Extra time in KS2 SATS

[Guest55]

Etienne's advice is, I think, not to refer to other children - you are appealing for this daughter.

[Bumblebeez]

The school made a mistake when they didn't apply for more time for your daughter to do the test.

They did apply, but with poor evidence. The application was rejected. We now know much more about her disability, but I can't say for sure they'd award extra time now. We won't be claiming discrimination. It's just a pity the pre-11+ assessment was inadequate. I sort of knew at the time, but you can't repeat tests at short intervals and we were out of time. TBH, when the school tells you, with all their authority and experience and pages of test results you don't entirely understand, that nothing is wrong, it is hard not to wonder whether your assessment of your child is off.

Well, more than saying that her sibling is thriving, I mean that you must have inside knowledge of school's strengths that could be essential for you daughter's schooling. I mean, a way of showing them that only that school will do

Good point, it is a different emphasis, and one we did get a chance to make at the last appeal.

Etienne's advice is, I think, not to refer to other children - you are appealing for this daughter.

In general I can see the point. The evidence will have to work for this daughter. I hope we can reassure the panel that we know the right support has been available, for the other daughters with very similar ed psych profiles.

Do you think your daughter will be equally catered for at her allocated school?

I can't say from first hand experience but I fear she won't. Can anyone reassure me about this? I think she'll be in the same situation she's in now: a bright kid, not causing trouble, performing below her potential but hitting progress targets and national norms etc. On the one hand, SEN resources will be deployed primarily on children with far more obvious and urgent need. On the other hand, and even though I know the Uppers are far more mixed ability than they used to be, she will be deprived of the stimulating company of the top students. My hope for her secondary education is that she can play up her strengths as much as possible to help her compensate for what is a frustrating lifelong disability. I especially want her secondary education to provide the best possible environment because her junior schooling has not catered well for her needs.

[salsa]

You sound very convincing to me! It's very tricky to be very positive about the desired school without putting the allocated school down!

[Bumblebeez]

You sound very convincing to me!

Thanks Salsa! It's very useful bouncing ideas around here and seeing what people think and ask about. I appreciate your time and interest.

[salsa]

My pleasure. Good luck!

[Bumblebeez]

Heard this week that DD will not be allowed extra time or breaks for KS2 SATS. She didn't meet the criteria, and they ed psych/specialist assessor evidence wasn't admissible. School tried.

I'm giving up this fight for DD but it just isn't right, and I'd like to point out the features of her case to whoever is responsible for this policy and its administration. I hope the policy can be tweaked to be fairer for other children in years to come.

To be eligible to apply for 25% extra time for JCQ exams (GCSEs and A levels etc) you need ONE standardised score of 84 or less. DD has SIX.

Universities use the discrepancy model, as I understand. At the other extreme, DD has standardised scores of 130, 131 and 131 (among other high scores).

There is no doubt DD is disabled, there is no doubt that extra time helps her raise her scores (school trialled it and found it helped.) I think the KS2 SATS procedures to identify those who need extra time must be flawed if it fails to identify that she needs the extra time as a reasonable adjustment for her disability. I suspect that it is because she is also bright and compensates, and I'm certain she isn't the only one being let down by this system.

So I hope this community can help me answer this question: who within the DfE is responsible, so I can address my concerns to the right person. If you don't know a person's name but know the name of the relevant department, that would be helpful too.

Thanks!

[Guest55]

I think they have applied the criteria incorrectly then - who did they ask in the LA? (PM me if you prefer)

[Bumblebeez]

Thanks Guest 55. I sent you a pm.

[Bumblebeez]

In case anyone else is in a similar situation:

It turns out that the rules for extra time were being correctly applied, and this has been confirmed by the Standards and Testing Agency. Schools have to be extremely careful not to use adjustments improperly, as it can have consequences for the child's results and for the school as a whole. (I'm sure the rule is being applied properly, but I'm also sure that it is wrong in principle. I'm going to take that up with the STA, as by refusing to take into account ed psych or specialist teacher reports, they are discriminating against a whole class of children who are known to have disabilities.)

The better news is that as an alternative access arrangement DD is being allowed sensible rest breaks. This adjustment can be used at the discretion of the school. As it is late in the day they have sought clarification from the STA and been given the go ahead. STA even recommended that she doesn't have to do the mental maths test from the CD, that the questions should be read to her and that she should take breaks during it.

The take away message is: if you are raising or teaching a child who needs reasonable adjustments, please consider extra time AND rest breaks from early in Year 6. Trial both and then, if extra time isn't awarded, you have a back up.

There are all sorts of disabilities that would benefit from rest breaks.

There is a good summary about how to use rest breaks in the JCQ guidance: see p21 of this link: http://www.jcq.org.uk/Download/exams-of ... -2014-2015" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[salsa]

At least you got something for her. Well done. Thanks for the information; I'm sure it'll help other parents.