SATS

[Melhuik]

My son's school say his level of anxiety is too high for him to sit SATS next year and it is in his interest for them to request that he is disapplied. However, the school is under increasing pressue to improve its SAT results and I can't help feeling that this is all to do with the league tables. It concerns me how this will affect his confidence and that they already seem to have made their decision. Has anyone been through something similar and how does it affect them being streamed at secondary school?

My understanding was that him being disapplied would still affect their stats. If he is unlikely to obtain level 3 (due to ability or anxiety) he doesn't need to take them and would be recorded as such. Do you think he would get level 3? If so, he should take them if you think it wouldn't be too stressful.

Thank you for your reply. Last year he achieved a 3c in maths and a 3b in literacy however, this year he has failed to make a grade. My view is that he should take them but I had a meeting with the senco last week and was told in very strong terms he would be unable to this would be due to his anxiety in the build up of practice tests in year 6.

It comes out on the stats as 'absent from or unable to access the tests,' and does affect the percentage. ie If by chance, everyone else achieved a level 4 they would not get 100% as your DS would still be included as 'not having achieved a level 4 but htrough being disapplied rather than not getting the grade in the test. So for the general public it would look the same, they just look at the % which get level 4. The Govt, or LA may be more sympathetic, though, I suppose.