Discussion re SATS / Teachers / employers etc (from warks)

[BoltBlue]

Boltblue - I would be interested in your response to my earlier post re the context of why official SATS were boycotted..

Tired of the pressure. What pressure? If the teaching was up to standard the children would have no problem with SATS.
Teaching for the test is teaching the curriculum. What is the issue? Isn't this what GCSE and "A" levels and degrees do?

Are the teachers scared poor teaching would be exposed? How could the school compare their children with others on a fair basis if they did not do the official SATS tests? They cannot use past SATS papers as they are in the public domain. My children have undertake the last 11 years Maths SATS papers already. They would clearly score 5A - it would be "cheating" to use an old paper.

Do the teachers use the same argument and boycott GCSEs and "A" levels as they have to teach for the test and these exams are detrimental to the childrens' education? The same logic applies. It holds no water. Teach for the test and after the tests spend the rest of the time on "arty farty" things only. This is an easy solution. No Maths or English after SATS.

Would teachers boycott 11+ exams as well? Didn't we all teach our children for the 11+ test? I certainly did. If I didn't a grammar school place would not have been won. Parents fight for grammar school places and many teachers object to the 11+ and labelling children as failures. Life is tough, get over it. Life is a competition with winners and losers and those who don't compete.

Whether or not teachers consider themselves professionals, the teachers have no right to ignore their employers' wishes. The teachers are employees they must do as they are told and administer SATS.

If the school boycotted SATS they should be placed at the bottom of the league and have funding reduced and be classed as a failing school. The ultimate sanction.

I hope this answers your question. I suspect this thread will be locked very soon!

[moved]

This thread astounds me. This is a forum that provides constructive advice for the 11+. Much of the philanthropic advice provided is from teachers.

I wrote a much longer post earlier but deigned it unworthy of this forum.

[Sally-Anne]

As you suspected would happen, boltblue, this thread is being locked.

You are extrapolating from the shortcomings that you perceive your child suffered in the system. On the basis of that you are making assertions that are offensive to many members, teachers or otherwise.

It has become a very dull, and seemingly endless personal rant against "the system", one that is serving no purpose other than to wind other people up (known as flaming - but you know that as you work in I.T.). That is a breach of Forum rules.

Should you wish to continue the discussion, I am sure that there are other Forums where you will find like-minded souls who are happy to discuss: "I experienced this, therefore it must be true for the whole system" until the cows come home.

Sally-Anne