Do Year 6 children HAVE to go in to do SATs, even when ill?

[cheapskatemum]

DS4 wasn't feeling well yesterday, in fact he'd had a headache since coming home from school on Monday. I kept him home as I normally would (not that it happens often, this was the first time this academic year). At 9am I got a phone call from the Headteacher asking me to bring him in, otherwise he wouldn't get a mark for his English SAT. I took him in and picked him up at lunchtime as the class were playing rounders that afternoon and he really wasn't up to it, although he normally loves PE. He'd walked out of the test 3 times and only written 3 lines. He hadn't understood the task and wasn't seduced by the trainers topic! Then the Head told me he should be getting 3 level 5s. I know he won't now and I just wish I hadn't taken him in.

Sounds ridiculous.
If i was a Head I'd rather have no score for a child who was absent than a poor score which makes it look like the child has made no progress.
I'm sure our Head doesn't call in sick children for SATs

Last year, our school sent an invigilator round to our house so that DS1 could do his SATs from his bedroom!

my son was also ill yesterday. he went to the doctor before i took him in. despite the head asking me to bring him for the test first. i stuck to my guns,saw the doc,then took him in (still not feeling 100 per cent). he took the test separately later in the day,but wasn't allowed to see or speak to rest of the class til he had completed it.

I don't know if this comment is quite relevant - except that it shows the feeling about SATS in our house.

I've told my daughter that while it's a good thing to try your best at everything you do, the tests are more to judge the teachers than the children. She will still go up to the school that she's chosen and has accepted her, she will still be judged on her proven ability in class. If she does poorly in her SATS it will not hamper her plans for world domination or to become a brain surgeon!

Yes, Tattifer, I completely agree and have said much the same to DS4. I do feel for his teachers, because he has improved marvellously in both years he's been at the school (family circumstances have also improved, which has helped).

Unfortunately, he hasn't got into the local high school - nothing to do with ability - Mum didn't get the form in on time & now it's full. I guess all that (the appeal hearings are next week) has heightened my angst about it all. Which, in turn, has probably had an effect on DS4.

I hope KS2 SATs are abolished. Thanks for all your replies.