SATs in year 2 - is it really necessary???

[Notcontent]

Ok, so I am not British so find a lot of things perplexing!!

But I just find the while idea of testing 7 year olds a bit pointless and also have concerns that at such an early stage judgments may be made about their ability - because really, at 7 children are at many different stages of development. To cite an example, my dd didn't get reading at all in reception. She slowly started getting it in year 1 and then this year, in year 2, she has really flown through all the levels and is now a great reader at lime level. Her maths is ok, but she is just starting to get it, and I hate the idea of someone making a judgment about it.

Then your experience is lacking

Lucky you mrz.

My school tracks sub-levels with diligence. I dream sub-levels. I hyperventilate about children not moving three sub-levels progress over the year. We regularly enter sub-level progress on our data tracker. All our assessment in maths and literacy are broken down into sub-levels. We have meetings with the HT to discuss sub-level progress (or lack of it). Our performance management is based on sub-levels. I recently went to an intensive course about tracking sub-levels and APP scores. My bloody life revolves around sub-levels!

And funnily enough, not one parent has ever asked me at which level their child is working. All they ever want to know (apart from 'is my child happy?) is next steps, which I am pleased to discuss with them!

The dreadful thing is that all of us can see that breaking down a child's progress into such small steps is nonsense.

whispers we don't use APP

ipad I only want to know because sub levels are recorded for my child. Along with descriptions it is what we have in our system. Otherwise I would only know the Level at the end of each Key Stage.

If teachers use sub levels to track progress so can parents. If they are inaccurate at least a parent knows more concerning what a teacher is speaking about. They add context / a reference point to descriptions.

Sorry if taking an interest makes me a 'bad' parent. I want to know my child is happy and the 'next steps' too.

mrz You don't have to whisper. From what teachers were saying on TES I wouldn't trust APP data either.

I've only ever had one parent ask me which level his child was working at and that was on day one in reception after the child had been there roughly two hours ... I couldn't tell him

mrz I wouldn't expect that.

I would expect to know what you have recorded be it Level, sub level, descriptions or any combination. What I would want to know is what has been recorded about my child.

I hadn't recorded anything after knowing a four year old child for 2 hours daftdame.

I wouldn't expect you to have mrz, unless you had made some important observations, which you might have or might not have.

I had made lots of observations but I don't write them down

mrz I'd let you keep the ones in your head to yourself.

The ones you had committed to paper about my child, I'd want to be able to see.

A wise man once told me ... only record what you might forget ... so it's usually limited to "buy birthday card" "meeting at 9:30"

I would say if it is forgettable it is not worth recording anyway...

I don't really ask what levels my DC are at, but I like to feel that I could iyswim.

The levels are given to us in their end of year reports anyway.

Having said that I probably will ask at the next parents eve (for DS) as yr3 seems to be a bit of a funny year (for him)...