Parents support teachers - Boycott Sats - Kids' Strike May 3rd

[SuzieAllkins]

I am hoping that parents have heard of the Kids' Strike on May 3rd which has been set up by an anonymous group of parents who say 'Enough is enough'?' Their campaign supports schools in trying to reach the Government with the message that we need to stop national testing and let teachers teach in the way that they know is best. As a former primary school teacher (who used to administer Year 6 SATs) and a parent of two young children I shall be fully supporting this campaign on 3rd May by taking my school aged child out of school for a fun day of learning. I do not want my children to become stressed and develop a negative attitude to learning. Although the school my eldest attends is wonderful in developing the 'whole child', the pressure is on the teachers to 'perform' and submit figures to reach unreachable targets. It is wonderful to see, on the Letthekidsbekids website that so many head teachers and teachers are supporting this campaign and are saying thank you to parents for helping their voice to be heard. Our children are too young to be put under pressure like this - the new curriculum's demands are bewildering to me! Children at the age of 6 and 10 years are expected to know grammatical knowledge which even scholars in the subject can't answer!! These are not skills which will set our children up for life. There are many around the country who are supporting this campaign. If you haven't heard about it, check out the website to see if you'd like to join in on Tuesday!

There are some proper cats bum mouth posters on this thread who are dying for it all to come to nothing. They've got no chance!

feenie No chance of what, though?

I'm not really clear what this action is aiming to achieve - is it to reverse existing legislation, halt the progress of the White paper, or something else?

My year2 dd actually did draw out a speed 100 square this week! She hasn't mentioned sats at all, thankfully. Very low key at her school, not heard a thing about it from her or her teacher. I am very grateful and will be writing in to thank the school.

It's giving the thousands of parents who are against the assessments in their current form a voice.

Really NotCurious. If schools actually thought 'we don't expect outstanding SATS results and screw the DfE', then teachers would indeed be teaching interesting things and not leaving the profession in droves.

Timefor aNNchange, from what I've read/heard, the 3rd May protest has several points. It's a focus for growing hostility to central government incompetence, the relentless over-testing of UK children, including the absolute idiocy of being tested on a curriculum that they haven't even been taught, attempts to deprofessionalise teaching and hand public assets over to private companies amongst other things.

It's absolutely fantastic that it's now getting national publicity and this will grow over the next few days and weeks. Hopefully, it will be a springboard for further action, including joint action between parents. teachers and other teaching staff.

How are you meant to make it low key for ks1 if you have to over everything up? The school at eafamnat the kids don't know anything is going on... Except for the massive pieces of paper covering all their walls! :/
Also if my Dd got told to do a 100 square she might just get that done... But nothing else!

I will be withdrawing my child from school on Tuesday because I think it's time parents take a stand. What finally convinced me was my son's teacher telling me that nothing will be done with these SATS results so all those parents who think the government will back down over these tests when they see the results will be very disappointed. From the government guidelines on administering the tests: "Schools are not required to report test results to their LA or the next school when a pupil moves. However, where the school has recorded this data it can choose whether to include these results in any data provided to the LA or next school (see section 10). LAs do not give test results to the DfE."

Below is the letter I sent to my son's headteacher today to explain that he will not be at school on Tuesday. I am still awaiting a formal reply from him and I expect the day's absence will be unauthorised but he spoke to me off the record in the playground to say he supports my action and hopes that other parents will start organising action especially with the regard the academisation issue.

Dear Mr XXXX

I am writing to let you know that XXXXX will not be in school on Tuesday 3rd May as we will be participating in a national day of protest and action by parents who are concerned about the effect that government's current education policy is having on children. The day will involve many parents across the country withdrawing their Year 2 children from school for a day of ‘fun learning’ in opposition to the KS1 National Curriculum tests.

Whilst I am fully appreciative of the way Miss XXXXX and XXXXXX school clearly work hard to minimise the stress to our children caused by the KS1 SATS I feel strongly that constant and early testing and academisation are being implemented by the government without any thought for the implications, and that as a result our children face unnecessary testing and a curriculum that limits enjoyment and real understanding.

Whilst I support any related strike action by teachers themselves, I believe that as parents we should also stand up for our children and indicate to the government the very strong feelings we have.

Additionally, it is our intention that this national action will demonstrate to teachers the support available to them from parents across the country. This is not an attack on teachers for whom we have the greatest respect; instead we want this protest to demonstrate the trust that we have in the teaching profession and our desire, surely the same as your own, that teachers be allowed to teach effectively and without constant constraint in order to embed a life-long love of learning in our children.

With kind regards,
Mrs TwigTheWonderKid

• cover up displays

-ensure children can see a clock to pace themselves for their untamed test.

• escort children to the toilet (most 6/7 year olds will be visiting the toilet to cheat, obv)

More confused protesting that will come to nothing

feenie. If the goal was to make front page headlines, then, I agree, it has been achieved.

It seems a fairly low aspiration, though - what outcomes has it achieved? Are the SATS going to be rescinded? Who is listening?

The point is to make a STAND!

Lordy. People's passivity and negativity drive me nuts.

The Sats tests are ridiculous. Why do 10 year olds need to know about subordinating conjunctions, prepositional phrases and determiners? What a complete and utter waste of headspace. I have a degree in English and speak fluent French and I have never had to learn this boring, irrelevant nonsense.

I feel terribly sad for our children, and sorry the teachers who have to try to force feed this age-inappropriate rubbish down their throats. A teacher at my Dd's school told me that he feels as though he is stealing their childhoods.

My kids' school are striking and the head has assured us that nobody will be fined.

My dd will be certainly be "striking". She's 10 and understands why. I would like her to grow up believing that when things are wrong you should stand up and fight for change.

I'm quite shocked at the amount of negativity on this thread. But I do think that this is a huge thing; as far as im aware, it's unprecedented - it's the first time in history that parents and children have gone on strike. I only hope that this will embolden the teachers to stand up to the government too.

subordinating conjunctions

That's Year 2.

Plus exclamation sentences, which they must demonstrate in their writing - they must start with What or How and include a verb. Many intelligent adults do not understand this when I explain it, and I am having as much luck explaining it to Year 2.

I'm quite shocked at the amount of negativity on this thread.

As a seasoned MNer, so am I. Take heart though - in rl and on other webpages the support is overwhelming.

I'm sorry feenie, I don't mean to be passive - but I really can't see what this will achieve?

You say the point is to make a stand - but against what? Nothing is being prevented by this action, except education of some DCs for a day.
If parents withdrew their DCs en-mass from state education completely, that would be making a stand.

I only hope that this will embolden the teachers to stand up to the government too.
The NUT are balloting to boycott next year, because the proposals are far worse - Y7 resits, external examinations for 6 year olds, etc.

Everything has to start somewhere, Timeforannnchange.

The ball is well and truly rolling.

I can understand the angst but isn't it just encouraging/giving kids the message that when stuff is hard you can stay off school? What if a couple of years later the child decides well mum kept me off for sats, I don't fancy the pressure of GCSEs ?

Surely better to let them get on with it and emphasis that the result doesn't matter a jot and you don't mind wether they pass or fail?

feenie. Do you think that will happen if the Government continue on this path?

We've seen through the Jnr Dr strike that action by the union has gradually been escalated, to the point where some of its members are uncomfortable with the impact it is having on patients.

Will the parent action be the same? If nothing changes after withdrawing DCs for a day, will it be 2 days? A week? A month? And what about the impact it has on DCs?
How about teaching strikes? A day? A week? Work to rule? Will they retain support, and will members be comfortable with that approach?

I think anyone who has ever worked with a class of 6 and 7 year olds knows that they will have difficulty understanding 'subordinating conjunctions' and 'exclamation sentences' as most of them have only been talking in whole sentences for 2-3 years. They will, no doubt, love the long and important words, but very few of them will understand them.
The main aim at this age should be use of language to communicate effectively and to expand vocabulary.

Teachers can't strike about the curriculum. When we went on strike last time it was ostensibly about pensions because that's what we're allowed to strike about but really lots of teachers went on strike because of this sort of crap.

What if a couple of years later the child decides well mum kept me off for sats, I don't fancy the pressure of GCSEs ?

Ffs, these children will be 8 years old then. They'll double their age and be completely different people at 16 - and yes, well able to.handle exam conditions like being escorted to the toilet.

Stupid argument.

Thank Christ the thousands of parents taking part don't have the shitty kind of passive attitudes shown on this thread, or nothing would ever, ever get heard.

GUMPTION

That's what I admire in these parents. Thousands of them..

Awesome.