Can any primary school workers help me please or anyone with any more knowledge than me, which must be at least 95% of Mumsnet...

[HuwEdwards]

DD is in Yr3 (did her SATs last year). She went into school yesterday to be met by a bunch of mates saying, "DD1, our class is all set out for tests, Mrs X says we're having tests all this week'.

What are these tests, anyone know? Is is just a check to see where the kids are (i.e. if they're in the right groups), or is it something more formal.

Thanks

In our school, children do tests twice a year in the juniors. Usually it is just after Christmas and towards the end of the summer term. These tests are simply internal assessments. The children are not told the results, and nor are the parents (although I would actually quite like to know!)

Don't panic! They'll either be in school tests to check progress (and yes, probably also to check groupings)or some sort of non-statutory Curriculum based tests.
All week also probably only means a written lit, spelling, reading, maths test - just spread out.
HTH

How odd to do them so formally. Ours don't even know they have done them.

Schools can choose to do Sats every year, the figures just arent used the way the YR2 & YR6 ones are. The school just uses them to track progress. Maybe that's it?
Or is the the usual 1/2 term assessments?

They may be doing 'optional' SATs, which are tests published for Y3 Y4 and Y5 for schools to use and mark internally if they want (and I think that most schools do). Bit early in the year though.....they are usually done in the summer. Could be some sort of school-based reading age assessment, or on-going test stuff that the class teacher has designed. Go in and ask. I would!

(And as an added warning, the optional SATs are designed in the same way as Y6 ones, not Y2 ones. They are usually done with no practises or revision, and are timed. This means that children often blip in their test results from Y2 eg. they got a 2A in Y2, then a 2A again in Y3 - some even go down a grade. It's very very common.)

oh thanks all, I just panicked that I'd missed some kind of communication!!

And Glad, I think I will go in and ask, juniors is on the upper floor so teachers not so readily accessible but I'll book 10mins with her

Agree with madsometimes.

Nothing to worry about.