Anxiety about KS1 SATS-What would you do?

[MorocconOil]

DS1 is currently doing his SATS. We have hardly mentioned them to him, and have ignored all attempts by the school to 'prime' him for them. I have made it clear with DS's classteacher that I do not agree with the principle of testing 7 year olds. The school is in a disadvantaged area and does exceptionally well in the SATS. This is clearly important to them.

Ds is obviously anxious. He has been exhibiting the behaviour he does when worried, and told me tonight he doesn't like the tests.

I am seriously considering seeing the headteacher on monday to say that DS will not be doing further tests. What, if any,do you think could be the repercussions of this decision?

I'm not sure about repercussions, but I think you are doing the right thing.

You can withdraw your child from the SATS without any repercussions.

I just thought it maybe odd for DS to have to explain to the other children why he won't be doing the remaining tests. Also, will the school be annoyed with us?

Take him out of school for those days if necessary.
School shouldn't be annoyed.
And if they are, you could point out that they should handle the SATS better, that 7 year olds shouldn't even know that they are being tested, let alone be stressed out by the tests, and perhaps they should look at changing their procedures for next year?

As the Year 2 SATs results aren't published but the Year 6 added value is, it is not really in the school's interests for the Year 2 results to be that good, as it adds to the pressure on the Year 6 results. For that reason, they might not fight you too hard this time round.

I'd be more concerned about the effect on your son - I can see your point in a way, and I agree that you do have a right to withdraw him from the tests, but are you actually making the tests seem worse to him than they really are, affecting his confidence and setting him apart as someone too sensitive to cope? And are you setting yourself up for him being upset and expecting you to act in a similar way every time anything happens in school that he doesn't like?

BS, Thanks, I think we will go and discuss it with the head.

I agree Hallergda about him seeming different to the others. However I was shocked to find the classroom had been rearranged into exam conditions the morning of their first test. I am not happy at all that this is happening, and I am unsure whether the new head(started this term) is actually aware of what is going on.

I'm surprise, frankly, at the exam type seating.

ASAIK, sats are supposed to be done in a 'continuous assessment' way. Ie. The child doesn't realise that he/she is being assessed.

TBH I find it all contradictory as I asked at a meeting they held about SATs, about what would happen if a child was ill on the day of the test. They reassured us that the children were being continously assessed anyway, and these results would then be used. So, why is it then that they are putting them through these bloody test conditions?

In Wales there are no formal SATs. We do continous assessment, all school do, but also have to do special assessments at the end of KS1. I would always try to avoid exam conditions as some children might find this stressful once given a task which has to be done in silence etc. We do things in small groups and try to make it fun. It is awful to stress out a seven year old IMO. Your poor ds.

Whether or not to keep your ds out of the tests - I think that depends on just how upset he is. If you think he could be encouraged through the experience it might be better for him just to do what the others do. He will probably forget about it in a day or so. If he is terribly distressed, ask for him to be excluded from the tests.