Year 2 SATS results - worth asking about /knowing?

[NumptyNu]

Hi there,

DD1 sat her SATS, along with the rest of the country, just before Easter.

Is it worth asking what the result was? This might sound like a daft question, but I'm wondering what I will do with the results. What would they tell me at this point (other than the obvious indication of whether she's working in an 'expected' range etc etc).

I am not a teacher, but my DD was in Year 2 last year. I apologise if some of my advice is incorrect, but I believe this is what happens...

Year 2 and 6 are still under the 'old' National Curriculum for this year and your DD will have a National Curriculum level reported (based on teacher assessment) to yourself and the LA for Maths, Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening and Science (the science one is broken down into separate areas).

I believe children sit SATs tests in Maths, Reading and Writing, but that Speaking and Listening, and Science are based on teacher assessment alone.

Some schools choose to also report the SATs test results to parents as well as the overall teacher assessment; however, as the actual test makes up only a small proportion of the overall assessment level, some schools choose only to report the teacher assessment result. I believe that if you request the actual SATs tests results then the school are obliged to give you them.

In DD's school the school reports, with National Curriculum levels, were sent out the weekend before parents' evening, in July.

Hi BunnyJo, that's very helpful, thanks very much.

It may be useful to keep in mind that reaching the expected level in these SATS may (I think) still result in being below the expected level in year 3 due to the raised standards of the new National Curriculum.

A child reaching 2b will be (relatively) behind now, a child reaching 2a, less so etc.

What I mean is previously 2b was well prepared for year 3, now the jump between 2b and the expected standard for the end of year 3 is more significant. At least I think that's right.

Of course there are 4 years to make up the difference, but if the school have stuck rigidly to the old curriculum then there is a gap to make up that wasn't there for those children previously ending year 2 with a 2b.

Thanks Diamond - vital information there! I guess she can only do what she can do. We help her all we can at home (without too much pushing), but it sounds like she'll need even more back-up next year. Poor kids.

You must be given the results of the teacher assessments for the end of KS1 (i.e. Y2) by the end of the school year. We send ours out with the school report. The deadline for the teachers' decision on the final level is coming up and many schools are still moderating their assessments, so they may not have a 100% decision for every child. I know some Statutory Moderations change the levels the teacher has awarded and moderations are continuing to the end of this week. So the school may be reluctant to release the final levels until that is complete.
If it just the levels your child achieved on the tests papers - you are entitled to ask, but they are pretty meaningless as they may be a completely different level to the teacher assessment level reported as a final decision.

Many schools will have tested weeks or months ago so the level of the test may not be the same as the reported (official) level so knowing the results will only tell parents where their child was last term or even in the autumn not at the end of the key stage. Obviously not the case with your child.
The school doesn't have to report the results of the tests to anyone because they are just part of the assessment process. The reported level will be based on teacher assessment which will be reported to parents at the end of the year.
If you feel that you want to know the test results you can ask and school will supply the information.

Understood. Thanks for adding that colour!