DS struggled with writing SAT test today

[twik]

Ds isn't really all that bad at writing but he had his SATs test today, writing about night time but he said he had forgotten to put headings in it so the teacher made him start it all over again so he hardly got anything done by the end of the time. Two sections he said, about half a page of writing.

Someone told me that they only have 45 minutes to do it. Do they stick strictly to that? And will he get a bad mark for not writing much or will he be marked more on the quality of what he did manage to do?

I'm not hugely worried so much as curious about what it means to not finish at this age.

I think it means nothing. KS1 SATS are teacher assesed. Therefore these tests are just one of many examples the teacher will use to make their assesment.

However, what would I know - my DD was taken out of class when the reading and writing tests were done - and told 'the rest of the class are doing a test which is too hard for you.'

If it's KS1,don't worry the teacher can assess, and will already know your DC's level, so the actual SAT paper is just an exercise, really.

Oh okay thanks.

It's a mystery to me really about why then even do the darned things.

PeacefulLiz, that sounds horrible. Why was that? I know two tables in ds's class went elsewhere and did a different test when they did the reading one but he said the teacher said it was so that they could take their time and not be distracted.

Yes it's KS1 I should have said that.

And Ds only mentioned the other table thing because his two best friends were on one of them and he wanted to do it with them.

PeacefulLiz - that's awful!

DS" was taken into the hall to do some "easy measuring" with the HT, and a few other children. I presume it's because the rest of the class were doing a more difficult SATs paper.

Does anyone know about a dinosaur reading comp paper. My daughter started it today- got to a question she couldn't answer- the teacher ripped it up and gave her an "easier" one called Moving House!!

I haven't heard of that one. DS did a reading test about windmills. But he also did some reading with the teacher he said where they got to choose their own booklet and she asked some questions. He chose the booklet about how babies are born ...

Twik - you only sit a test if you're going to get a 2 or a 3. If you're working at a level 1 you can't sit a test because you can't read or write.

I know she's going to get a level 1 and I don't mind her not sitting a test which is too hard for her - but school should have told her something else.

When I complained they didn't believe me and said she probably just worked it out for herself.

mumofoneage7 - the dinosaur reading comp paper sounds like a SATs paper my ds did 2/3 years ago.

schools can/could use either the 2009 or the 2007 tests.

PeacefulLiz, many children working at Level 1 can read and write, but if they are in Year 2 they are working below the expected level for their age.

The guidance from the QCA states that the writing task can be attempted only once, so the teacher who has twik's DS has not followed the rules: 'Tasks should be administered only once to each child'.

Maybe the teacher felt sorry for him? Do you think they all stick to the rules very strictly. From his description, although he's not that good with time, they had much longer than 45 minutes to do it. He said they did it from first play til lunchtime, then after lunch as well for a while.

twik, my class had longer than 45 mins in total, because they made little books with a different heading on each page and I gave them extra time to draw and colour on the cover and pictures inside. They had around 45 mins for the writing itself (though some of mine could write for hours and hours, even the boys!)

I do wonder how strict some teachers are though because a friend of my ds was allowed to do his reading test paper again as the teacher said she thought he could have done it better. So he did the same paper twice. The first time with the whole class and the second with a small group of children who had been off school when they did it the first time.

I'm really surprised to hear that a teacher would do that. Isn't it unfair to the rest of the class?

My son did the writing about the dark too, but he did his on the computer as his writing is very poor; I'm assuming this means he'll be level 1? I thought they were testing their actual handwriting ability or is it what they actually write about?

I think it's more to do with what they write about but I'm sure handwriting and spelling are important.