SATs results (didn’t quite meet ARE) and GCSE predictions

[Awcw1234]

Got my daughter’s KS2 SATs results today.

Maths - 104
Reading - 99
SPAG - 98

I understand that she didn’t quite meet the mark for ‘meeting expectations’ as you need a scaled score of 100 or more. However, she was very close! Will her high school push her to get 4’s in her GCSEs? Just a bit concerned that they won’t based on these results as I know some schools set GCSE targets based on SATs results.

My daughter is dyslexic and has come so far over this past year as she was very far behind (she ended Y5 with a Maths scaled score of 81 and English 91).

I understand that these scores may seem low to some but I’m very proud of her as her confidence was shocking at the beginning of Y6 and she was barely scoring anything on the practice papers. She also suffers from maths anxiety so to not only pass but achieve the score she did is amazing.

Just wondering what the outcome has been for others with similar results x

My daughter also.has dyslexia (and we are still waiting for her sats results...)

Am interested in the comments about watching videos to help with topics. Are there any particularly good places to go to find the videos? I think this would work well for my daughter, she's amazing at explaining something if she's watched videos about it. She spent ages in the pandemic (as a little girl!) watching videos about space and absorbed loads of information that way

My dd is in y7, she got GRD for whole class reading and SPAG and ARE for maths and writing (I think scores were between 106 and 118). Her high school set and communicate a minimum expectation from the start, which for dd were mostly 6s (including maths and English) and 1 or 2 7s (in humanities strangely, maybe scoring very high in whole class reading is a predictor for this?). She’s achieving between 6s and 9s at the end of the year, except for a couple of non-academic subjects (PE and Art).

I think the 6s are perhaps a cautious estimate by the school, as they will achieve a better progress 8 score presumably if she overachieves (which I think she will). I don’t really know how these things work, but your dc will probably be predicted a 3 but pushed to exceed this. A big element is self motivation at high school though!

I think it depends on the individual school. And even that can change.

DC1 got similar scores but the other way round - 109 English and 99 maths.

We got “target” grades right from year 7, which were 5 for maths, 7 for English and 6 for everything else.
Predicted grades started appearing later but tbh they changed up and down pretty much every term.

DC was in the very bottom maths set, but did actually get a 5 (nobody was more surprised than them), the aim and expectation for the whole set was to scrape a 4 if possible (most didn’t, as far as Dc knows).

DC2 a few years behind didn’t get given target grades at all, just classified as “high prior attainment”. And no predicted grades either, just “current attainment” grades.

Very surprised that your son was in the bottom set with a score of 99 as it is pretty much a pass! I’m sure there were lots of children with lower scores?

I am hoping my daughter will be put in the middle sets as it will destroy her confidence being put in the bottom ones.

Some children do well being towards the lower end if a higher set, others prefer to be at the top of a lower set.

The best set is one that goes at her pace and has time to answer her questions.

On the college point:

these days everyone goes on to college.
the expectation is that you continue in education or training until age 18.

in general,

gcse grades of 6 or above allow you to access a levels
gcse grades of 4 or above allow you to access BTECs (BTECs come at two different levels)
gcse grades of 2-3 allow you to access vocational courses along with resiting gcse maths and english
gcse grades of 1 or below usually mean you progress to college to do independent living/lower level vocational courses along with functional skills maths and English.

In terms of the sats, three quarters of the age group meet or are above age related expectations (for each sat)

https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/key-stage-2-attainment-national-headlines/2024-25

My.dc high school do assessments in the 1st few weeks of yr 7 and used those to inform setting instead.

My oldest didn't do SATS and it's never been mentioned.

The assorted projection sites and the dfe will expect a 4/5 from somebody with an absolutely average Average Scaled Score. As it's suggesting her dyslexia could be making it difficult to decode the questions, it would be in her interest and the school's to support her to achieve her full ability, which could be even higher.

Can I just say, I am so glad I've found this thread. So thank you op. I am surrounded by people posting their children's amazing results both on here, Facebook or in person and I am totally over the moon for them, but I dont really have anyone to talk to about my DS. Its so hard when they try so hard and see themselves as 'below' average.

Some of the stories of your older dc doing so well is really good to hear

I don't get parents who do that anyway. I would have hated my results to be made public!

Who are these people posting their kids' SATS results on Facebook?! I don't know any of them ... not been anything mentioned on my dc in year 6 class chat either, I think most people realise it's a bit tactless. I would ignore, anyway!

People who do that kind of thing are usually trying to fill a void somewhere.

I used to know people who posted every single achievement of their DC, always with extra detail about their child was "top" "1st" "exceptional" etc. Those DC are all now secondary age and just your average joes, with strengths and weaknesses like the rest of us, and the parents have calmed down.

I don't know anything about but I would bet on there being a high degree of inaccuracy wrt SATS as a basis for GCSE predictions as they do not take into account the extreme changes that DC go through between ks2-ks4, the variety of life events and family circumstances that can impact outcomes etc too.

Eeeek! I did add a post to my FB last night of my daughter in her leavers hoody stating how proud I was of her! I didn’t think her scores though. Hope I didn’t come across as tactless as that wasn’t my intention. I am just so proud of her after all of her struggles! 🙈
I have seen a few FB posts myself but none have mentioned scores, they’ve just stated that they’ve done well.
Mine was more a “I can’t believe she only has two weeks of primary school left” post x

Thank you.

Her primary school did support her. She had interventions and she has had a private tutor who specialises in dyslexia for 1-2 hours per week for the past year. The school also put in place access arrangements for her (25% extra time, a reader, private room).

I am hoping that her secondary school will be just as supportive but we will see.

Ah ok - I thought you meant people posting actual scores. @Awcw1234 don't have a problem with general 'proud of child'/ school milestone pics - everyone's achievement is relative! It was the actual scores I felt was over-sharing/ crass (as in 'so proud of Billy for scoring 119 and 118 in his SATS' 😂).
Also, I suppose in general people posting they are proud of results may not mean they got top marks - might be they worked really hard and did well for their ability level.

Those are fine, it's the mentioning scores that crosses the line for me.

Yes I am just as proud of DD who has dyslexia and works really hard to get average marks as I am of DS who fairly effortlessly gets brilliant marks (he has his own health battles though so also deserves to feel proud)

Normally what happens on MN is you get posters saying 'my child got 118, 117, 115, is that OK?'

Any decent secondary would be pushing for good grades at GCSE with those results- if they're not then I would look for a different school! I'm assuming there's been a handover where you've been able to discuss the provision they will be putting in place for her? If not I would be contacting them and asking for it!

I role my eyes back so far at those

Hahaha, yes, those posts have always made me roll my eyes a bit in the past! They’ve also made me a feel a bit rubbish as every single child seems to be achieving top scores on here! The average scores never seem to be posted!

No, that is why I've found your post so refreshing.

Not really. I met her new form tutor last week as the induction evening and I briefly spoke to her about my daughter’s SEN needs. She has advised me to email her a copy of my daughter’s dyslexia assessment (it is almost 50 pages long!!!) and details of her needs, access arrangements so she can ensure the SEN team are aware. I’m going to do that this week and arrange a meeting when she starts in September I think.

In my experience, secondary will set target grades based on CAT or MiDYIS testing that they do when they get in. As an English teacher, I did a certain amount of eye rolling at SAT scores as could have the sparkiest kid in front of me with low scores and one with good solid scores who could barely string a sentence together.
talk to the SENCO - don’t leave it to the tutor. Be aware that at this time of year SENCOs are swamped. In my girls indie school, I would be looking at your daughter to get a range of scores from 7 to 5 but mostly 6s.