Ks2 sats week 2015

[Catbat77]

I have a very nervous dd this morning, wanted to hear other parents thoughts or experiences this week!

All sorted.

Sorry everybody.

you beat me to it!

DS said today's level 6 was "actually impossible" .

DD's been absolutely fine - thank goodness she's that last of mine to do them. As the years have gone on I've grown to loathe them more and more. Apparently two girls started to cry in the middle of them yesterday. Such a disgrace to put so much pressure on 10 and 11 yos.

Our school did twice weekly after school booster lessons (which DD didn't attend...) and also expected them to go in the second week of the Easter Holiday (guess what, she didn't go to those either!) I think school's have lost focus of the fact that these tests are supposed to be judging their teaching skills and therefore boosters and cram sessions can be seen as either out-and-out cheating and/or a lack of faith in their own abilities.

DD thought the level 6 SPaG today was okay (but she likes SPag, weird child) but thought the Reading one yesterday was a lot of work although strangely enough she had more problems with the beginning of the level 3-5!

DS did L3-5 today. Said that 1-2 questions were 'hardish', had to read questions carefully.

This brings back memories from last year! Think SATs are a damaging and devisive structure designed to put pressure on teachers, parents and children with no real benefit.
Dd's school did absolutely no extra work towards SATs. No revision, no boosters. She went into them calm and relaxed and came out the other end with straight level 5s - which the teacher had assessed her as before she sat them. She did do the level 6 reading and SPAG because she wanted to, enjoyed the experience but knew she wasn't a level 6 so wasn't disappointed! I'm sure if she'd been taught level 6 maths there was a good chance she could have scraped it, and she is now flying at Secondary, beginning to overtake children who sat the level 6 maths and even some who achieved it.
Really don't see the point of all the stress and angst - by all means test the children in year 6 (she was constantly assessed at Primary anyway), but don't release the results and don't make a huge thing about them.
Good luck to all the dc sitting them this week - they fade into the distance surprisingly quickly, only to be reminded about them when results come out. BTW - beware of the competitive parents who gloat about the straight level 6s their dc achieved. Well, dd is certainly in higher sets at secondary than a fair few of them, so take it all with a big pinch of salt

DS1 was expecting to do L6 SPAG today and was very confused (albeit delighted) that neither he nor the other children in his class who were expecting to do it, did it (others in next door class did). Spoke to another mum who had same thing happen yesterday - apparently school made all the decisions about who would do which L6 several months ago, but didn't bother to tell kids or parents and let a load of kids keep on preparing for L6! What a waste of time, all that tedious SPAG prep for nothing. It's all of piece with how Y6 has been, nothing but SATS, bright DS1 totally bored and complains he hasn't learnt anything all year except for what he's taught himself out of L6 books! I am so hacked off with the school - and I thought it was just brilliant until this year!

Sorry. Was last straw. Needed to vent. I am going to prepare a pithily biting complaint letter over the next month I think.

I'd be hacked off at that too spiker.

DS is knackered today after 5 tests but he's cautiously optimistic. He said the Level 6 SPaG and spelling were 'hard but ok' and he enjoyed the L6 writing task. will be glad when they're over.

Do wonder how it will all work next year without the levels.

Bizarrely, DS1 always aces SPAG so it is mystifying why he didn't do L6. It's the wasted time and the thoughtlessness of not telling them that's tipped me over the edge. DS1 not bothered but another child was absolutely distraught - frankly it was cruel not to tell them months ago.

Gah. Yes, roll on end of week.

MY DS did SATS last year and got 5's across the board. Interestingly, the handful of his friends that did attain L6 are the ones whose recent reports at secondary indicate progress below target this year. This is having a knock on effect with regard to confidence.

Spiker my dd is doing every level 6 paper on the basis that her group were originally doing level 6 maths.They have done virtually no extra English tuition and definitely no extra Spag.Next doors class are doing the various level 6 papers on a far more selective basis.
I can't see the point of doing these papers if they haven't been taught level 6 work.Its purely an academic exercise .

Canny - I quite agree.

Scanning through the thread it's really interesting to see the very different approaches taken by schools as regards L6. I like the "take it if you want to" approach.

Heifer: There was no change in attainment at level 6 in reading.

A trick of the resolution. Both still rounded to zero, but in 2014 the pass rate was roughly 50% of the pass rate for 2013.

CtrlAltDelicious: When I've run boosters for L6 readers, it's been undoing the L3-5 mindset that's been the trickiest element.

That's an interesting (convincing) point. I recall DD's Y6 teacher had them PEEing etc.

Dare I ask what PEEing is?

Excellent news here, DS's tooth came out this morning so he'll be able to concentrate and eat. He's been starving when he's come back this week as not managed to eat much lunch in time available.

At end of today it will be close to being over. Shame we've still got till June 11 with DD.

Point
Evidence
Explanation

DS was a bit nervous about the English and Spag papers but said they were easier than the practice tests - thinks he has done well so fingers crossed.

Maths today - his favourite subject so hopefully a good day

Did reading for a maths sat this morning - heard the mental test as well.

I am always annoyed with at least one question on the english tests because I think it is worded in a way that could be much less confusing. Remember these are 10/11 year olds.

The maths tests are a different story. I am always thinking 'ah c'mon! - they're just kids' on at least 5 and I think I'm pretty hard core when it comes to challenging kids.

There were two questions on the mental maths (I thought no way am I even attempting that) There was worded in an unusual that threw me - well what exactly what do they want them to write? It just made you think 'WHAT?' when you were meant to be doing the calculation. I don't even want to get started on the non-calculator - i thought it was more difficult than some of the others. There was one I went home a worked out because after 15 seconds I didn't have clue. I have a maths degree and I love maths so I must sound pretty stupid.

In short, please hug your kids tonight and tell them not too worry. It doesn't matter. Any questions they didn't know most likely they will in a year and there is no rush.

They mess around with the grade boundaries each year, though, don't they??

Maybe the children will need a lower score to attain the level they want, if the tests are more difficult this year?

I found out last night the reason why my DS was getting a bit nervous; his HT has told him that he had better do well in the SATs this week after getting a 'disappointing' mark (read a couple of points down on his normal very high score) on one of his practice tests last week. I am holding myself back from going in there..

I think they are doing L6 maths this afternoon. I'm a bit about this as DS keeps not eating his lunch and I know his attention span will drop massively in the afternoon if he doesn't eat.

I am always annoyed with at least one question on the english tests because I think it is worded in a way that could be much less confusing.

DD in stroppy-mode a year or two ago: "So how am I supposed to know what the author 'intended to convey' when they wrote [stuff]? I know what they did convey, but..."

I understand they fixed that specific problem in the 2014 SATs.

Thank you mrz!

Slightlyjaded , I woulbe be very hacked off with that too.

DS is in his bedroom. Had to retrieve him as he nearly fainted in cookery and is very emotional. Luckily by then he had done what needed doing today - mental Maths and paper 1 I think. Hopefully he will be ok tomorrow.

Oh...Your poor boy Sugar...hope he feels better soon.

piqueaboo

What a savvy daughter you have! She get a consulting job at the DFE. teaching the testmakers how to communicate more clearly.

I hate to sound so nitpicky , but you think they would go through some sort of quality assurance process.

DS happy with mental maths and paper 1 -said he found the questions straight forward and had time at the end to re-check his answers and make sure his calculations were neat... His handwriting is terrible so very proud that he checked his answers were readable!

He isn't sitting L6 maths (decided against it after speaking to his teacher even though on track for high 5) so one more SAT paper to go!