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Primary education

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Original poster

SATS pressure - how to assist little ones to handle it??

41 replies

MrMariella · 07/05/2007 19:40

7 y.o. dd has had SATS, and it has been disturbing.

Her mum tells me that she found her crying as she thought she was 'thick' because she couldn't answer some of the questions. The head DID let us know that she had 'scored' a 2b, and that is what is expected as a norm.

I have dd every Monday, and alternative Wednesdays in the week, and we do whatever homework is set. She breezes through it, as she wants to play "Travel the World" or watch Drake and Josh. ( think she has an early years crush on Drake).

My point is that SATS appear to have reduced a happy, clever, confident little girl into a wreck, doubting her own ability and causing her emotional distress.

It looks like SATS are here to stay. Sooo, would anyone have good tips to offer on how best to assist dd in dealing with all of this?? I try to do all of the motivational stuff, praising and helping her whenever I can. Are there any particular gambits/techniques/philosophies to share that are shown to work, or just should work as it is consistent good parenting??

Any ideas very gratefully received. Thanks.

OP posts:
MrsWho · 09/05/2007 12:10

dd1 mentioned something this am about the classroom being moved round 'cos of the extra numeracy."I like it better like that "she says "because nooone is being naughty" shes being miss-prim atm

foxinsocks · 09/05/2007 12:12

we were told that from this year, it is based a lot more on the teacher's assessment anyway.

I guess dd must be doing them now. I asked her whether they'd been doing anything different but she didn't seem to have a clue (but mine tell me nothing about school!).

Original poster
MrMariella · 09/05/2007 12:38

I love that about dd, fox! If she isn't up for talking about something, she makes it pretty clear.."forgot", "don't know" etc.

and then we discover something really important, and she just shrugs her shoulders and gets on with playing.

OP posts:
NotanOtter · 09/05/2007 12:41

at our schools they barely know they are taking them - even at yr 6 no fuss made - infact they like them because they are able to have more playtimes...

foxinsocks · 09/05/2007 18:02

aww MrM! I would have a word with her teachers tbh - I feel sorry for her that she feels she is 'thick' because she obviously isn't!

RosaLuxembourg · 09/05/2007 19:22

Well DD2 came home today and said the SAT was 'fairly easy' and she wants to do the harder one! Phew!

triplets · 12/05/2007 22:55

I am very confused about the Sats tests. My trio are in yr 4, they were 9 in Jan. All we have heard for the last 4 weeks is Sats, Sats, Sats! They have brought practise papers home for homework since Easter! I thought they did Sat in yr 2 and 6? So these are what they term optional? How does the grading work, no-one has explained it to me, the first I knew was on Frid when they came out having finished their Maths Sats and were told two had achieved a 3b and my poor Tom Tom a 2b. Sounds as though they didnt do well, can anyone explain it to me before I go marching into school on Mon? Being the VERY much older mum that I am, this is all new to me, My darling Matthew would be 28 now, and he certainly didnt do these tests, very confused!

Celia2 · 13/05/2007 15:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

roisin · 13/05/2007 19:47

Completely mad to be doing practice papers and stressing kids about optional SATs. I would have a word with the school and ask them to tone it down a bit next year.

My boys will be doing optional SATs next week I expect (they are in yr3 and 5), but they know nothing about it, have done no practice paper; and we haven't been informed about it in anyway.

It's just like any other internal test they do for progress monitoring.

triplets · 13/05/2007 21:41

Thank you everyone, seems as though our school has gone over the top, will be having a word tomorrow!

katelyle · 13/05/2007 21:59

My lovely sil who teaches year 2 tells her kids that they have to "do some special work for the government" and gives them all secret badges that they aren't allowed to show anyone who isn't in their class. Then they do the SATS papers and she thanks them all very much on behalf of the government and tells them they've been very helpful!

Feenie · 18/05/2007 21:54

No, cece, Enid won't be given the results, she'll be given the teacher assessments - this may be different from the test results, for various reasons.

nachomama · 18/05/2007 22:39

The day SATs are scrapped won't come a day too soon.

Optional SATs are even worse. Our LEA dictate and enforce "optional" SATs. It is cruel. It has nothing to do with children's learning- it's a paper exercise to feed the data monsters. That your DCs school is sending home practice papers in Y4 for weeks, triplet, turns my stomach. Too late this year, but in future, I would refuse to make them do this and send in note. I would guess that the teacher/ school is under a great deal of pressure to improve scores. That is awful, but don't let the negative energy invade your home.

You're doing a good job, MrMariella- all the right things. Your LO will feel loved ultimately and that will over-ride the stress and anxiety of SATs. I would say though that the teacher should know how your child is coping. Your DD might feel much better if she knew her teacher thought she was not "thick", but the wonderful little girl that she is. Also, SATs are only here to stay because we (as a society) let them. We shouldn't stand for it. Wales and Scotland don't. There is more information about abolishing this crap testing regime here
Have a good, relaxing week-end all, relaxing and enjoying life.

nachomama · 18/05/2007 22:40

The day SATs are scrapped won't come a day too soon.

Optional SATs are even worse. Our LEA dictate and enforce "optional" SATs. It is cruel. It has nothing to do with children's learning- it's a paper exercise to feed the data monsters. That your DCs school is sending home practice papers in Y4 for weeks, triplet, turns my stomach. Too late this year, but in future, I would refuse to make them do this and send in note. I would guess that the teacher/ school is under a great deal of pressure to improve scores. That is awful, but don't let the negative energy invade your home.

You're doing a good job, MrMariella- all the right things. Your LO will feel loved ultimately and that will over-ride the stress and anxiety of SATs. I would say though that the teacher should know how your child is coping. Your DD might feel much better if she knew her teacher thought she was not "thick", but the wonderful little girl that she is. Also, SATs are only here to stay because we (as a society) let them. We shouldn't stand for it. Wales and Scotland don't. There is more information about abolishing this crap testing regime here
Have a good, relaxing week-end all, relaxing and enjoying life.

nachomama · 18/05/2007 22:41

oops sorry, 'twas a double double-click on the post message

mumeeee · 23/05/2007 13:23

There are no SATs in Wales not even the keystage 3 ones.

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