afternoon as well as every morning. She got an extra house point and a chocolate biscuit for each paper, which seemed reasonable recognition for the fact that she was sat indoors doing extra exams, while most of the year group were outside letting off steam.

The whole year group then had a big picnic in the park on the day after SATs finished, which seemed like a nice idea.

I agree that the OPs school is being very unfair by singling the level 6 children out for such a special treat. They all worked hard.

(And for what it's worth, no, my daughter has not been "pushed to obvilion in an attempt to get them to level 6" - she has rather enjoyed the challenge of having something new to aim for, which will stretch her beyond the decent level 5s that she was already getting in Year 5.)

[OldBeanbagz]

It's a tricky one

As much as i think that all children who worked towards the Y6 SATs deserve a treat, I?m a bit similar to Theas18.

I'm mum to a non-sporty slightly geeky DD who gets no recognition for her musical/academic achievements whereas the football/netball/cross country team gets to stand up in assembly every single week.

Maybe bowling/McD is a bit over the top though. They should have been rewarded in another way.

[Periwinkle007]

well the only bowling alley round here is £12.00 for a child!

I can see that yes there could be similar things to playing football etc but I do feel this is a bit too OTT if that makes sense.

my daughter is currently one of the top in her class (according to staff) and whilst I want her to know her hard work is rewarded I am not sure I would want it singled out like this that she got an outing and others didn't. To me it is more likely to lead to bad feeling from the other pupils.

[ReallyTired]

I suppose that the level 6 children probably attended extra lessons before or after school. Its likely that they have been pushed to obvilion in an attempt to get them to level 6. However special needs kids often attend extra lessons after school and should be rewarded as well.

I agree its unfair especially as gifted and talented children get lots of extra treats and attention anyway. They get the star parts in the play, get to be on the school council and enjoy school.Before I get totally and utterly flamed for this my son has attended a serious of science workshops for gifted and talented children paid for by the school and he is doing a county guitar day. There are lots of other children who would have benefited from the same experience.

Most "gifted and talented" (or more able) children come from athulent homes where they get no shortage of treats. This outing is not going to make a difference to the children's lives.

I feel that this use of money is unjustified as the majority of children could never reach such levels however hard they tried. Children should not be rewarded for just being clever.

The money should be used for helping more able children reach their potential. Wouldn't be nice if all children with sufficient mathematical/ sciencific ablity to cope (ie level 5B or above) could attend the maths and science workshops rather than arbitary 10%.

[DeWe]

I don't think it's a good idea (and dd1 did all three level 6 papers last year), but I do get what Theas18 says. Maybe these children put extra effort, took extra classes etc, just the same as the football team puts in extra practice.

Also in dd1's year, a good number of the children taking the level 6 paper were those children who were often mocked for answering the question, groaned at when they got it right, and laughed at if they got it wrong. And the ones who dreaded school trips because they knew they'd either be sitting on their own with no partner or put with someone they didn't get on with.
So there may be more to it than just taking them out because they did level 6s. They may have as many self esteem issues.

And I doubt bowling for 6 children would be as much as £72-that's £12 each, you can get a child's party including food for less than that. Round here (near London) on peak for children is £4.50, and a happy meal is £2.50(?), so that's £42. However they would almost certainly be going off peak which, depending on the time they start would be an amount up to £2, which would be £27.

[MadeOfStarDust]

Totally unfair and wrong to reward some kids in this over the top way --- but it would be nice if a fuss was made of the academic kids in some way - assembly/certificate or something...

[Chopstheduck]

def unfair.

Ouyr school, they all go to Legoland, every year 6. Not that they appreciate it, every year they all moan that they want to go to Thorpe park instead! I think the PA subsidises it, btu we paretns have to pay.

[Theas18]

isitsnowingyet...

Noone worries when sports awards/certificates are given out that it is " insensitive" for the non sporty kids.... or at least they didn't when mine were at juniors.

Isn't it just " celebrating our different abilities?"

[Theas18]

Hmm tricky. I get the " every child matters " stuff etc but when the footy team win they get a cup and general accolades in assembly etc do they not? (and in my kids junior school the sporty kids were always getting prizes of some sort).

Why don't the geeky kids get a chance to be made special too?

(from the mum of geeky kids who didn't feel at all special to the school, even though they were academic and musical.)

Ds was bullied for being a geek. If this makes geeky kids more socially acceptable/valued by the school then why not?

Disclaimer geek = shorthand for academically able, non sport kids like mine- it's what DS called himself at age 9.

It's the old "prizes are they good or bad" debate all the time isn't it. From my Dd at 4 coming storming out of school because X got rewarded for not hitting and she " never hit no one not never", Upwards.

A prize given to everyone is no prize at all (DS had this at 14 when the school decided for some mad reason to have " lower school presentation evening" . He got a " certificate for contribution to school life" - apparently because he had one of the senior music awards already he couldn't be allowed to have the junior one as well, that went to someone else LOL).