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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

SATs - unethical practice

54 replies

Mumzilla1 · 03/10/2023 19:10

I’ve just found out that my child’s school are offering extra tutoring after school to the Students who are destined to achieve Greater Depth in their SATs.

My child is on the other end of the scale. He struggles so much that he has anxiety. So yes, I’m upset about this.

Is this normal practice for schools ? that the struggling students are left behind? Are they not worth the extra time because they get more points for GD students ?

Do I complain or is this just how it is? I may be naive in saying this but I believe the gap needs bridging so that all children have the opportunity and support to succeed.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Hawkins0009 · 05/10/2023 16:45

Mumzilla1 · 03/10/2023 19:35

So the benefit would be greatest by targeting the high achievers? 😳 Wow. What world do we live in.

I’m not opposed to the extra tuition for the high achievers at all. I just do not think they should be prioritised and the struggling children left behind. It creates a larger gap to bridge and ALL children deserve the same opportunities.

thats the thing, everyone deserves the same opportunities, but then its why are some struggling that could also be a factor in why the best are the ones with the extra assistance, especially if they are alread primed to go onto oxbridge etc,

Fireisland · 05/10/2023 16:48

On the face of it, it seems outrageous but I imagine it's as PPs have said - during school hours the focus is on supporting the children who are working below expectations, and the GD children are largely being left to get on with it.

MintJulia · 05/10/2023 16:49

Our primary did the opposite. Ds was bored, angry and fed up at the slow pace in years 5&6, while the teachers focused all their time on the less academic pupils.

I guess each head teacher decides on his or her own strategy to maximise their score depending on each year's particular characteristics.

Fireisland · 05/10/2023 16:53

Mumofteenandtween · 03/10/2023 19:23

It may be that they are spending the lessons trying to get everyone up to expected and not covering GD at all there.

Speaking as someone whose two highly able children spent more time as unpaid TAs than doing appropriate learning in maths lessons I can confirm that there is very very little resources given for the more able kids.

And yes, this was our experience at primary too. DD was a "lead learner" which meant that when she had finished her work, she was given a lanyard and went round helping others. She was never stretched.

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