Reading and Numeracy Tests in Wales.

[Redmasseyinmydrive]

DCs have had their tests last week, I feel they are still very young to be having 'proper' tests. Luckily they were both very calm and took it in their stride...no nerves etc.

Are these being marked in school? How is everyone's else DCs got on?

[LittleMissGreen]

Oh, and as for waiting for results, last year they were late!

[LittleMissGreen]

PassTheSherry I'm afraid they are yearly from year 2 until year 9.

[PassTheSherry]

We were finally given the information booklet the day before their last test, too late to worry about it (maybe that was the intention). I think I would have preferred to have been given the information sooner though - so I could have at least shown dc a couple of sample questions, especially since some children in other schools have been given practice samples to take home etc!

If tests are standardised perhaps the dissemination of the info surrounding them, and the practice of, should be too - particularly when they are all being measured against one another over national averages.

Anyway...6yo seems to have been Ok on the whole, but I can tell she's been slightly stressed, as she has been in extra need of cuddles this week, and asked me how much I love her etc. I think if I had been more informed I could have reassured her a bit more - or maybe I could've made it worse by trying to get her to practice sample questions, who knows.

Now the waiting for results begins. And this is yearly from now?! They seem so young for all this! I know something has to be done to raise standards in Wales...but I do hope this is not a way of bogging teachers down in yet more admin, and putting increasing pressure on parents to become erstwhile educators in their place.

I know parents should be involved but I don't think I ever hear any teacher say on here there isn't enough admin/recording. I'm all for parent involvement in their child's learning but i hope it isn't simply because the government have made such a mess of things, that parents are now having to fill in the increasing gaps because teachers are taken out of the classroom for tick boxing exercises.

[hellymelly]

I was surprised how worried my dd's have been, so I think their friends must be anxious too. They were very worried before the tests and have come home getting stressed about how they have done. DD2 only turned 7 last week.

[Missda]

One thing I will say is the tests are really really hard. They focus on reasoning and thinking skills. There are no SATS in Wales just teacher assessments and these tests.

[ThistledownAndCobweb]

Pupils don't sit SATs in Wales, it is still teacher assessment. However ESTYN/LEA's will be looking to see that end of key stage levels and national test scores correlate

[LingDiLong]

We've had a couple of maths test papers home for DD in year 4. She knows she's sitting tests but seems completely unphased by it. DS in year 2 didn't come home with anything to practice and doesn't even know he's doing them!

They do seem to be SATs by another name. I really don't see the point of them, kids (particularly my DD) can perform so differently from one day to the next, I really don't think it gives anyone an accurate view of how a school or child is achieving!

[Redmasseyinmydrive]

Sorry lostinwales I should have added England in my previous post! I do realise they don't sit them in Wales.

It does seem like they are changing things all the time, I really don't know how your husband and yourself cope with it! And every other teacher out there!! I personally think that footballers and teachers pay should swap. What do you think?

[LostInWales]

Sorry, ESTYN.

[LostInWales]

Although now I have posted that and it was a whole minute ago someone will have written a new framework and way of testing that will be delivered to all schools who will have to change how they do every single thing in school 10 minutes before they get the message or be given an 'unacceptable' by ofstead and beaten in front of the parents.

Did I mention being jaded by years of living with a teacher?

[LostInWales]

AFAIK they don't 'sit' SATS in Wales. The teacher works within a framework and provides evidence to back up what level they believe the child to be at, I think this is at the end of each key stage, so Y2, Y6 and Y9. Of course at the end of Y6 they go to secondary and because of some war of attrition going on (according to H) the secondary teachers then tear up all the paper work and make their own decisions anyway. Ultimately, as far as I can tell, SATs, particularly at the end of primary key stages are there purely as a stick to beat teachers with. I may have been slightly jaded by years of living with a teacher though.

[Redmasseyinmydrive]

lost in wales and mine.

What age do children sit SATS? I thought they were secondary test.

[LostInWales]

Obviously my language scores would be abysmal.

[LostInWales]

I'm shocked that the children know they are going tests at all. H is a primary school teacher and I am involved in my sons primary school and the children don't know what they are doing or if there is any expectation of them.

The test should be one that can't really be 'taught to' and will return a standadised score for the age of each individual child showing where they are in relation to all other children their age in Wales of their age. So it's not something that can be used to even compare children with each other in the same class even. The idea is that the tests are taken annually and shows that your child is progressing at a steady rate and if not can be helped and things looked into to see why not. DS1 and DS2 took them last year with very little stress and almost no comment from us when the standardised scores were returned. Will be more interesting this year to see whether they are still at the same levels or at least similar.

[poorbuthappy]

They aren't stats in so much as there isn't do much fuss about it.
We've had no practice papers home, no stress from school, etc

I have no problem with tests at this age (dd in yr4) I have a problem with children being told these tests are the be all and end all of their academic lives at the ages of 7/8/9.

[diamondage]

Having looked at the link for numeracy and then gone on to look at the reading etc. these look just like English SATS papers.

But if I've understood correctly, with these tests every year group from year 2 does them and they happen every year? I'm quite stunned! If the UK government said there'd be SATS every year for pupils I think there'd be an uproar.

Have I really got the right end of the stick????

[Redmasseyinmydrive]

My DC have been doing the practice papers in school and I have done a bit at home just to give them a boost and show them what to expect. In a recent meeting the head gave your link thistle for us to have a look and know what is expect of our children.

In our school year 4 and above have been doing the English paper too, so maths x2, Welsh and English.

[ThistledownAndCobweb]

We didn't send practice papers home, just used them in school.

Sample papers here

helly there are three papers in total. Your school May had decided to administer two last week and one next week.

[hellymelly]

My dds didn't get any practice tests to bring home, they were really stressed and worried about the tests, I do think they are very young to be doing them, particularly dd2 who is year 2. But Dd1 is year 4 and she was in a complete tizz about it, she has more tests on Monday I think?

[Redmasseyinmydrive]

That makes sense then as they both seemed to have different paper for maths.

They are so young to be going through them.

[ThistledownAndCobweb]

The reading was the same for 6/7 and 4/5 ( 2 papers, not one for all four year groups)

[ThistledownAndCobweb]

I think that Y2/3 reading may have been the same, not sure about the maths.
The papers stay in school, the school have to keep them for one year.
Some schools (I think it may be 10%) will have had an LEA rep come and check the administration arrangements.

In some schools teaching staff will administer and mark the papers, however they can refuse to mark (according to Union guidelines), so it may be support staff or SMT doing it.

[MotorLoo]

Red I think years 4-6 are sitting the same reading tests so year 2 and 3 are too, I'd imagine. Though the maths are different for each year group I think.

[MotorLoo]

My ds has the maths reasoning test on Monday and he is dreading it. The example practice test he brought home he found very difficult. he had reading and maths procedural last week and found them okay. Year 2 is very early to start these tests, bless them.