Key Stage 1 SATs - can you say you don't want your child to do them?

[lottielou7]

Dd has dyspraxia and ADHD and is struggling at school at the moment. She has only recently been diagnosed and her doctor has suggested trying some meds but she hasn't started them yet.

Yesterday she came home and said the teacher had shouted at her because she couldn't do the SATS paper. She is not yet at a stage where she can read, process and answer questions. The poor child is desperate to make progress but she's really struggling. The Ed Psych has been in to see her. He says her needs should be met in mainstream but she has huge problems with executive functioning. She has lots of friends at this school and no social problems.

Yesterday she was in a terrible state. If she really has to do them is there anything I can do to make this easier on her?

See the teacher straight away. If your daughter is working well below expected levels, then she should have been disapplied from the tests- but if that were the case you should have been informed by now. If they haven't disapplied her, she will have to 'sit' the tests, but I think the teacher can stop the test early for her. (I need to look again at all the info.) This would mean letting her try a few questions but taking her out when it became clear that she couldn't manage any more.

Either way, the school can and should play down the tests as much as possible. Shouting at a child is clearly unacceptable. However, I would get the full story from the teacher first. It is possible that the shouting was for messing around or something rather than finding the tests difficult.

You're right, Mrskcastle, the teacher can stop it at any time.

No, the teacher shouts all the time. She gets very stressed out. A number of parents have already complained about this. If I keep her off school would she have to do them next week?

They can be completed any time in May.