2021 yr6 SATs

[Cattitudes]

After saying GCSEs and A levels can't go ahead as planned surely they won't still plough on with yr6 SATs? I don't think many people like them, they have already said that they will not use them in league tables this year. Although some secondary schools use them to set children they will have to have found a different way this year. I also think that the way they tried to use them last year in CAGs and the way they are used in normal years to predict a whole raft of GCSE projected grades is bonkers. This year more than any other year they will not be accurate for children whose education effectively ended in the middle of yr5 compared to those whose schools attempted to battle on with the curriculum in the summer term and who did not miss school last term.

The SPAG one was cancelled some time ago (much to DD's disgust as she likes those tests apparently). I would assume the rest will follow. They won't announce that yet as SATs don't have any effect on their future unlike GCSEs and A levels.

Ds quite likes SPAG too. I think it would just take the pressure off the teachers and hence the yr6s. Ds has already passed 11+ so not too bothered academically, it would just be nice not to have SATs homework over Easter etc!

Totally stupid to cancel stats.

It could be a bench Mark.

They have had covid around since early last year.

The could change format and use an online method.

I despair.

Bad enough that the secondary exams are cancelled.

They could change... not the.

Good luck everyone.

I just feel online learning could have changed things.

I feel the govt has been so poor.

Exams are antiquated but they are a measure.

At the very average primary school the teachers tend to teach more in sats years.

Anyhow I would not want to be a teacher as they can't win.

They do have an effect on a child’s future as many schools will use them to set. Perform badly, end up in the bottom set. I appreciate there are many tests a long the way to make sure DC are in the right sets but I imagine it’s easier to go down than up when you are potentially in a class with disengaged with the material, less well behaved children.

@SJaneS49

They do have an effect on a child’s future as many schools will use them to set. Perform badly, end up in the bottom set. I appreciate there are many tests a long the way to make sure DC are in the right sets but I imagine it’s easier to go down than up when you are potentially in a class with disengaged with the material, less well behaved children.

And this year the inequalities will be even greater due to circumstances totally beyond their control. Even my yr11 is concerned that exams sat five years ago might be dragged up as evidence for GCSEs.

SATS have just been cancelled

I have just heard. Hopefully good news for most yr6s.

Good news for us! Secondary schools will have to focus on CATS which will be more indicative of their levels in September rather than being prepped for many months on SATS and getting inflated results.

I don't pay too much attention to teacher assessments.

I'm not pleased at this. It was very obvious last year that the Y6 teachers lost all motivation when last year's SATs were cancelled. My DS was in Y5 last year and I looked at the work Y6 were being given and it was pitiful. I'm worried that my very able Y6 now won't be stretched at all this year and the jump to Y7 will be really hard.

Can anyone provide a link to this news?

@Catsneezies I understand. The work given to my DD was pitiful too, I gave up on her doing it because it was downloads/no marking/no feedback and so demoralising. I ordered lots of CGP/Bond books and she researched on-line for anything else she was interested in. She is top set now. Work this week is more or less the same with twinkl sheets but they are providing feedback so that's something.

Our school has a tendency to be a SATS machine workhouse from Feb half-term onwards so there wouldn't have been much learning in anything else.

It's live in the HOC

With hindsight, if I had a y6 child I'd be really pleased that SATs are being cancelled. Despite for years people saying, don't worry it's just a way of checking on schools and teachers, it's not just that. SATs marks follow you all through secondary school! My y11 did averagely in SATs but has worked really hard during the last two years. In tests, assessments, he's done really well - yet his projected grades for GCSE are lower than other students despite having higher grades than them. I am worried now that these will be used in some way for GCSE grades now.

My DS has been getting 98% in his SATs mocks so for him they would have been a way to evidence his ability. The problem we've always had is him not being stretched enough at school. SATs certainly seem to motivate the teachers to stretch the more able children. I'm worried that without them there will be no incentive.

I don't think that my ds is particularly stretched with SATs, they know he will deliver so concentrate on those who are more borderline, from a teacher perspective I do totally understand why. DS is now working on some yr7 skills at home - picking up some basics of the MFL he will encounter at secondary. Many of his new classmates will be at private schools currently, ploughing into yr7 curriculum in lesson time. I also think that this will free up teaching time to help children catch up where needed. It also means instead of endless SATs homework he can do something more enriching.

Plus as MissAmandaJones says the SATs do haunt children for years. Why is my yr11 child's projected Geography score still based on maths and English tests taken when she was 11? Obviously this is not her actual predicted score, but it is still there on the form.

Our eldest was in yr 6 last yr so didn't do the SATs. Since being at secondary school, they have done 2 wks of assessments in its place and have just adjusted the timetable so they are in the correct band for lessons.

Yes that's true I suppose I should be looking at how to prepare him for Y7. He covered the Y6 maths and English syllabus for his 11+.

@Catsneezies May I ask how you are preparing for Y7? Any particular books/sites? TIA

I haven't thought about it yet. Perhaps he could look at some of the Y7 lessons on Oak Academy and make start on basic French etc. He's not hugely keen on watching the videos on other subjects though as they can be a bit slow. Might get him a Y7 maths book if such things exist. Does anyone have any recommendations?

@Catsneezies tbh the SATs are not a stretch or challenge for the able - they are the most reductive thing possible, and constrain the potential for better richer learning.

And very few secondaries use the SATs for setting. Outcome gets shoved in the algorhythim for grade prediction for league tables most schools test within first half term and take teacher assessment into account. Only a crap school will set on the basis of SATS.

@Catsneezies

Yes that's true I suppose I should be looking at how to prepare him for Y7. He covered the Y6 maths and English syllabus for his 11+.

Yes I see it as an opportunity. Chance to get ahead with more challenging work without the distraction of exams which won't really be relevant.

Thanks. I'm just more concerned that the teachers will lose any momentum now as so far this year they have been very pushy about SATs (since the 11+ in October they did constant SATs mocks and DS got much more extension work than usual, he loved it) and without that goal I wonder if their expectations/motivation will be lower and they will concentrate on "fun" learning rather than stretching them.

I looked at the online work for Y6 last year during lockdown and it looked like a much lower standard/expectation than DS's Y5 work. And I heard Y6 parents saying that the teachers had massively taken their foot off the pedal after SATs were cancelled last year.

Look for ks3 CGP books. Duolingo can be a start for mfl, just enough for the basics. Sounds like your ds is heading for a similar school Catsneezies so I just want him to be confident enough for the first few weeks on subjects he hasn't encountered before. Also some time to do more of the things he enjoys.