SATS v 11+

[monkeyblonde]

Hi, I am a parent of a child in Y5, we are busy preparing for the 11+ in September.

I know that Y6 SATS are taking place this week. I have seen many posts on here and other social media sites saying how hard these are on the students, the stress etc. I know that we are in a slightly different situation to some areas but surely they are not as demanding both in terms of outcome but also preparation as the 11+? I have zero experience of SATS so genuinely interested to know!

@elliejjtiny
I really can assure you very few stats primary teachers even speak about the 11 plus in Bucks let alone worry kids that they don’t know enough! Most Bucks parents who think DC might get to a grammar care care far more about the 11 plus than sats. Sats are seen as something you do for the school and teachers do care about the results. However teaching the curriculum well is all that’s needed for being “ready” for the grammars and setting challenging tasks for those who need it. Plenty of schools in Bucks would be delighted if 3 children get to the grammars so they would never ever stress out the class with ridiculous comments about not being ready. Private Crammers might have a different attitude.

As DC can make a lot of improvement at senior school, no sets are set in stone. Teachers assess and sets are flexible.

I have a year 6 DC who did 11+ for a v competitive grammar in September, and passed. She has spent Y6 bored and learning next to nothing and I didn’t even realise it was SATs until she told me on Monday afternoon. She said they’ve been quite nice, as they get to work in silence and individually.

In terms of difficulty, she’s said she’s finished everything early and it’s not hard. I think comparing SATs to 11+ is apples and oranges. Also, for some kids whose results will be used for Y7 streaming they are much higher stakes, and for those whose strengths aren’t in academic work it’s a tough week.

I think a key difference is that people choose whether their child sits the 11+, therefore in doing so, they are accepting a level of hard work and stress that comes with it.
They don't get any choice over SATS.

SATS being taken by DS2 this week. Not stressful as teachers sent every child a lovely letter explaining it is just one of the ways the school assess their skills and that each child has other skills like music , sports, being a great friend, being kind etc that can't be tested. Most importantly the letter said to treat it like their weekly maths spelling test. They had lots of practice with tests the previous two weeks so DS2 taking it all in his stride.

DS1 took 11÷ and it was more challenging but we emphasised it would give him a choice of schools where he would have friends at each school whether he passed or not. His dad tutored him and he was not at all worried. For background he was middle of his class but I think because we didn't make it a be all and end all , he was not at all anxious. He understood it didn't mean he was no good if he didn't pass.

I'm sure this was a typo but "11 divided" (sorry no divided button on app) seems much more accurate than 11+.

You might choose to take offense to that but we both know exactly what I meant 🤷🏿

they*

Dd is doing sats now. Says they're much easier than 11plus. She's done no extra work for them, theirvschool are very clear the children aren't to worry about them. They don't matter to dd as she passed 11plus so grammar schools don't set or need them. She forgot she had them this week tbh, as did I. She worked hard on year 5, so has basically chilled in year 6.

Well maybe, but they take 11plus in September and sats after another whole school year, so if they use the same material then the 11plus is 'harder' as it's taken nearly an entire year younger.

*a year earlier

My Y6 dd did London indies and a grammar 11+ exams this year. She says SATs are much easier, in terms of content and because she is doing them with her friends, in her classroom, with no more than two tests a day.

But she’s a child who has been getting within a few marks of full marks on practice SATs from the start of Y6. And who didn’t find the 11+ that stressful. I know it is different for some of her friends.

@TizerorFizz I'm really glad things have changed since the mid 90's when I took the 11+. My sons schools are completely different to mine but I'm never sure whether they are different because they go to a comprehensive school or because schools in general have changed for the better in the last 25 years or so.

Different companies provide the 11 plus. Depends on school and LA. I doubt if anyone recognised anything. It would also depend on the level of comprehension required. Sats are not 11 plus.

I really have never been aware of teachers stressing out DC over 11 plus. In Bucks you opt out and far more should. Sats should just be part of the school day. It’s folly to get in a frenzy over it. Even if schools use it for sets, they change them around after they do their own assessment and find the sats results are inaccurate. DC who are heavily tutored often have enhanced results but cannot sustain it in secondary with more subjects and a more advanced curriculum.

No child should be bored after the 11 plus. There’s so much more that could be done to teach depth and set greater challenges. Often teachers cannot do this but it’s not good enough.