Yr 6 SATs and although I know I shouldn't care..

[OrmIrian]

and it won't affect his school place for next year, and we're playing it very low key and not making a fuss but I find that I do care. I am nervous for him and worrying that he's worried and ....basically I want it all over.

Next week is test SATS all week. Week after the real thing. We've already had the 'make sure your child is in school come hell or highwater letter'.

I hate exams. Hated them when I was at school and hate them by proxy for my DCs now

Anyone else feeling like this?

I don't think my ds knows about the levels - he just knows that he gets chocolate buttons in the extra lessons!

frankie - our school is in the same position. Just coming out of special measures and everyone, teachers and pupils, are under the cosh.

OrmIrian- why is your school in sm?

Did you agree with the initial Ofsted report that made this judgement?

Because the results were lower than average and the teaching was inadequate. And the finances were shot. Mainly because our head was basically having a breakdown and then left for health reasons so we were without a head for nearly a year before Ofsted came.

Did I agree? I didn't know what to think TBH. I had always beens happy with the school from a pastoral POV. And from an academic POV my DCs seemed to be doing OK. The only thing that bothered me was being told that the teachers weren't reporting the children's progress properly to the parents. So I wondered if I was making false assumptions about my the DC's work. It was such a shock, really damning - so I suppose I didn't agree as it didn't chime with my experiences. We've got a new head now and the interim report saw some major improvements last term.

How about you?

Wow, I'm really shocked at some of these schools' attitudes to KS1 tests. DS2 has done some practice tests in school, as have all the children, but he doesn't worry about them or know what they are for. He is expected to get all 3s too, but there is no extra work either at school or out of school for any children.

The only children who get targeted help are those with special needs and the lower ability children, who have had dedicated small group time with a TA all year, as they did in Y1.

I think it's horrifying that a 6 or 7 year old should be crying about homework and Level 3s. But I must admit it seems that KS2 is a very different story at the DSs' school. I'll find out next year as DS1 will be Y6 and is one of the ones targeted for all 5s.

I am not in this SATs situation yet as my DD is only in reception. It strikes me that many many people are against them but nobody is saying anything. If the teachers don't like them that much and think they are detrimental to childrens education then why aren;t they doing something about it - they are the best placed people to do it.

Very similar to yours, Orm.
Inadequate leadership(head had breakdown, a recurring theme?)
Inadequate monitoring of pupils progress
Unsatisfactory teaching

A real shock for us too- we thought dd was doing really well.
I'm quite sceptical about it tbh. Reception is now completely play based, and whereas dd could read and write by Easter when she was in reception, under new format many children at same time this year cannot even write their own name.

We also have new head and are on track to be out of special measures.

Ours is a leafy lane school that is consistently top 10 in league tables, but I think Ofsted found some of the teaching methods old fashioned.
No more sitting at desks working, lots more hands on learning and imaginative play.

The old way suited my dd, although some of the less academically able children were stuggling with it, apparently.

I just can't wait for this to be all over! Ds1 (yr6) is getting into serious SATs mode now. They're doing mocks this week, then revision next week.

Every day he comes home with a score from some test or other, and what level he's got.

He wants to get 5a in everything, but it is pretty tough, particularly in English. We will definitely be just chilling this weekend and forgetting about the whole nonsense!

Spoke to DS1's teacher today as they are getting someone in to scribe for him (broken arm) and they need a letter from GP a copy of which has to go on every sat test paper to say why he cannot do it himself.

She mentioned to me that he has found this week really hard and on Monday she wanted to send him home at 2.45 but he said no. Well hello I think he said no because it has been drummed in so much that time off is not allowed and already had last Thursday and Friday off due to being in hospital.

Poor kid is probably scared out of his wits.

Schools around here seem to be playing the whole thing down, haven't met any parents who are stressing about it. Maybe because we're an area of steady plodders rather than either special measures or highly successful/upwardly mobile.

Dd cares a bit, but not excessively. I am quite happy that she should spend a little extra time on her work, as she missed a lot of work last year due to illness and it seems a shame for her to go up to secondary school with big gaps in her knowledge.

But on the whole, SATS are making relatively little impact.

I love or school. Healthy attitude to SATS but kids know their teacher works really hard and try their best for her. It makes me smile when I see children in Y6 running to get in early in the morning - my ds included. If he gets his reading done to me by 8 I take him early as a treat!!

My dd1 is Y9 in a selective school and is also being encouraged to do well but not worry by her teachers. Can't believe some of the pressure put on by schools, particularly at KS1. Our children didn't even realise when they were doing SATS at that age!