Ks2 sats... Do different schools sit them on different days?

[slowandfrumpy]

Hello,
Following on from another thread that was deleted (because it contained a reference to the content of this years sats)...
It seems that the sats are not taken by all schools at the same time! So on the deleted thread a poster said that the content 'could not be discussed' until after may 31 when all schools had finished with them.
I am a bit puzzled by this. Here is no law that says the content of sats can't be discussed. There is nothing stopping someone telling (or selling) information about for eg the texts used in the reading ks2 paper to a bent parent or headmaster. Actually, a parent who did this wouldn't even be bent.. A bit dishonourable perhaps but I can't imagine a system that is grading schools and teachers and even setting fi funding and resources and rank on ks2 results can actually rely on a system of honour!!!!
Please clarify someone

KS2 SATS should be taken on the same day by all children but there are exceptional circumstances for individual children when a timetable variation can be applied for. This means that the tests can then be taken later in the same week/in the following week. However the Head has to confirm that said child has had no contact with another child who has already sat the papers-which can be very difficult to enforce. So timetable variations are very rare. I think the 31 May date refers to KS1 SATS where timings were much more flexible.

Firstly, the thread related to the KS1 tests- the Y2 ones. These can take place any time in May, with schools making their own arrangements about when to do them.

These KS1 tests are only part of the teacher assessment, they are not reported separately and do not contribute to ranking schools. They are slightly less controlled than the KS2 tests in terms of confidentiality, but it's still not really appropriate to discuss them online.

Teachers are not allowed discuss the content of either KS1 or KS2 tests until after the tests period. Yes, in theory it would be possible to cheat, but not in anybody's interests to do so- the consequences (results cancelled etc) are not worth the risk, and at KS1 there would be no point anyway.

The dfe tweeted on the 3rd asking for no discussion on social media. Mumsnet agreed and removed the thread. It's a bit rich given that two leaks have come from the dfe (directly or indirectly) this year.

Don't really see the problem with that request, seems fairly sensible.

I am not interested in discussing content.. I am interested in knowing how much these ks1 results matter to the school? Does it have an impact on ranking (in my area you can sort and assess schools by ks1 and ks2 results so it has at minimum an influence on parental impressions of school). It must matte a bit otherwise mumsnet would not want to ban discussion. Surely if it matters at all they should be done on same day. Seems bonkers otherwise.

Ssshh - Nicky already wants KS1 to be externally examined, and then.they would.be on the same day and even more horrible.

The KS1 results you can see in your area are teacher assessment figures which use the old test results as one piece of evidence. This year, it's still teacher assessment using the new tests as one piece of evidence. There have been all.sorts of changes to security, all leading up to Nicky's external exam idea, probably - but the social.media request isn't that much of a chnage, I.wouldn't have said.

schoolsweek.co.uk/dfe-threatens-high-court-action-if-teachers-discuss-sats-content-online/ last year the DfE threatened teachers with high court action if they discussed the content on line ...I don't think that's changed.

That was KS2 only thoug, wasn't it? I don't think they've been so heavy handed re KS1 until now. Goes hand in hand with locking up papers and frisking 6 year olds for mobiles though, I guess.

They couldn't for KS1 because the papers had been freely available since 2007 😉

Thank you. (Although the results for ks1 tests must matter somewhat otherwise there wouldn't be requests not to discuss or share information about them?).

Well that's just another example of where the government are being inconsistent /unclear. This year they have been treating KS1 tests like GCSEs (check if the 6-7 year olds have smartphones and escort them to the toilet). But despite all that, it is teacher assessment that 'matters' and that will be reported. I will definitely have children who make the expected level in the test but won't be assessed as expected, and vice versa.

Also, the tests are a form of assessment and they are useful as a check of what the child understands and can do independently. If they are discussed online, there will be parents who decide to cheat... Probably not many at all, but the odd few. And that would be very unhelpful for teachers. So it makes sense not to discuss them.