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Why could this be?

10 replies

Goonie1 · 11/03/2025 23:31

My eldest is in Yr 6 and has been revising for SATs tonight as he has been most nights. He loves Maths but has always hated English; reading, writing....he just does what he needs to,bare minimum if he can get away with it, to get it done and onto something better as he would say. I just thought he preferred Maths.

He has amazing vocabulary, like really good, and often tells me he will use a thesaurus to look up a more interesting word for one he considers boring. And he will read about space (Brian Cox) or a Harry Potter book no problem.

Anyway, this evening he is revising and I said why don't you do a bit of English now, to which he found every excuse under the sun not to but said he will tomorrow evening. He then told me that he will get extra time in the English SATs which has really surprised me and I wondered why this is? He said he didn't know (I didn't expect him to know I was trying to gage what the teachers have said to him) and I'm also wondering why school haven't mentioned it? He's always been good at maths; he doesn't exceed at English but aside from the obvious implications of lockdown on his education, from parents evenings etc at school, I didnt think there were any further issues, but now I'm lay here really worried that there are.

Can anyone shed any light? And hopefully reassure me?

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Goonie1 · 12/03/2025 07:17

Anyone?

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Meceme · 12/03/2025 07:57

He could have a procrastination issue, a slow processing rate for the written word, slow writing speed etc. There are tests they can do in school to determine if handwritten speed fits the extra time SATs criteria. Or if he is routinely given extra time to complete tasks in class that may have become his normal way of working and, if the have sufficient evidence (often IEP, stage before ECHP and internal to school), trigger additional time.
The idea is for conditions to be as normal as possible so he can show what he can do.

LIZS · 12/03/2025 08:11

Is his writing slow.or awkward, difficulty processing written instructions or text?

Goonie1 · 12/03/2025 08:27

Meceme · 12/03/2025 07:57

He could have a procrastination issue, a slow processing rate for the written word, slow writing speed etc. There are tests they can do in school to determine if handwritten speed fits the extra time SATs criteria. Or if he is routinely given extra time to complete tasks in class that may have become his normal way of working and, if the have sufficient evidence (often IEP, stage before ECHP and internal to school), trigger additional time.
The idea is for conditions to be as normal as possible so he can show what he can do.

It's never been mentioned about the extra time in class. He does take a little while when writing but I've not got other children the same age to compare. I know his handwriting wasn't great but he has come on leaps and bounds with it in Yr6 and it's so much better and that's always been kind of put down to the whole lockdown situation they went through.
I'm just wondering if it's something to worry about?

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Goonie1 · 12/03/2025 08:29

LIZS · 12/03/2025 08:11

Is his writing slow.or awkward, difficulty processing written instructions or text?

Writing a bit slow maybe (I don't know the benchmark) but his writing has come on leaps and bounds this year. In the spoken, he articulates himself very very well and uses extensive vocabulary.

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LIZS · 12/03/2025 08:31

Ask the teacher if he has been assessed and whether he should be assessed by an EP or similar for dyspraxia etc. Does he have issues with motor skills, team sports, riding a bike?

Goonie1 · 12/03/2025 08:33

LIZS · 12/03/2025 08:31

Ask the teacher if he has been assessed and whether he should be assessed by an EP or similar for dyspraxia etc. Does he have issues with motor skills, team sports, riding a bike?

No, he plays sports, he's not great at football, but he's brilliant at tennis and basketball and he can ride a bike. I'm going to give the school a call today. It was just rather a shock to hear him say this last night as there has never been any issue raised with him at parents evening etc.

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WoahThreeAces · 12/03/2025 08:48

Check with the teacher that he hasn't misunderstood something. There may have been a comment about some pupils getting extra time and for some reason he thought it applied to him too?

CanIGoHomeNowPlease · 12/03/2025 12:01

We had a Yr 6 SATS meeting at school this morning. My sons teacher mentioned that they had applied for extra time for students they thought would benefit it.

She said that all they had applied for had been approved. Maybe your sons school put forward students that it feels could benefit from the extra time?

The SATS people then make a decision based on the evidence out forward by the school and give the children the extra time if the evidence is strong enough.

Sounds like a good thing.

Goonie1 · 12/03/2025 17:41

CanIGoHomeNowPlease · 12/03/2025 12:01

We had a Yr 6 SATS meeting at school this morning. My sons teacher mentioned that they had applied for extra time for students they thought would benefit it.

She said that all they had applied for had been approved. Maybe your sons school put forward students that it feels could benefit from the extra time?

The SATS people then make a decision based on the evidence out forward by the school and give the children the extra time if the evidence is strong enough.

Sounds like a good thing.

Oh yeah, definitely a good thing if he needs it. I'm just concerned that nothing had been flagged before now in case he needed some additional help outside of school.

I rang school first thing and someone was supposed to call me back but didn't. So I'll call again tomorrow. Or discuss at parents evening which I've found out today is next week

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