Giving out sats practice results

[katydel2007]

What are your thoughts on schools giving practice papers to Y5/6, then handing them back so everybody knows each other's score? My child tells me that some children got a very low score and didn't want to tell others but the children found out. I feel so bad for their self esteem. Is this necessary and does it seem a bit archaic?

Does everybody know everybody's score? (e.g. they are all read out; there is a list on the wall). Or is it a case that the DC all ask each other what they got and compare papers? Or they simply sit at the same table so they can see what each other have got?

1st is not appropriate; don't see what you do about the other cases (other than teacher pointing out that some DC might not want to share and asking for sensitivity).

I find the whole "never knowing each others mark" quite puzzling. Especially in Y6 the children have to learn about this, in secondary school they will be a lot more knowledge about each others marks in tests.

It may not nice to have low scores but a) it is still a while to SATS and b) I am sure most children know that others are different in their attainment, children do now who sits on which table if the school puts the children in sets.

No child has the right to ask about marks but I always found that as long parents do make sure a child understands why others have low marks and the teacher doesn't make a big deal out of it it is something which is part of life.

And this comes from somebody who survived lots of Ds in secondary school until I found my feet.

I think it depends how the kids found out the other kids' scores. If it was a case of one child telling another child and that child telling another etc, then that will always happen. Kids are curious. No different to the 'what did you get for Xmas conversations. If all children saw a list of results or they were read out, then that's not so good. But when my child heard test results and found out those of his classmates it worked to incentivise him to aim for the higher marks - an 'I'm as good as them if i try' attitude. SATS scores are based on a 'pass' score of 100, below that is not meeting expectations, but it's only January. The practice kids get between now and May makes such a difference. For most kids where 11plus exams in any form don't happen, this is their first real test of sitting down and doing proper tests, and that's hard!

in secondary school they will be a lot more knowledge about each others marks in tests.
Not necessarily. At DD's secondary they are told the top mark for the class, and maybe also the median and bottom, but certainly not other pupils' marks.

I agree the marks shouldn't be read out. Also teacher could/should say something re don't look at others results, it is about trying to do better than last time, etc.

Teentimestwo, I would assume that a) as they have more tests and b) the children talk about it more between each other there is less secrecy about the whole thing.

When I was at secondary and we got our test papers back we always chatted to our friends and others, either being glad or moaning or being devastate. Part of life in my go, we had one of those and in the end asked out head of year to talk to her as none of us in class liked it.