KS1 AND KS2 SATS

[KJPxx]

Firstly I wondered if anyone had any idea when the KS1 SATS are being held as I have simply received a newsletter stating May, and can't find the exact dates online.. Are all schools doing them on the same dates?

Also am I being overly strict removing all 'luxuries' during the test period - no TV in bed, no tablet, PlayStation/vita and no phones left in bedroom. I don't want them to feel like they're being punished but I really want them to do well for their own self esteem and my son has struggled massively (mainly extremely easily distracted) so he has worked so hard to improve in school, and I don't want the hard work to go to waste because they are distracted or not properly focused.
I would like to point out however they aren't on phones and PlayStations daily anyway, they get maybe an hour or two one or two nights through the week and maybe a couple of hours on a Sunday.

I often hear people say the tests are just a formality and while to an extent that may be true, I would hate to see my child feel down because they did not achieve what they hoped for.

And I don't need tips on being a good parent - if you had read through the thread you'd know we do read books ALOT in my house.
I think I'll do what I have already said - along side what the children chose to do themselves.
I can only encourage them to do their best and I'll be more than happy with them for trying.

One last thing.. The 30 mins revision will likely be doing some basic sums or spellings that we have been given as homework throughout the year. It's no different from homework which my children usually bring home 3 times a week at approximately an hour per work set

No 7 year old chooses to do 30 minutes revision each night without a parent putting it into their head.

30 minutes a night is more homework than my Y6 child has ever had.
If I was at a school like yours I think I would be rebelling!

Well it's funny that because my 7 year old did just that. Like I said - maybe she is just copying her brother, I'm fine with that. It's very obvious the revision they do is going to be world's apart. They were asked to think of a good way to have some revision and respite from it also and the 30 mins was put to me with my daughter also suggesting their favourite tea each night. Let me guess I'm wrong for not giving them their favourite tea every night anyway!!

And until you are an expert in behavioural analysis of 7 year olds then don't tell me that all 7 year olds are the same. Clearly mine is not the same as yours because she did suggest the revision every night and in fact she said one hour. I don't push or drill anything into my children they have minds of their own and are encouraged to use them

My son gets 2 homework booklets per night and usually has two days to do them. Mon has to be handed in on a Wednesday morning, Wednesday has to be handed in on a Friday and Fridays is to be done over the weekend.
My daughter has a book report twice a week, when we read and discuss her book. Plus a maths worksheet and spellings.
Some weeks she gets a little extra. I don't think it does them much harm and theu don't rebel - no child is perfectly behaved all of the time but they are happy and extremely bright

My son is 7 and about to do SATs. Here is what I am doing. Absolutely nothing. The school tells them they are doing a worksheet and pretending they are in a Victorian school, so desks apart and no talking. As far as I am concerned it is a normal day at school and I do not give a monkeys what DS gets in his SATs. It is to measure the school's performance not the individual child as far as I am concerned.

I have told my daughter time and time again these tests will not have any impact on her in anyway, and she needn't worry.. For the umpteenth time she seems to be reflecting what her brother is doing. My daughters KS1 tests are not my main concern, but my sons KS2 SATS are of some importance as the results determine the sets he is placed in when he moves up to secondary school in September.
I was asking for advice as to what people do to create a happy medium. I will be altering things at home not massively but I will be ensuring they are confident for their own benefit and nothing else.
I don't want my children to go into tests no matter how unimportant and feel unprepared or unsupported.

Hiya. My son is sitting his KS1 SATs this year. I'm a governor and have had a conversation about whether parents should be informed of their times or not. We agreed not but HT is considering sending a note saying please can children come to school well fed, well rested and ready to learn.

I don't mind my child being tested, it's a part of life but I think children of KS1 can act unpredictably under pressure.

You know your children best though but remember KS1 SATs performance has little effect on their education, so they're best used to get a snapshot of the child on a normal day so you can get a real idea of how they are doing on a day to day basis.

Your primary school aged children - including a 7 year old - have PHONES???

I have a GCSE sitter, and his rules are as they always have been in this house - no electronics upstairs after bedtime (9 - 9.30 pm for him). Phones and Kindle Fire on charging station downstairs, the only TV in the house is in the sitting room, and the computers used for work are desktops downstairs, next to each other so use is reasonably supervised (I work a lot on the computer in the evenings).

That's not 'specially for exam season', though - it's how we always run.

I don't want my children to go into tests no matter how unimportant and feel unprepared or unsupported.

Well for me the way forward there is not telling them it is a test. Looking back when I was at infant and junior school in the 80s there were a few assessments, when we were either taken out of class and individually tested or had a whole class paper, but I only know they were assessments with the benefit of hindsight - to us it was just another thing that happened in the school day. We certainly never saw the results, and I don't think DS will see his SATs results either.

Thank you gojettersgo, I have been informed our KS1 tests will be carried out the week following the KS2 SATS.

I have tried to explain to her about why they do these tests and it's just a better way of the school to see how well they're all getting on etc but she is taking things seriously as I think she is following what her brother is doing to get ready for his SATS. I actually think seeing them a little anxious is a good thing as it makes me see they want to do well

My son knows his are tests. His teacher has been pretty hard on them, and because he was falling behind just 4/5 months ago she has been even firmer with him (and a few others) to get them up to standard - he's now working above standard which I feel he has put in so much effort to do so why shouldn't I encourage him to keep it up? He's got to go into a whole new school in September with the next few years being tough to prepare him for his choices and then GCSEs.. He is well aware that they are tests and like I have already said earlier in the thread - my daughter brought a newsletter home and it clearly says.

KS1 (Year2) tests will be carried out in May. We advise, if possible children in year 2 do not miss any school time in the run up to and during May.

She read this and knows what it means

"I don't think DS will see his SATs results either". It's very likely that he will be given his results. Our pupils are told (individually) and given a letter to bring home

No my eldest has a phone my 7 year old does not. She has an android tablet

Both kids have PlayStations (11 year old has a ps4, daughter received his ps3 when he got his new one) they both have tablets and my 11 year-old has a phone.
We have a cabinet in the upstairs passage where they go on an evening before the kids go to bed.
My initial question meant removing them altogether for the assessment week.

I accept people saying don't tell them they're doing tests I find it odd that other 7/11 year olds wouldn't have been able to pick this up or read it on newsletters or while talking with teachers because while I knew they were coming around this year the kids have spoke about them before me ever mentioning them

Picking back up where we left off..

I know I asked for advice with regards to how best to prepare the kids for their tests..

However, I am quite pee'd off at my sons y6 teacher who today sent home a list of requirements that she expects from the children and their parents for SATS week.

It goes like this;

Get 30 minutes outdoor exercise each evening (at least)
Have a shower or bath each night.
Go to bed early and read a book.
NO TECHNOLOGY.
Have a good healthy dinner each night - good food = brain food!

All revision booklets to be completed on the nights I have outlined on the front.

Eat a good and decent breakfast with a drink.

Bring a healthy snack and drink into school.

Walk to school.

With these few rules YOU WILL BE GREAT.

Parents, I am aware sometimes busy lifestyles don't always allow but could you please try and stick to what I have advised for the children's benefit as much as possible.

I don't know if I am right to feel quite annoyed with this but I am.

This is the only teacher in the year group to issue these demands and I feel - not for the first time - that she has over stepped the mark and it's starting to get me quite frustrated!

My ds is in Y6 - I would be v pissed off with that list.

Bet she doesn't have dc of her own.

That's quite a lot of overkill if you ask me. As long as they relax, get good sleep and some decent breakfasts on the day then "THEY WILL BE GREAT".

... and I won't be allowing my DD to do any last minute cramming either. She either knows it by now or tough luck to the teachers if they failed her.

We already have a pretty good evening routine and morning routine. They're up early, well fed and have a cuppa. Then once they're washed and ready they sit on couch and read or watch TV etc.. Each evening we have things to do - boxing, dancing, athletics etc and they have a good evening meal each night. We read often and they come away with homework most days anyway but I feel she has a sodding nerve to tell us what we should do.

She has a child younger than y6 age. It's the second time in a week she has overstepped the mark and belittled my/others parenting skills and it's not acceptable

Like the op, I have one doing ks1 (ds) sats and one doing ks2 (dd1)

Ds has SEN, and we asked for him to be exempted, but school felt he could and should do them. He is unaware that there are tests coming up, and the school say they will handle it sensibly.

Dd1 is at a different school, and is feeling pretty positive about them, the school have just said to try to make sure they aren't too tired, eat a good breakfast and don't stress about them.

We aren't doing anything different to normal.

Well I had been in full panic mode initially as you hear these 'perfect' parents talking about this and that and how they are preparing their children (all a load of cack now I come to think of it) so kind of thought I need to restrict things then realised I should do quite the opposite. Allow them time to relax and while I will encourage revision for maybe 30 mins a night (teacher says revision booklets should be 60) I will try and give them the correct balance.
Good breakfasts and early night are part of our normal routine anyway not just for SATS

We did the KS1reading tests this week. Next week is KS2Sats then the KS1 maths tests will be done sometime after that.
We don't announce it for KS1 because there is no need. It just happens, there's no stress, we certainly don't suggest revision for them because then you get anxious wound-up kids.
We do some revision in school leading up to the tests, but they don't know that is what it is, it's just part of normal lessons and the word 'test' is never used.
KS2 have the recommendations about getting good nights sleep , breakfast etc. But that is because we have families that wouldn't even think about it, and need to be reminded.

According to government's website (see link below), ks2 sats test is next week (starting Monday the 8th).

www.gov.uk/guidance/key-stage-1-and-key-stage-2-test-dates

Got 2 sitting KS2 and won't do anything this weekend. school.has been pushimg hard and if they dont know it by now...

I was even less bothered at KS1.