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MNHQ

SATs Boycott - what would you think if it went ahead?

42 replies

HelenMumsnet · 20/04/2010 13:40

Hello.

We've been asked by BBC Education what Mumsnet's reaction would be if the headteachers' vote to boycott SATs meant the Key Stage 2 tests (due in early May) were now abandoned.

If your child is due to be taking SATs in May, would you be relieved/cross/not bothered if the boycott went ahead?

Please tell...

OP posts:

islandofsodor · 20/04/2010 13:42

My children don't take SATS as they are in an independent school but I would seriously consider moving back to the state system if SATS were abandoned.

heronsfly · 20/04/2010 13:44

I would be pleased,my year 6 dd and her friends are getting really stressed by the pressure the school are putting on them.

SpringyThingy · 20/04/2010 13:47

I'd want to know how they re now going to track our children progress. It's league tables that are damaging imho.

goldenticket · 20/04/2010 13:48

I would be absolutely delighted and even more pleased to see the back of them for good tbh. Luckily ds is pretty laid back about taking them as he realises it's all about the school (hence the oodles of pressure being put on all the children ). Year 6 is now so unbelievably BORING as it's all about cramming the children for these ruddy tests.

Good riddance to them (I hope).

Hassled · 20/04/2010 14:06

DS2 took KS2 SATs last year - and I would have been delighted if they had scrapped them. A sizeable part of Yr 6 seemed to be about teaching them how to pass the SATs, rather than teaching them, IYSWIM.

And as soon as they got to High School, the cohort was re-tested by the High School in any case. The streaming they do have in Yr7 (just Maths) was based on the school's own assessments rather than SATs or the Junior School's opinion.

Acanthus · 20/04/2010 14:10

The damage is done now, the cohort has had its education limited by being taught a narrow curriculum on the assumption that the tests would be done. I wouldn't care much, my own DS is not stressed by them and performs well under exam conditions.

The SATs only measure up to level 5 anyway, so there is nothing in there to stretch (or stress!) the ablest children. DS usually scores in the high 90s, percentage-wise. IME, the very low expectations are a huge part of the problem in the state system, and we will be moving our boys to the independent sector for secondary education.

Bramshott · 20/04/2010 14:18

My DD is not in Year 6, but I guess if she were I'd be veering between delighted that they were not happening, and irritated that the teachers will have been planning / teaching as if they were. Scrap the lot of them I say!

Hulababy · 20/04/2010 14:19

Not directly affected as DD's independent primary doesn't do them.

However I am not a fan of SATs. I have no problem with pupil assessments run by schools in the manner they chose, for the benefit of the pupils and their progress. don't hiowever feel SATs benefit children - they are for the benefit of the Government in order to put schools up against one another - despite taking no account into the school make up, the pupils who go, etc.

YouKnowNothingoftheCrunch · 20/04/2010 14:32

Very much relieved. My only disappointment is that they didn't do it last year (when DS1 had to do them and had his whole year wasted on being coached to pass an exam rather than actually learning).

gramercy · 20/04/2010 14:34

I'm rather ambivalent. Ds actually quite enjoyed doing SATS, but then he's a bit weird!

I do think, however, that it would be a mistake to throw the baby out with the bathwater: you have to remember why the testing was introduced in the first place. I was talking to a recently-retired head who said that schools are not entirely filled with brilliant, enthusiastic and creative teachers. Prior to the testing many schools were coasting along, and some teachers were for various reasons (laziness, idealogical) not teaching the basics of literacy and numeracy. This head said that although SATS have many faults, it would be doing children a disservice to return to a time when schools went unmonitored.

YesYouMust · 20/04/2010 14:36

I'd think what took them so long, we manage fine without them.

GooseyLoosey · 20/04/2010 14:36

Hurrah! Too many exams at the expense of real learning. Children (and teachers) focus on passing the exams rather than actually understanding the subject. They are only useful for league tables as far as I can see and they in turn are useful for nothing at all!

exexpat · 20/04/2010 14:38

Doesn't affect me this year - DS did SATs last year - but the sooner they are abolished the better IMO.

It's a shame the heads didn't vote earlier to boycott all the SATs cramming preparation that most schools now feel they have to do to maintain their position in the league tables - it is the waste of actual teaching time on that that I object to, not the tests themselves (though they are of little to no use for the children themselves, as far as I can see). DS learnt nothing new and was bored to tears in year 6, as his school did virtually nothing but SATs preparation from Christmas onwards, and had been going back over year 4/5 maths before that.

I'm planning on moving my younger child from a state to an independent primary, and a major factor in my decision is the freedom from SATs/national curriculum.

gingertoo · 20/04/2010 14:40

I don't agree with KS2 SATs and would be glad to see them scrapped however I do feel that any action would come too late to help this year's Year 6 for whom, sadly, much of the damage has already been done...

At my son's school they have already had the 'SATs talk' about how hard they need to work, how important SATs are and how they need to prove themselves'
They are already off-timetable, doing no science, IT, MFL etc because they are now on full time SATs preparation.
They are already invited to attend a 'revision club' after school to do practice papers (and the YR6 teacher will, I quote 'be very disappointed in any YR6 that does not attend')

So unfortunately, whether this year's tests go ahead or not, this year's YR6 have already suffered from the exam preparation pressure from school, limited teaching, hoop-jumping etc that seems to go hand in hand with these tests...

YesYouMust · 20/04/2010 14:43

Bloody hell gingertoo, if only that much effort had been put in while we were doing our real exams!

WynkenBlynkenandNod · 20/04/2010 14:57

I agree with Gingertoo, also have a Year 6 child. My friend was really upset to find her DD has done herself a revision time table on her white board and as soon as back to school yesterday her stomach became upset again, despite being fine all holidays. However, I think they've worked so hard they might as well do them. I hope DS who is in Year 1 will be spared this at that age.

lowrib · 20/04/2010 15:01

I would definitely support a boycott.

I think the Scottish system is much better. DP is Scottish, and we may move there before DS reaches school age. The better schools system - specifically including the way they deal with testing - is an important factor in our decision.

TheProvincialLady · 20/04/2010 15:02

As the wife of a Y6 teacher, I would support a SATs boycott. It is a travesty the way that an entire year of our children's education is wasted on these tests, which are not for the children's benefit in any way. At least with the old 11+ there was a potential benefit to some children (ie they would get into grammar school).

In the meantime it is goodbye to history, geography, art, music, drama, ANYTHING except cramming for these tests. It is no wonder so many children start secondary school so disaffected. And it is hell on the teachers too.

weegiemum · 20/04/2010 15:09

As a (Scottish) teacher I'd be delighted. We don't have them here, but for the sake of the eduaction of most of the children in the UK, I'd be delighted!

There is no educational vlaue in them at all. I would assess my new pupils in S1 based on what I saw, not some arbitrary test they took months ago.

Its all about box ticking and league tables. SATS should not be boycotted, they shoudl be abolished!

weegiemum · 20/04/2010 15:11

Oh and if I was in England and they went ahead I would withdraw my kids/keep them off school/whatever it took to make them NOT do them, and protest strongly to the school about them going ahead.

sallyJayGorce · 20/04/2010 15:14

I support a boycott. SATS are a waste of our children's time. School should be about learning to love learning at this age. There is no place for this kind of testing. If we could afford private school we would because of my issues with the national curriculum.

We should trust our headteachers to lead their schools and give much more freedom to the teachers to plan their work. If they can't be trusted to do it they shouldn't be in the job. All the teachers I know (I am a governor at at a state primary) would be delighted to regain the freedom to teach as they see fit. They are good teachers. Give them the respect they deserve.

sarah293 · 20/04/2010 15:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

SoupDragon · 20/04/2010 15:42

I would be delighted. DS has wasted a fair amount of time being taught specifically how to do these tests, I've never understood their worth and put far more trust in teacher assessment.

MayorNaze · 20/04/2010 15:43

bloody good thing IMO

SATS are waste of time for all involved.

Ledodgy · 20/04/2010 16:00

I would be extremly happy and would fully support them. My dd was 15 mins late out of school today because they were doing their 'special work' which is practise for the SATS. It pisses me off they would be better off getting decent education rather than being groomed for some tests that mean sweet FA.

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