Boycotting SATS

[MumofChimp]

We’re taking our 11 year old on holiday during SATS week, as that break is more valuable to him than sitting in a classroom completing tests that say nothing about him and are just used to rank schools. Much of his Y6 curriculum has been wasted, doing practice tests that he’s found tedious. He’s an anxious boy who really struggled emotionally with the pressure of the Kent Test and this is a step too far for him. I always said that, if we had the opportunity, we’d boycott and - yes! - we have the opportunity. Anyway, the point of this post is, is anyone else boycotting and how are you going about informing the school? I’m not interested in counter-arguments; I’m an ex-secondary teacher and I know that the results are of little use for progression.

If they do, they're breaking the DfE's rules. The only reason variation is allowed is for absence during the week of the tests (and a few other minor reasons, not of which will have wide relevance).

I like this question. Probably not. Wouldn't society be awful... But, on balance, and on this specific occasion, we're thinking of him alone.

I'm pleased you've had such a great experience. We, however, don't think they do have any benefit for our son.

This. Sorry.

I did check, actually, and they told me that it's not a problem; they have numerous entrants each year without data. They use their own data to track progress and set individual targets. It's not a pool-based holiday.

He's bored stiff, his behaviour is not as it should be and (although he knows we're going away) he is full of anxiety. Since the Kent Test he has been a bundle of nerve and is actually actively trying to sabotage his Maths progress. So yeah, he's happy to forego them.

It's not a beach holiday. 🙄

Just chose the local school tbh. As an ex-teacher myself, I have no truck with Ofsted. Nor league tables.

It’s important for children to experience stress. It helps them cope with stressful situations as adults. Imagine it as a bit like a childhood vaccine for stress/resilence.
He would likely gain more in the long run by experiencing the stress of SATS and having you support him through them than he would by being removed from school to avoid them.

Not boycotting but it has been agreed with school that it will not be in the best interest of my child to do the sats.

He struggles academically so what is the point of putting that added pressure on him, school have been so supportive of him and was actually recommended by them, instead he will have a teacher assessment which will be shared with secondary school.

He excels in other areas and I am super proud of him and know that he will find his way in life without the need of sats and the added pressure of all other tests that are thrown at them.

@ThursdayTomorrow got to disagree with that one, my child has social anxiety/selective mutism and academically is not meeting his expectations.

What is the added stress of him completing sats going to achieve?

CATs may be used by schools to generate unofficial internal targets but they are not an external progress measure. The only measure the DfE and Ofsted are interested in is Progress 8.

Previous posters who have said it is not in your child’s interests to not be part of P8 measures are correct. Schools want all their children to have a positive P8 score. Children who cannot have one by definition (because they missed their KS2 tests) are lower priority for intervention when resources are finite. It’s not right but it’s the way things are.

For the poster who referenced Y10, you are correct that current Y10 (and 9) do not have KS2 scores. There will therefore be no P8 scores for the next two years, but the DfE will use a different measure - probably Attainment 8 or % of 4+ in English and Maths, but we don’t know yet. The point is that all the cohort will be equal, as none did SATs. For the OP’s child, the norm is to do SATs, which puts him at a disadvantage when it comes to prioritising children for intervention at secondary.

I’m afraid it is a myth that SATs don’t have ramifications for individual children. They do. It’s not right, but it’s the system we’re dealing with.

Just echoing @Tygertiger I have to decide on 15 year 11 students to receive 5 hours of free tuition next month. The students without SATs data will not be on the list. I hate it, but I have to think about P8 data and they have no impact on it. Doing KS2 SATs, unfortunately, does matter.

CAT testing is for internal data only and is not the baseline measure used for generating the progress 8 scores that secondary schools are judged by. CAT data is not shared with the DfE, STA, Ofsted or any external organisation. The SATs data is the measure from which progress 8 is judged and so the measure that secondaries are judged from. Please stop spreading misinformation.

You are right, however, that a number of secondary school teachers/leaders don't like SATs but that's because it is the measure that holds them to account. I would suggest that those treating the results with disdain are the same ones with lower expectations in KS3 and who allow the children to slip backwards from where they were at the end of primary.

I'm afraid that is such utter bollocks. If only life were that simple.

Experiencing stress is OK if it is bearable and you can get through it. That builds resilience. However everyone has a breaking point. If the stress takes you at or very near that point then it can break or severely weaken you.

Personally I think the OP should withdraw child from school for final term. SATs can be anxious making, but it is the prep and build up that can make them so. Missing the exams is only a small part. Also knowing he is not doing what the school want will in itself be anxiety inducing. There will be a conflict between home message and school one, too much for a 10/11yo to handle.

I agree with this. My husband has a son from a previous relationship and his ex is like that. Never asks him to work at anything. Doesn’t want to stress him out, but can’t just put in the work or encourage him and just ask him to try his best. You should see him now at 15…

OP - if you are an ex teacher and know so much why are you asking for help in how to approach the school? Just tell them you are going on holiday, but it’s not by a beach.
I find it very strange that you let your child sit the 11+ if it made him anxious, you know he is not highly academic and he didn’t want to go to the grammar anyway. You say he wanted to do it because his friends were, but if it was making him anxious why on earth did you allow / make him continue?
Are you certain you aren’t avoiding the SATs because you think you won’t like the results?

Don’t be surprised if his friends make comments to him about why did he miss them etc. Also don’t be surprised if your son now realises he doesn’t have to do things he finds hard at school.

Your ‘I was a teacher so I know x, y and z’ comes across as superior. I’m a teacher and I certainly don’t think that qualifies me to be making the most informed decisions, especially if it’s not your age of expertise and you’re not actually a teacher anymore!

It's not a boycott.

Can you provide a link to where the guidance says this? The guidance I have read does not distinguish between the types of absence:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/key-stage-2-tests-test-administration-guidance-tag/key-stage-2-test-administration-guidance

@yellowsun its on the government page for varying the timetable

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/key-stage-2-tests-varying-the-test-timetable#pupil-absence-on-scheduled-test-days

It also states the pupil gets 0.

Getting to a grammar with a stressful exam is ok because it’s kudos. An achievement. Not doing sats is selfish and lets the teachers down. The teachers always felt that parents didn’t respect them if dc didn’t do sats when I was a governor. They put so much effort in! If he’s not happy at school, remove him for the term. You are cherry picking the good bits and no doubt the end of term fun. It’s a poor example to set.

I think you'd be helping your child much more if you explained to him how little the SATs matter. He then gets a chance to do a test that doesn't count for anything, before moving to secondary where there will be tests that do matter.

Pupils can't sit the SATs to "count" a week later, but some schools might still get children who've missed them to have a go when they come back. The results won't go into the league tables, but they might be useful when the secondary say "we haven't got Chimp's SATs results; can you tell us about his ability?"