Testing in year 3?

[hels71]

May I ask what your schools are doing with regards to testing children.

My DD is in year 3 and has been coming home in tears about tests.

Investigations (confirmed by the head) tell me that 6 times a year (minimum) each child, (from year 1-6) is having a written test (As in sit in silence, work on your own...timed pressure) in Comprehension, spellings, grammar, maths and mental maths, as well as doing some assessed writing. This is in addition to weekly spelling tests and mental maths tests. The head assures me this is now very normal.

Friends in real life with children in other schools do not seem to think this is what their schools are doing, and it is certainly not what the school I work in is doing, so I wondered if it was becoming more of a thing in general?

We have exactly the same. My son is exactly the opposite - wish he would be concerned!!

So the general consensus, on here anyway, is that 6 formal tests, 6 times a year (so 36 tests) and then weekly spellings and mental maths tests is perfectly normal in schools these days and to be expected?
And does not put pressure on children but just prepares them for more tests as they get older?

Six times a year is on the higher side of normal, many schools have three times a year, some Year 6 classes have tests every week!

Weekly spellings, maths and times tables tests are normal here, not just our school. The formal tests don't differ so much from the normal worksheets.

I think what is not normal is either the stress the teacher puts on the kids or your dd's reaction.

Well I had a very interesting chat with the head at the end of the week. It seems that although this terms tests are not scheduled to be done until next week, this term, DD's class have already done twice the number they are meant to do each term. (and have not actually done the ones they are meant to do yet....who knows where she is getting the tests from..) The teacher is also making them re do any she does not feel are good enough AND is telling them these tests are all very important and must be done properly.
The head is now on the case, so hopefully things will improve. It seems maybe, given the circumstances, my DD's reaction might well have been reasonable.