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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

URGENT - dd1 on my kneee crying, please help her to stop worrying about SAT's

80 replies

Orinoco · 04/04/2008 21:00

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OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

AbbeyA · 04/04/2008 22:21

Year 6 shouldn't be taking home test papers never mind year 2!

Original poster

Orinoco · 04/04/2008 22:37

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Jessie3 · 04/04/2008 23:29

The way to get Y2 children used to test questions, or the way they are asked, is to incorporate them into normal lessons. Then the children never know when they are actually doing a test (which only has to happen once in Y2 anyway). To make them aware and to freak them out by sending past papers home is irresponsible teaching, and when the school is moderated by the LEA would be heavily criticised.

To people who think you can take children out of Y2 when the tests occur - they can take place at any time in Y2 from Sept to June (when the LEA collect teacher assessments), so you would not find out when your child did them. (The idea is that the children don't know either!) Most schols use them some time in May to confirm the teachers' already well-founded judgements - you can't really keep children off for a whole month!

Jessie3 · 04/04/2008 23:35

Sorry, I have banged on loads, but am so on your dd's behalf. If you posted this on the TES primary forum, teachers would be up in arms for her. Cannot believe this woman is a head!

AbbeyA · 05/04/2008 08:36

I can't believe it either Jessie3! The SATs were changed because teachers were against the pressure on such young children-sending home papers is hardly low key! The memory that sticks in my mind, from a few years ago, is one of the 6 yr old boys(a lot of DCs do them at 6 because of their summer birthday)saying to me afterwards 'Mrs ....I worked so hard that my toes tingled'!!

Buda · 05/04/2008 09:07

DS is doing them in May too. The teacher is very low key about it. I know one parent has to take her child out of school for a family wedding in May and was worried he would miss it and the teacher just said not to worry that he could do them separately and that the children won't even know they are doing them really.

The only thing she is doing is setting the homework in the style that the sats tests will be in so that they are used to the format.

DoodleToYou · 05/04/2008 09:57

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GrapefruitMoon · 05/04/2008 10:04

At our school the teacher doesn't mention SATs at all and the children don't really know they are being tested - she also asks the parents not to talk about it to the children. So I'm a bit surprised at you school tbh...

Have to say ds1 will probably be more aware of what's going on than dd was - she is doing KS2 SATs this year so inevitably is talking about them a lot and has told him that he will be doing them too

Buda · 05/04/2008 10:12

Hi Doodle! Hasn't helped I am afraid - he even holds that with the wrong grip! He was assessed by the school OT on Thursday and she agrees that the grip is all wrong and she will work with him next year - she is totally full this year.

I had yet another thread going about it here!

Am feeling relieved and planning fun ways to improve things over the next few months before next academic year.

Thanks for asking and remembering.

SmugColditz · 05/04/2008 10:16

Sats are for the TEACHERS not for the children. I remember sitting them, the first year they were introduced, and some of the teachers were getting worked up about them, and working us up, but the head of Sciences called a year assembly and told us quite clearly that it was a test to see how much the teachers have taught you, and the reason some teachers get upset about them is that they are scared they won't do very well in their tests!

Not for children to worry about. the only test they ever need to worry about are their gCses. the others, they should just try their best, because the outcome makes no difference.

throckenholt · 05/04/2008 10:18

they vary so hugely in what they can do at 7 - tell her she is fine doing whatever she can - as long as she concentrates and tries to do her best - no-one can ask more than that and she doesn't need to worry about them.

throckenholt · 05/04/2008 10:19

I would talk to the teacher as well and tell them what effect them sending 4 test papers has on her - it really doesn't help her at all to relax and enjoy learning.

SmugColditz · 05/04/2008 10:24

the teacher used to tell us specifically that the test was for older children and we would not be able to answer all the questions, and that the questions that didn't get answered would show the teachers what they needed to teach again

bozza · 05/04/2008 21:06

Gosh colditz you must be very young.

SmugColditz · 05/04/2008 21:33

nahhh am 27. We had them at ... 14, I think? Or it may have been 11. Or I might be getting confused with an inspection but I don''t think so.

ingles2 · 05/04/2008 21:45

Orinoco...we are in the same sort of small state school as you. last year ds1 did nothing for yr 2 SATS this yr ds2 is being given a lot of practice papers etc. I don't know which LEA you are, but I know in ours there are imminent small school closures and things like SATs results are going to make a difference to the final decision. The LEA has come down extremely hard on the school and has flagged it as a cause for concern on it's KS SATs results. Is this the case in your LEA do you know?

Original poster

Orinoco · 05/04/2008 21:49

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ingles2 · 05/04/2008 22:04

I know the problem...last yrs were dreadful at our school. We had 9 eligible, 4 SN, 2 statemented...
If there are mutterings in general within the LEA then she is probably trying to making a point and make sure the school remains out of harms way iyswim

frankiesbestfriend · 05/04/2008 23:43

My dds school has been placed in special measures, one of the main reasons being that not enough year 2s are acheiving level 3 in their sats.

All the children with potential to acheive level 3 are now facing an absolute avalanche of homework.
OFSTED are moderating the whole process and support the amount of homework the school are setting.

All they are concerned with are their precious statistics.
Way too much pressure IMO, am sorry for your dd Orinoco as my dd is sad too

Are the papers your dd is getting for level 3?
Perhaps they are pushing her because she could acheive a higher level.
Are all the children in her class getting the same homework?

seeker · 05/04/2008 23:50

My ds is in year 2 as well, but he hs no homework at all ovr the holidays. If they had sent test papers ome with him I would have sent them back uncompleted. At this age, it is up to the school to teach them everything that's necessary for the SATS - if they are sending extra work home at this stage, it shows a distinct lack of planning, and maybe a level pf panic in the teacher.

Jessie3 · 06/04/2008 00:02

Too right, seeker. I am just imagining what I would say to any LEA advisor/OFSTED inspector who tried to make me send home past papers for my Y2 children. I can't believe what I am hearing on this thread!

thritbies · 06/04/2008 00:10

Oh bless her, poor thing. ds is in reception and I am already about them- I plan just not to be bothered and will try to make sure he isnt. He cried tonight because I said he is back at school on monday:
"I'm just thinking about how hard I have to work Mummy!"
Oh the hard life he leads!

ladette · 06/04/2008 00:26

Haven't read all the threads so sorry if repeating but just off to bed.... I tell mine that SATs are to show how well the teacher/school is doing, not them. Which is a fact. Poor love.

throckenholt · 06/04/2008 08:07

I always thought that if there were less than 10 in the year group then they didn't go into the SAT league tables - has that changed ?

It is one of the reasons little rural schools have been able to exist on their own merits without having to be compared on the league tables.

cadelaide · 06/04/2008 08:22

Dd will be doing SATS in May, she's 7.

She has brought home a practice paper with a letter which reads;

"....We won't be marking the practice paper, but we would like to go through them with the children after the holiday and so we would like them all returned please..."

Yeah, right.

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