SATS support thread for parents

[simpson]

As yr6 SATS start tomorrow, I thought it might be a good idea to start a support thread for parents to say how their DC are finding them.

DS has had a very chilled day due to the lovely weather: loads of water fights and he walked to the corner shop with his younger sister for the first time (with no adult) and loads of ice cream etc.

He went to bed very chilled but am sure the nerves will kick in in the morning!!

My DD did SATS last year and although there was a lot of pressure, I was able to say just do you best as no one will ever look back at your SATS results and are only for the school and do not matter. They were not used by her secondary school to stream for Y7 so this helped to ease the pressure.

The difference now is the threat that they have to resit tests of they do not pass. That's a pretty scary thought. I am dreading DD2 doing her SATS if things continue like this because now it's not just about the school and I can no longer keep the pressure off.

Sorry...typing on shaky public transport

Looks like paper was published by a rogue marker on purpose.

Probably hoping the test would get cancelled. Good on them!

It is heartbreaking to read about the stress a whole generation of children is being put under. They partly abolished the 11+ because it set children up as successes or failures. We have gone backwards 50 years in our attitudes to childhood well-being and testing. It is utter insanity. I heard the deputy minister for education (I think it was) on the radio about a week ago saying that teachers wouldn't teach Maths, grammar and English if the government didn't make them. It was the most insane nonsense I have ever heard. That any child could be made to cry or feel anxious, at 10 or 11, about government imposed tests disgusts me. That there are probably thousands of children around the country that have been left in tears or feeling anxious or like a failure is a national scandal. Teachers and parents all around the country should be making a note so numbers can be counted. I wish every parent of an upset child, and every teacher with upset children could write to Nicky Morgan, so she has evidence of the damage.

My DS is doing the SATS this week and after yesterday's first paper he said it was even harder than the 11+ entrance exam he took last year. He's not the brightest kid in the class but tries really hard and we have been going through past SATS papers during the year, he did finish the paper yesterday saying he only missed three questions. Even when I had a look at the example SATS papers even I was struggling and I have an Honours degree in Mechanical Engineering!! God I hope when Nicky Morgan's own son has to do these SATS that her son struggles, which I know is not a nice thing to say but it will so her what kind of misery she has put kids and parents through.

DS found the first paper a bit harder and it was on his weakest area. But he is not stressed, he is taking it in his stride.

I think people are overreacting. "NO child should go through this" - what a load of crap. No child should go through starvation, abuse, neglect etc. The SATS is just a test - get over it.

In the end all it is, is a slightly more difficult Maths and English test for which preparation was not really possible. I think it is great preparation for life - especially preparation for high school, GCSEs, A Level's, University. None of it gets easier.

People are acting as if we are making children do hard labour. Life is full of trials and unfairness and yes I agree it is unfair that this set of kids have an unfair disadvantage - but what a great lesson for a child to grin and bear it, to try their best despite the odds being against them. It builds character.

The harsh reality is that now, life is harder and more unfair than it was a generation ago. The whole world is geared towards such unfair tests and unfair disadvantages. There is no point complaining.

I think people are overreacting

Maybe you would be thinking differently if it was your DC who was in floods of tears or really upset?

It builds character.

Oh that old chestnut.....

he harsh reality is that now, life is harder and more unfair than it was a generation ago. The whole world is geared towards such unfair tests and unfair disadvantages. There is no point complaining.

Rubbish. We should teach our children that they can work towards making the world a better place.

And although some children might be fine marge, a lot weren't. Anxiety and depression, in adults or children, are not something which should just be gotten over. It isn't about back bone, or lack of character. They are very real issues. As a society, it will be a wonderful day when we can move beyond the approach of I'm fine, and so tough luck to those who aren't.

the harsh reality

I'm not against testing and I am not against having tests where some children will not get the expected grade, no point having tests where 100% pass.

However, I am against tests when they are set at an unrealistic level. What is the point of that?

Also I don't like the idea of our children being used as political pawns and that is what I think is happening this year. Either the pass mark will be set high and the majority of schools will fail the bench marking test and the result will be academisation through the back door. Or the pass mark will be set incredibly low, which will render it meaningless, and a high percentage of children will be shown as achieving or exceeding the expected grade and the Government will say how wonderful their education system is and how awful all those teachers were moaning about SATS and how little they thought of their pupils chances of success.

By all means have a test at the end of Y6, all children are used to having assessment tests throughout the year. But don't waste months trying to teach to the test, just test them as usual.

DS's school has been really good at trying to keep the pressure to the minimum. But as a Governor I have seen the stress the teaching staff and HT have been under.

DS wasn't too stressed yesterday, but what a waste of everyone's hard work to sit a test which, by the sounds of it, had very little bearing on what all the children have been learning.

marge I hope you have read what you have written. Yes these are SATS and that children willl have to sit through them, but you are missing the point in that the paper written was way above the expected standard of a 10/11 year old even for a high achiever, so for the hope of you DS he hasn't underestimated on the difficulty of the paper.

Also what is this in preperartion for? Is it a preperation in life? Is it letting children that this is it and that from now on there is nothing left to enjoy and that everything is focused on exams and that if you fail you are doomed?

As for no point in complaining, wtf? If no one complained then nothing would be improved in society. It's like you buying a new car and it develops a fault, there's no point in complaining, just get over it?

Marge, will you still be saying that if your DS gets a big fat fail?

Agree with Marge,

My experience at the school gates yesterday and today doesn't reflect the majority of posts on MN.

DD thought it was hard but finished. No tears in class, before, during and after the test.

Just get the impression that because some kids didn't understand some questions we go into meltdown mode.

This test will not make, break or shape kids lives. I have an older DS who was very average in primary but excelled in Secondary.

Anybody heard how today's SPaG was difficulty-wise?

This test will not make, break or shape kids lives.

I hope you are right Westminster. However, I think that the experience of prepping for months, then sitting formal tests that are really hard for a week, will have an impact on a huge number of children. Some people feel stress and anxiety more than others. Children are not able to rationalise and manage emotion in the same way as adults, so they are much less well equipped to deal with the experience of sitting something they are aware is important (it is a formal test) and they are also aware they can't do.

mental health and wellbeing

According to a post on another forum the SPAG was 'easy' as her DD said and that the spellings were straight forward also. That's just one opinion though.

It's not even the whole testing thing that bothers me because of course children need to be assessed but it's the whole abolition of the levels - which everyone understood - and now these poor kids will simply get a 'secondary school ready' or 'not secondary school ready'. How bloody demoralising is that?!

I'll be most surprised if my DD comes out as 'ready' which makes my job as her parent bloody harder because she's already worrying about going to secondary school. She'll then have some twat from government confirming that she's not ready.

Who the hell thought that would be a good idea?

Anybody heard how today's SPaG was difficulty-wise?

Not too bad by all accounts.

Well my autistic Year 6 DS didn't find the reading test character building. He found it soul destroying and sat in the hall cupboard with his schoolbag over his head. Frankly I felt like joining him....

My DD would have rather had a test similar to the sample/practice papers that she had expected and prepared for. Was it character building for her to come out of school yesterday with a migraine and then a nose bleed? She is mildly dyslexic and had a plan on she was going to tackle it, it was laid so differently (text boxes instead of lines for example) she just didn't know how to start and feels she's let her school and teachers down. She's loves school and it's heartbreaking to see her like it.

My DD would have rather had a test similar to the sample/practice papers that she had expected and prepared for

Mine too

Thanks to the posters who wished DD well this morning

DD came out today still very subdued, as did a couple of her friends. She volunteered that today was 'better' but is questioning why she learned 160 words for spelling when the test was only 20 (and I've just checked - two of the words she thinks she got wrong weren't on the 160 word list). She hasn't said anything else, other than to tell me about the child that was withdrawn.

She has plugged herself into her iPad and said she doesn't want to chat. Even the dog is worried about her and has curled up on her lap (no mean feat as the dog is spaniel sized!). I'm hoping she'll buck up later.

Harder tests won't raise standards for all and instantly make everyone brighter.

Unless these tests change, I'm predicting that those that more of those that can afford to will pay for tuition to ensure their kids pass rather than have to suffer the humiliation of leaving primary school a failure.

Where does that leave those that cannot afford expensive extra tuition?

Yes, my dd is happier today, she declared it "actually quite easy" (although she checked a spelling with me and it was wrong). She doesn't seem as drained/stupefied as yesterday!