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Primary education

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Original poster

My child missing KS2 SATS

121 replies

ClareJK · 08/05/2019 14:12

Hi, my father has been very unwell, when he was diagnosed, he said if he gets better we will have a family holiday. Thankfully he is on the mend and has kindly booked a family holiday to Disney in the US. However, despite advising on dates, the holiday has been booked during SATS week. To be honest, I went into denial about this at first and really didn't want to make an issue, as my children were presented the holiday as a gift for Xmas. My child has achieved decent results at 11+ and we are happy missing the SATS won't affect her too much, but the school are very unhappy and trying to push me to cancel or delay our holiday. We have two more children still at school and really didn't mean to cause this amount of upset. Help, what would you do, we are due to leave in 2 days!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

ChicCroissant · 09/05/2019 12:40

TheColonelAdoresPuffins
Bet you would have moved the holiday if it was booked during the 11+

ah yes!

I think it might have hit the OP now that the Grammar will be wondering why her child didn't do SATs as well. Although I think this thread was started with faux 'what shall I do' panic, it might have induced genuine panic at the thought of telling the Grammar that they went on holiday rather than prioritising the SATs!

Parker231 · 09/05/2019 12:44

Fakeflowersandlemonade - if my child was vomiting or had chicken pox, they wouldn’t be taking the SATS regardless of the impact on school league tables.

BiBabbles · 09/05/2019 13:27

GivenchyDahhling: The brutal truth is that the results of students who haven’t got SATs data are not, for the purposes of data, important to schools/teachers.

That might explain a few things. My daughter didn't take SATs (not for holiday reasons) and before starting secondary, I had to confirm that in writing and she took some tests which I'm guessing was the school's own assessment which we were told would essentially take the place of the SATs. It is concerning that the system works this way, there is a lot of reasons why a child might not have SATs, most that are really not in the child's control.

ChicCroissant · 09/05/2019 13:53

It's because they want to put the (secondary) school pupils on a 'flightpath' or similar, so they can keep an eye on their progress 8 scores

My DD's school did a couple of tests on the taster day, more when they started at the school and put them into sets for some subjects very early. So not entirely relying on the SATs themselves, although I realise that they (the school) will be measured against them.

BubblesBuddy · 09/05/2019 14:44

The primary school will have progress data on DC and this can be forwarded to the secondary school.

What I think is odd, OP, is that you didn’t bother to check dates. You just let your Dad go ahead and book? Why? Surely you should have had better communication than this plus you didn’t give any attention to how DCs teacher would feel. So rather self centred. It’s done now and maybe your DC won’t get the after Sats treats as they didn’t take them.

Clockwatchers · 09/05/2019 17:25

The primary school will have progress data on DC and this can be forwarded to the secondary school.

From where? And how?

Feenie · 09/05/2019 18:14

I expect the Y6 teacher is really looking forward to the transition conversation with the grammar school - especially the bit about parental support!

AndNoneForGretchenWieners · 09/05/2019 18:19

Meh, we took DS to Disney in SATs week and it never held him back. He did fine at secondary school. Ours was accidental - it was the year they moved the dates when the coalition came in, and we had already booked in advance of that. I was not very popular at work having that time off but I couldn't do much about it! For DS his teacher assessment data was sufficient for his next school.

Parker231 · 09/05/2019 18:19

A lot of posters are making something out of nothing. The OP’s DC has already passed the exam for entrance to the Grammar School so is already working at a high standard. The school will have the exam results and like other schools will continue to monitor whether the pupil is working at the right level.

Feenie · 09/05/2019 18:33

Ours was accidental - it was the year they moved the dates when the coalition came in, and we had already booked in advance of that.

Didn't happen - no dates were moved.

The dates are set in stone and so far in advance that the Dfe already know that Eid will fall in Thursday of SATs week in a couple of years time, and are advising schools with Muslim children to apply for a timetable variation to move Maths to the Friday (because they couldn't possibly move SATs with over two years notice - oh no )

AndNoneForGretchenWieners · 09/05/2019 18:38

I think you will find it did happen. I was working for the Standards and Testing Agency at the time

Feenie · 09/05/2019 18:45

That's weird, because it was QCA who were running assessments at the time - one of the many, many years I've taught Y6. The timetable has never been changed in all that time.

Feenie · 09/05/2019 18:46

STA didn't even exist until the year after that!

Feenie · 09/05/2019 18:53

And since the tests were due to start on Monday 10th May, and the coalition came in on Friday 7th, there would have been absolutely no reason to postpone them - all the tests would have been delivered, in school and ready to go. All the collection dates were set and both teachers and children were completely unaffected - if not, there would have been a huge stink. There wasn't. As many other teachers will tell you.

So, what exactly did you do at STA before it even existed?

user1492809438 · 09/05/2019 18:53

Go on the holiday and enjoy it. The SATs results will have no impact on your child, no one is ever asked what they got at interview! The school are complaining out of self interest, it is all about their results and data.
I am a KS2 teacher.

Feenie · 09/05/2019 19:06

2010 was also the year the NUT and the NAHT last boycotted the tests - so a very memorable year indeed.

Hopefully the ten year anniversary will coincide with the next (fingers crossed).

AndNoneForGretchenWieners · 09/05/2019 19:09

feenie if you want to be technical it was actually QCDA, not QCA, in 2010. And I worked for them and then transferred to STA. But as they are long defunct and STA rose from its ashes, those of us who were cosop'd across find it simpler to refer to it as STA, as everyone knows what that is. Most people wouldn't have a clue about QC(D)A. You can be as snarky as you like but speaking as someone who not only knew our tree but had to deal with a whole heap of shit around that time, you won't embarrass me.

Feenie · 09/05/2019 19:15

Not trying to - my point was that the test dates in 2010 were not moved - regardless of who you did or didn't work for.

AndNoneForGretchenWieners · 09/05/2019 19:19

Plus, it was 2011 when the dates were messed around with, and STA existed at that point. We had to rewrite the ARA before it wad issued. And that's the year we went to Florida - and was the first year when the coalition had any say in dates at all. But I suppose your y6 teaching experience gives you more of an insight into how the DfE and its executive agencies works than someone who actually works there - you must be wasted in teaching. We are always recruiting. You could come and patronise all of us about the history of our department.

Feenie · 09/05/2019 19:25

The dates were not moved in 2011 either. That never happened. They have never been changed for anything. They are always that week in May.

Do you want me to speak more slowly?

Notonthestairs · 09/05/2019 19:26

I do this is a bit crap really. Yes SATS are for the benefit of the school but why wouldn't that be a good reason to rearrange the dates? Is your kids school awful?

There are flipping weeks of term left after SATS - trips and treats planned by the teacher which interestingly your child will be able to get the benefit of.

I do appreciate your Dad has been ill - my widowed Dad has cancer and I know the worry of it - but a nudge and the dates could have been altered with zero impact on anyone.

Anyway it's done now. I'm sure you will have a great time and it will be a special holiday regardless of SATS whatnot. But you could have handled this better.

Feenie · 09/05/2019 19:30

Yes SATS are for the benefit of the school but why wouldn't that be a good reason to rearrange the dates? Is your kids school awful?

They wouldn't be allowed to make that decision - it's specifically prohibited and the school would be facing an serious accusation of maladministration if they ignored it.

Notonthestairs · 09/05/2019 19:38

I meant why wouldn't she be willing to change her holiday dates to benefit the school! Sorry - wasn't clear.

Feenie · 09/05/2019 19:41

Ah!

Notonthestairs · 09/05/2019 19:46

I must proof read!

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