KS1 SATs this week...

[WhattodoSue]

In our school at least. I'm curious to know if my DD notices, or comments on anything different to normal happening. There has been no explicit build up to them really. Just normal school work (although I did get the comment that English was boring because it is just grammar - although that was probably before SPaG was cancelled).

I must confess, I'm also curious to know what teachers think of them level wise. And I can't quite get my head round how the formal administration could work if they are much to hard for some children. Do those children get to do something else when they have had enough? I cannot imagine how the whole thing could work.

That's what confused me mrz. If the calibration of the scaling depends on how difficult students find the paper, it sounds more like a standardised score than a scaled score. The word "expected" also carries connotations of average/mean to statisticians, though on re-reading i agree it doesn't look like they mean a mean.

Essentially, we're told the new standards mean they have to demonstrate certain skills. If the early testing cohort didn't demonstrate those skills, does the national expected level no longer include them?

And what about next year? When the teaching of the new syllabus is more bedded in, maybe the whole cohort will do slightly better. Does the expected level increase, or do we all say hooray, standards are rising, all hail Nicky Morgan?

I think I mentioned this on a thread a few weeks ago.

It does rely on trusting that the government have done the sampling of the schools well and matches the national picture in terms of attainment. If it's slightly off it could shift the raw scores needed for 100 either way.

And the evidence for the government managing to organise/carry out anything well this year is not convincing.

Expected in the tests won't equate to average (so I'm reliably informed) although I personally think it could mean anything as thy appear to be making it up as they go along!

But Rafa, never mind the fine tuning, even in broad brush, how can how this cohort of students get on tell you a single thing about how many questions right equates to an adequate understanding of the syllabus?

The question will be - will the pass mark be manipulated to demonstrate
a) That the new NC is improving standards (so pass mark is lower)
b) That the government know what they are doing and aren't incompetent (so the pass mark is REALLY low)
c) The teachers aren't doing their jobs (so the pass mark is higher)

It is such a farce.

Making it up as they go along sounds about right.

Or C) with a side helping of so we can say all schools are failing and need to become academies?

100 would be 50th centile with a standardised score with 1s.d. either side being considered roughly average IIRC.

So 100 in this case should equate to less than average since we are talking about an 'expected' level. They might take the test design into account too.

Or they could just pluck a number out of a hat.

Now I wonder which way they'll go?!?

And another delay - waiting to hear which schools will be moderated - but date to find out put back to Monday now.

It's ridiculous, isn't it? Looking through the tests, there are many questions that children 'should' be able to answer confidently if they meet the expected levels using the framework.

If we're measuring children against the curriculum expectations, then we shouldn't need the sampling to set standards. If we're measuring against their peers group, then why set such a tight, prescriptive framework?

We seem to have a bizarre hybrid system where the test and framework are completely separate and measure completely different things, yet are supposed to support each other.

We found out today.

Very relieved this year. Wouldn't mind usually, but this year's information is such a godawful mess that I was really dreading it.

We don't find out till Tuesday afternoon. I am dreading it!

catkind in any normal situation, they may use the test structure to get a rough idea.

So there may be x number of marks aimed at those below the expected standard, y aimed at the expected standard and z aimed at children working at greater depth/beyond the expected standard.

You could get a rough mark by assuming that children at the expected standard getting all of the easier marks and most of the expected standard marks. Then tweak a bit based on the sampling (or politics).

Again this all depends on the government having got things right though.

Reading all makes this makes me feel like I am going to know absolutely no more about the curriculum/the year group/DD in particular.

It seems very pointless!

DD seems to have had a good week though. Grateful to her teachers.

I'm being moderated.
Because my pupils are 6 my maths activities are very hands on and practical so I really don't have much in the way of evidence so Ibthink this will be the first major fail of my career to date. :(
They're not only setting children up to fail but teachers too (fed up)

bumbleclat don't you have photos and teacher's notes from the practical activities you've been doing? Lesson evaluations which show which children met/exceeded the LO? Evidence doesn't have to be completed worksheets... When are you being moderated? Have you got time to get together some evidence for the areas that you feel are most lacking?

It does depend on the attitude of your moderator! We have been told we need at least three pieces of evidence for each standard and they can't be done on consecutive days or all come from tests. We have also been told we do need evidence of all the standards from working towards for our more able pupils which is a direct change from what we were told before. A bit more highlighting to do and teaching of 'easy' work to make sure I have the evidence!

Fgs, how silly.

I know a school who had sats police in last week - proper, dfe sats police. They had a child sitting a paper in another room (anxiety) and were told that two people must carry the paper to the second room. God knows why. I bet they felt v silly. They said it was way more stressful than Ofsted!

Oh yes there must be 2 people with the sats papers at all times. We also had to escort children to the toilet, mark in an out of the way room and call for slt if one of us had to go to the toilet!! After half term the papers will be free!!!

Seriously, what do they think the first person might do with the paper in between rooms??

Tried to mark my Arithmetic papers yesterday - every single mark scheme had disappeared from qcda website. "Oh yes, it's down this afternoon for maintenance." said the woman breezily when I rang up. She didn't seem to think there was anything wrong with this, in the middle of assessment season.

Is that maintenance as in 'we've just noticed a massive error and are fixing it'?

Presumably you call for SLT on one of the illicit mobiles you've confiscated from the children.

I loved that in the instructions!!!! Did anyone seriously read that out?? (Not giving detail unless it breaks confidentiality stuff!!)

No, I just snorted and the kids wanted to know why. Didn't tell them. So we're all going to get done for maladministration because we didn't frisk our six year olds for mobiles!

Yes, probatbly, Rafa!

Bumblecat, have you seen Gaz Needle's stuff? He's produced some Maths moderation materials which may be of use. I really feel for you, it's a crap year to be moderated. We've basically got a situation where they've said 'We have no idea what you're meant to be doing, but we're going to come and hammer you for it anyway.' It's a disgrace.