Y2 child not being entered for SATS

[Rulex101]

I have a friend whose Y2 son is not being put in for SATS because, the teacher says, 'he's not ready'. His mother is fine with this but I was just wondering how common this was; I thought all children had to be entered. Surely it's up to the teacher to make sure 'he is ready'?

Depends how 'not ready' he is. The year 2 children in my class (Sen school) are functioning at the level of approx 12 months. I would dearly love to make them ready but it's not going to happen!

I've never heard of this, but I'm just a parent - not a teacher etc.

Surely the SATS are to determined how the school is teaching/performing as well as the children, so it shouldn't matter what 'level they are as it should all be recorded.

Not relevant but my dd is currently doing Y6 SATS so it's on my mind a lot

They will just be recorded as not working at the level of the tests

Yes this was mentioned as a possibility. From what DS teachers said, seemed like they would use it if they thought a child was at a stage where they couldn't do anything on the test so it would be a waste of time and maybe an upsetting experience if they were made to try. So yes, SEN basically.

And the results of y2 tests aren't recorded anyway are they? We were told it's the teacher assessments that are reported.

There are two children in dd class who are being disapplied from the SATs. They are more capable than a 12 month old, but they both have major special needs and would have been at special school ten years ago. One of them is still in nappies and is like a two year old. The other child is also significantly delayed, but her needs are not as severe.

I have no idea if p scales still exist or how these children's progress is reported.

This boy has no SEN.

I know what you mean harryhausen; my DD is also in Y6 and SATS are on our mind too!

I know of 2 in dds class that won't be doing them, there's no way they could sit them. My dd also has Sen and attends a Sen unit part time she will be doing the sats in the unit but she's the only one. They don't think she will score much on math or writing but are more hopeful for the reading.

Wandering, just curious, if they are at the level of a twelve month old, what do they do in school? Are they able to progress from there in terms of education or are they there for social interaction reasos?

How do you know that they don't have SEN? It isn't always obvious. My son was on P levels at Year 2. He has been on the SEN register all the way through school. But it isn't something I talk about even with friends because it's hard for them to see. The only times I did mention it, early on, I got really angry reactions from friends because schools these days just want to slap labels on, and there clearly isn't anything wrong with him etc. So I just didn't talk about it. Severe dyslexia, dyspraxia, hypermobility mean he will always have to work ten times as hard as any other child to achieve half as much. But other people never see all the hard work that has gone into getting him where he is.

Social interaction is an important part of school for any child.

There are teenagers who have the capability of a three month old baby in school. They do learn, but it's painfully slow. I have worked with mld children but I don't think I could manage children with profound learning difficulties. I have to admit I am not sure what special schools do with profoundly disabled children. Certainly it's a lot more than childcare.

Special schools tend to focus on preparation for life rather than SATs. A severely disabled child might learn various ways of communication or do physio. Children with special needs access the national curriculum as far as possible.

My daughter now in year three didn't sit the sats in year two. She isn't Sen just very behind and struggles greatly with reading, writing and maths. It was pointless entering her for them as she wouldn't have been able to read the questions.

If a child is working below the "level" of the tests then they are disapplied from the tests but will still have a Teacher Assessmeng (which is reported ).

Thanks for the replies. I was just curious as I had never heard of it being done before.

Surely the SATS are to determined how the school is teaching/performing as well as the children, so it shouldn't matter what 'level they are as it should all be recorded.

It would serve no purpose to make a child attempt something that is obviously well beyond their capability.

This years ARA

Last years ARA

This year

We will have some Y2s not sitting this year's SATs in some or all subject areas. This is more than in the past. The level at which they need to be to access the test is higher than it was previously - some children, despite intervention internally and externally, just are not yet at that level. Why put them through an assessment activity they cannot access?

These children will still be assessed, and will still have a teacher assessment. They just won't do some or all of the new SATs papers.

We were told by LA if they can answer the first question on the test then they should sit it.

If pupils are working at a level so far below expected that they can't access the tests at all, that would be considered a considerable SEN so he must have an additional need. Some of our pupils with and without additional needs will sit tests but we are not expecting them to reach expected. That's normal, there is a bell curve.

It's always been the case that if a child in Y2 or Y6 is working below the level of the tests, they shouldn't sit them. Schools gain no.advantage - in a class of 30, that's minus 3% straightaway. But no one gains from distressing a child unable to access a test, either.