Writing exemplifications

[Pud2]

Have you seen them, published today? Utter madness. The examples of expected writing for Y6 are high level 4 and for Y2, level 3. There is no way that most of our children will achieve expected standards despite being well taught. Why on earth does your average 11 year old need to know the difference between a coordinating and a subordinating conjunction, and who really needs to be able to identify a modal verb or a determiner at that age? The powers that be have clearly only ever met articulate, middle class children and not your average inner city child. Awful. It's setting both children, and teachers, up to fail.

I think it would be a great idea for all schools to enter 0%.

I would also like to strike on the day of the SPaG test.

If only we were brave enough as a profession to do something like that. The doctors would!

Where, pic?

Thanks Feenie.

That's exactly what I thought - the below looks like a level 4.
I can't see there being even 50% of children reaching the new "expected" level

Schools returning 0% ARE sounds like a brilliant idea.

It's a fucking disgrace. I work at a naice middle class leafy suburb school (lots do 11+) and we had a sample moderation meeting tonight. I could have cried. My top writers are only just scraping ARE. Everyone else doesn't stand a chance.

I also think the 'Working Towards' is much higher and honestly can't really see much between that and the ARE examples. And what of my lowers / EAL children who would have scraped a L4 last year? This year some won't even be 'Working Towards'. Basically telling them that even if they bust a gut, their writing is shit. And they have failed.

Bang goes all the topic, music, art - EVERYTHING else for the next ten weeks. I have already spoken to deputy & our plan is to do nothing but Lit and Num until SATS. Poor bloody kids won't know what's hit them. Goodbye lovely enriching learning. Hello guaranteed way to fuck up kids' feelings about learning for life.

We need to get bloody angry about this everyone.

Yes we do need to get angry and stop taking this if not for ourselves but for the children.

Oh please, even when the unions did get together and boycott in 2010, only 30% actually participated in the boycott. And that was with the NAHT on board.

It's fun being over a barrel though isn't it :(

Well the government are going to look total idiots when the results come out and only 10% are at ARE. They will probably claw it back immediately.

I have been reading my kids the first Harry Potter - tonight I read a whole chapter and couldn't find a single colon or semi-colon (I was looking - sad) It's official! JK Rowling is not ARE!!!! Who knew?

The other madness is that the moderation is going to take place AFTER the results have been submitted. More of a checking exercise I would say..,.

So my pupils who are fantastic writers (content) but have dyspraxia will not get the grading they should because of fucking handwriting?!

Read quite a bit of talk re boycotting on Twitter but that might just be down to who I follow : )

A boycott wouldn't be legal unless it went through the unions. As I said, in 2010, the NUT and the NAHT organised the boycott which saw up to 50% of schools in urban areas and much less in more rural areas take part. Was about 30% overall.

Without the union backing, heads would be at risk of prosecution because the tests are statutory. If the NUT or the NASUWT tried, the head could just sideline them for the tests to fulfil their statutory requirements.

The league tables looked fantastic in 2010 after the boycott!

Our level 6 writer and brilliant speller has been coming out as less than expected in spelling tests..
When they take a national average, perhaps 5/20 will be average?

Interesting challenge - unlikely though, since she wouldn't even answer a times table question:

www.tes.com/news/school-news/breaking-news/one-heads-challenge-nicky-morgan-take-new-sats-and-lets-see-if-you

My head forwarded an email from the NAHT - they have given the Government an ultimatum: sort out this mess / scrap floor standards this year / revise the exemplars or there will be consequences. The exact wording demanded 'drastic changes' otherwise they 'will act to protect schools'. Anyone know what this actually means? All very dramatic...

Have seen the letter today - it is excellent!

Sounds great! Do you if it's available online to read?

My Head teacher has signed with all staff, especially Y6, in full support.

I've signed their pledge too. Something has to be done.

Today I looked carefully at the ks1 exemplification and ticked my children's literacy work off across 3different pieces of work.
I notice that if a child had 3 ticks against one criteria, this was in the 'collection' column so I assume this is how we are to now assess our children's work?
I work in an Outstanding school which has been (recently) awarded many accolades for the teaching of writing and my level 3b writers were 'Working towards' because there were no exclamations or commands in their work :(

The exemp materials advise us not to use the statements as a tacking document- that seems illogical to me.
Creativity is being killed. :(

tracking

I am so scared, stressed and fed up this year. I have worked so hard with my children and they have done brilliantly, really made good progress. They have also come on in leaps and bounds in so many other ways.

I have already decided that this is my last year teaching. Resignation after half term. I just can't be part of this system any more. In our last PDM, I complained about the increased demand only to be told I didn't have high enough expectations. It's all bollocks but the poor, poor kids.

It's horrendous. I'm sorry you aren't in a supportive atmosphere at school, my head is far more furious about it than me (she is a year 6 teacher)
It is terrible for the children though which is the most heart breaking thing :(