Y2 Assessments: Is this normal/good practice?

[tepidcuppa]

Yesterday the Y2 children were all given tests in maths, writing and numeracy - booklets, which I believe were old SATS papers. They sat in silence at their tables to do them. The head and the deputy were in and out of the class while the tests were going on, so the kids had an idea that these were somehow special.

I asked the school about this and was told it was part of of a week of assessments of all the children in the school.

I was told the school had 'always done this' and yet had never heard of it before. I asked around and it transpires that they have never done a formal test like this in Y2 before (just Juniors) and in previous years there was only teacher assessment up until the KS1 SATS in May when there were very low key tests - done in a fun, non-scary way.

Can anyone help me understand what is going on? And most importantly: Is it all normal, good practice?

Our school is very very low key about KS1 SATS. The children are told they are doing special work in the library with their teacher - they go out in small groups - the Head meanwhile does really fun stuff with the rest of the class. The children see it as a real treat and are not aware they are being tested (the school doesn't tell parents when it's happening either)

Hi ShoeWhore:

all I can say is how civilised!

That's so sad, PSB - my ds's school is the same.

I wish they would realise that formal testing of 6/7 year olds is not the way to drive up standards.

Shoe whore...that's how it's done at my school and that's why I was surprised that others sounded so formal.

- cannot believe ANY school would sit year 2 says in the hall!! Wtf??

It doesn't matter when they do the tests PastSellByDate because the results aren't reported.

The reason we 'practise' is because the layout and style is so very different from how we teach and assess reading in the classroom which is part of our guided reading and Big Read sessions. Children don't read stories or information texts with questions at the bottom of the page like they do in a SATs booklet.
Each to their own; 'our way' works (96% pass rate at L2; 35% L3) and as mrz says, the results aren't reported because it is teacher assessments that are reported. We don't do them in the hall and the children are used to assessment periods within school which is when the tests are administered. It is part and parcel of what our school does. Children accept them as do parents. The only ones who have a problem are the MNers who struggle to comprehend that every school is different in their approach to teaching, learning and assessments and will conduct themselves in a way that best suits the community in which they work.

We don't practise, just look at the format together as a class so the children are familiar with it

Of course every school is different...I don't struggle to understand that at all. We all have our own beliefs and principles though. I suppose that's why we all choose to send our children to different types of schools and why we choose to teach at the schools we do.

Let me ask this another way: What kind of a school decides to break tradition of having low-key, informal SATs (fun-time) and decides instead to have an assessment period in which kids sit at tables in silence and the (new) head and the deputy come in and out. What does that say about the direction the school is taking, in your view.

Good grief there is a lot of misinformation out there.
Fact:

1. Children in y2 must be given a teacher assessment level by mid June
2. The school have to be able to justify and prove to external moderators (either their Local authority or peer review) how they have arrived at this level and what evidence they have used. This may include the SATs paper or tasks but it doesn't have to. Every four years, school will be checked by a local authority appointed moderator.

Opinion:

1. Children in year 2 sitting "practice SATs" in year two is NUTs and completely against the spirit of key stage 1 assessment which is supposed to be about teacher knowing the child!

When your LEA moderates, junkfoodaddict, are they happy to look at three sets of tests as part of the data?

Have you seen this document which underpins Y2 teacher assessment since it was overhauled into the current format and models best practice? It signalled a move away from testing.

And no, you won't get many MNers or teachers who will agree that testing 6/7 year olds three times a year is the way to go. It's good teaching, not testing, that gives your results, after all.

This may include the SATs paper or tasks but it doesn't have to

Yes it does at levels 2 and above - they are still a stautory requirement.

I agree with the rest of your post completely.

statutory

Yes there is a lots of misinformation you have just posted some in your point 2. Suggest you read the ARA

media.education.gov.uk/assets/files/pdf/2/2014_ks1_assessmentandreportingarrangements_ara.pdf

2014 key stage 1 Assessment and reporting arrangements

End of key stage 1 assessment arrangements

Teacher assessment is the main focus for end of key stage 1 assessment and reporting. It is carried out as part of teaching and learning.
The statutory national curriculum tasks and tests must be administered to all eligible children who are working at level 1 or above in reading, writing and mathematics to help inform the final teacher assessment judgement reported for each child at the end of key stage 1.

Yep, meant to say a test is still statutory at levels 2-3 and a task at level 1.

yes for now we are stuck with a statutory test/task in Y2 but it looks like baseline will go ahead so it may not be for much longer

So, we've gone from over testing to no testing.

You are legally responsible for completing just one test in reading, writing, spelling and maths, people. The rest of the evidence has to come from somewhere else.

From the ARA 2014 - and every other year:

The tasks and tests can be administered at any time during the year but children are not to be tested more than once during the year in each subject or attainment target.

Clear enough yet?

Dd1, at Special school, had to do a SATS paper in mathematics because she just tipped into level 1 on teacher assessments. She was p levels for everything else so didn't do SATS for those.

I've no idea when dd2's school do them.

She will only have done a task at level 1 surely, lougle? Tests are for level 2 and 3 only.

'So, we've gone from over testing to no testing.'

I bet someone deep in the DfE is busy writing a miniSpag for Y2 and a midiSpag for Y4, with matching maths tests, all designed for ranking children from the heavily tutored very bright down to the no-hopers.

look I don't want to upset you mrz but Effic's description (and specifically point 2) does correspond with what's happening here.

I admit I'm just a parent - but the Governors (in an open meeting & in writing) and the HT with Y2 results have both set that the formal SATs results are used to moderate teacher assessment.

Our school has specifically been picked up by OFSTED that teacher assessments of pupils progress often are inflated and the school's 'stellar' 62% Y6 SATs NC Level 4 last year has resulted 'suits' from the city council regularly coming to check up on tracking pupil performance and moderating teacher assessment (which HT has explained to a group of us parents - unprompted I hastened to add - on the one day she ventured out into the playground before school last spring).

HTH

Frankly ipad

I'd be happy if anyone in government could come up with a scheme parents could have faith in.

At present teachers seem to be allowed to 'make up' the NC Levels - with no supporting documentation on how they achieved this to parents.

I'm sure those documents exist - but if as a parent the most feedback on your child's work you see is a green tick on their homework (usually ridiculously easy and finished in 5 minutes flat) - I think you'll forgive me in doubting the veracity of this entire exercise of Y2 SATs.

Schools are rewarded for lots of NC L3s at KS1

Lots of complaints here & on the 'staffroom' about NC L3s at KS1 being inflated and having to downgrade them.

But schools with both infants and juniors seem keen to supress NC L3 because that means NC L5 at least at Y6 KS2 SATs.

Oh and if you visit secondary you learn that a L6 at KS2 isn't truly a L6 when you start senior school (Y7/ KS3).

Hey ho....

Oh and if anyone wants to sort out why all institutions educating children of the nation who are funded for this through collection of taxes aren't all held to the national curriculum or required to serve a decent hot meal at lunch that would be helpful.

PSB - effic said that tests did not necessarily have to be used. That's incorrect and actually illegal - that's what mrz was referring to.