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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Not joined up writing for SATS?

37 replies

Wornout8 · 09/05/2017 06:50

Does this have an impact marking wise? if they don't join up their writing will they be marked down? Thanks

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RhinestoneCowgirl · 09/05/2017 06:51

Is this for yr 6? We were told they would be marked down if not joined up

Original poster

Wornout8 · 09/05/2017 06:55

Oh bugger! dc has just informed me that they did the whole reading test not joined up so that the writing would be easier for the machine to read

OP posts:

Feenie · 09/05/2017 06:56

Writing us the only area where joined writng is an issue, and it's teacher assessment only, no test. Children can attain the 'expected' level without joined writing, but cannot be awarded 'working in greater depth'.

Thereshegoesagain · 09/05/2017 06:56

Will it stop your child becoming a doctor if they don't do joined up writing?

These are tests for schools set by the gov. Not the child.
Don't worry.

Feenie · 09/05/2017 06:57

It won't affect the tests.

ellesbellesxxx · 09/05/2017 06:57

Oh for reading its fine :)

SkeletonSkins · 09/05/2017 06:58

Absolutely no issue for the reading test, or any of the tests in fact.

The only impact it is is if they might want to get greater depth in writing. They can't get greater depth in writing without joined up writing (ridiculous but true)

RhinestoneCowgirl · 09/05/2017 07:03

Thanks for clarifying Feenie and SkeletonSkins.

Feels like our school is trying to put fear of god into us over SATs

Original poster

Wornout8 · 09/05/2017 07:12

Phew! thanks for the replies everyone.

OP posts:

user789653241 · 09/05/2017 07:21

So if the pupil had written a great piece exceeding expectation, with perfect spelling and grammar and creativity, if the child didn't use joined up, she/he doesn't get greater depth?
Talk about rigid(stupid) marking!

RhinestoneCowgirl · 09/05/2017 07:25

Can't help thinking that it's discriminatory e.g. my younger brother is severely dyspraxic, his hand writing is appalling.

Still a very clever man tho, got a first in his degree.

MrsKCastle · 09/05/2017 07:31

As pps say, it doesn't matter in the tests.

It's true that you can't get greater depth for writing without joining though. And the really crazy thing is that this isn't just Y6, it applies for Y2 as well. The expectations are so high.

InfiniteCurve · 09/05/2017 07:35

Yes,RhinestoneCowgirl.
DS's writing has always been a struggle,if he'd been allowed to carry on with non joined up writing ironically he'd have been neater - switching to joined up completely threw him.
DSis has good degree and masters,is now in her 50's and has never done joined up writing.
Why does anyone even care???
People should be able to write legibly,but otherwise it's all show - IMO how it looks is a minimally important part of a writing task.

silkpyjamasallday · 09/05/2017 07:59

My DB has never used joined up writing, and he is almost 19. He has always got top marks from SATS and beyond so I doubt they were marking him down over handwriting.

RhinestoneCowgirl · 09/05/2017 08:02

Ah, but you're forgetting the new 'rigourous' standards silkpyjamas, need to keep these children on their toes

ThatsNotMyMummy · 09/05/2017 12:54

I don't get this joined up writing obsession.
Mine get told to write joined up, then not, then joined up. It's bonkers.
My eldest especially, completely illegible joined up. Lovely neat handwriting non cursive. It makes no sense to me

SkeletonSkins · 09/05/2017 13:02

Just to say it's the government that make this choice, not schools. We have absolutely no say.

But yes, a perfect piece of work not joined will not be greater depth. Equally dyslexic children are severely disadvantaged as you have to be able to spell correctly even to get expected.

mrz · 09/05/2017 18:01

It's always been a feature of the writing assessment silky so not sure how it got past the markers

Knackeredotcom · 10/05/2017 10:32

Hi,
Y6 teacher here. Joined up writing is only important in reaching the expected standard in writing- not in the tests. I actively encourage mine not to join in the spelling test to make sure their answers are clear x

MyWhatICallNameChange · 10/05/2017 10:41

My youngest was taught to join before he could actually write. As a result his writing was completely illegible. His next teacher then told him to stop joining so she could read his work. She then discovered that he was fantastic at spelling once she could read it!

His handwriting is still terrible, but that's because the school refused to help despite me asking for years. He's now home educated so I don't have to hear this crap about SATs next year when the school would have finally panicked about him not being up to standard.

Feenie · 10/05/2017 13:05

Y6 teacher here. Joined up writing is only important in reaching the expected standard in writing- not in the tests.

Again - joined writing is not needed to reach the expected standard. It is only needed to reach greater depth, which (to be clear) is beyond the expected standard.

ThatsNotMyMummy · 10/05/2017 14:21

silky

I think the joined up thing changed with levels, so with the old levels you could still move up a level despite not doing joined up as you could reach it on other things. With the way the curriculum is now, you have to consistently tick every box before you will move on the greater depth or exceeding. So you could be exceeding on 9 out of 10 things but because you don't tick that last box you wouldn't reach greater depth.

mrz · 10/05/2017 17:01

Thatsnot ...joined handwriting came it at level 3 in the old system (you needed to join to achieve above level 2)

MrsKCastle · 10/05/2017 17:05

mrz joined up writing might have come in at level 3 but you certainly didn't need it to achieve 3 or 4 because of the 'best fit' model. Thatsnotmymummy is correct.

ThatsNotMyMummy · 10/05/2017 17:50

Thats it the best fit model... i only did a course on it a few weeks ago, you'd think id remember the key phrase!! now its an absolute fit isn't it
Thank you!

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