Revision for SATS?
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Revision for SATS?
My ds has been given some comprehension papers to do at home and over Easter for his KS2 SATS.
He failed the 11+, and I'm aware it may be beneficial if he does well in his Sats, but I did not expect to be given extra work. He says that all they do at school is practice tests.
His teacher said he should get over 100 in maths, but his literacy is weak (although he has always been in top classes, his main fault is laziness). He got 3's in KS1 so therefore has high targets - which it seems he is unlikely to meet.
Should I be doing extra work - is anybody else?
He failed the 11+, and I'm aware it may be beneficial if he does well in his Sats, but I did not expect to be given extra work. He says that all they do at school is practice tests.
His teacher said he should get over 100 in maths, but his literacy is weak (although he has always been in top classes, his main fault is laziness). He got 3's in KS1 so therefore has high targets - which it seems he is unlikely to meet.
Should I be doing extra work - is anybody else?
Re: Revision for SATS?
In my opinon
Absolutely NOT. I am not a great believer in SATS anyway. There are secondary schools that use them to stream, and plenty of others that don't. If they do use them, then its not set in stone and he can mopve groups as necessary - SATS after all are only a snapshot. My belief is that when primary schools ask pupils to do extra work it is to improve the way the SCHOOL looks, as that is used as a measure for the school's success. If we had been asked to do extra work with our children, I would have vociferously objected and then refused. Not in front of my children, but to them I would have explained how it is a snapshot and has no real relevance.
Having said all that, I think a holiday filled with books and reading (fiction or non fiction he enjoys), discussions and day to day maths in the order of splitting up sweets between siblings etc is always of benefit, but with none of the pressure of 'practice'.
Absolutely NOT. I am not a great believer in SATS anyway. There are secondary schools that use them to stream, and plenty of others that don't. If they do use them, then its not set in stone and he can mopve groups as necessary - SATS after all are only a snapshot. My belief is that when primary schools ask pupils to do extra work it is to improve the way the SCHOOL looks, as that is used as a measure for the school's success. If we had been asked to do extra work with our children, I would have vociferously objected and then refused. Not in front of my children, but to them I would have explained how it is a snapshot and has no real relevance.
Having said all that, I think a holiday filled with books and reading (fiction or non fiction he enjoys), discussions and day to day maths in the order of splitting up sweets between siblings etc is always of benefit, but with none of the pressure of 'practice'.
Re: Revision for SATS?
Thank you for your advice, Yamin.
I'm not going to get him to do the comprehension (he'll be glad). He does enough at school. He does his normal homework, and that's enough.
He is enjoying reading at the moment, and I am reading to him at bedtime. I have no intention of stopping when SATS are done.
The teacher also told him he wouldn't have to do any work after SATS which wasn't helpful - but is probably true.
He's not doing any extra work. My older children didn't, I don't understand why he should have to. I wondered if anybody else had been asked the same.
I'm not going to get him to do the comprehension (he'll be glad). He does enough at school. He does his normal homework, and that's enough.
He is enjoying reading at the moment, and I am reading to him at bedtime. I have no intention of stopping when SATS are done.
The teacher also told him he wouldn't have to do any work after SATS which wasn't helpful - but is probably true.
He's not doing any extra work. My older children didn't, I don't understand why he should have to. I wondered if anybody else had been asked the same.
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streathammum
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Re: Revision for SATS?
The Y6s in our school have been offered the chance to go in to school for three days in the Easter holidays to do Sats prep. It's a shorter day than normal (2.30 finish) and there will be an hour of PE before they do any lessons. Older children who did it say it's good fun, it's quite informal and it's fun to have the run of the school when no one else is there. My son is actually looking forward to it. However, I hope he won't be given any more homework on top of that.
Re: Revision for SATS?
I'm glad your son is looking forward to it and I can't be critical of that - each case is different and for him its fine, but I wonder how many of his classmates feel pressed to go to this, however "non-obligatory" - to spend what is, after all, 4.5 hours for 3 days running or whatever, of extra work??? How can that be right? They are 10/11!? Mine would have hated it, but the pressure to go if "everyone else" was going, would gave been immense.
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streathammum
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- Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2016 6:02 pm
Re: Revision for SATS?
Nobody has to go and I'm sure a lot of them won't go, or won't do all three days. It's not the sort of school where peer pressure works like that.
Still, it's a tradition in the school and from what I hear it's fun - like a school trip but with a few hours of extra work. If he hates if after the first day he won't have to go again.
Still, it's a tradition in the school and from what I hear it's fun - like a school trip but with a few hours of extra work. If he hates if after the first day he won't have to go again.
Re: Revision for SATS?
streathammum - your school obviously takes SATS even more seriously. I can't imagine ds' primary school opening in the holidays.
I can't imagine my ds (who is naturally lazy) wanting to do extra work, although he does love school (mainly for football). I suppose if dc enjoy extra work, it's different, and extra practise may reflect in SATS results. I'm just sticking with reading with my son, whilst he enjoys it - and the normal homework he gets.
I said the same about the 11+ (no tuition) and now regret that decision - but this is different. I think targets for his GCSE's will be set from his SATS results but I don't think that means anything right now. I don't think extra practice now will make any difference, it is too late.
I can't imagine my ds (who is naturally lazy) wanting to do extra work, although he does love school (mainly for football). I suppose if dc enjoy extra work, it's different, and extra practise may reflect in SATS results. I'm just sticking with reading with my son, whilst he enjoys it - and the normal homework he gets.
I said the same about the 11+ (no tuition) and now regret that decision - but this is different. I think targets for his GCSE's will be set from his SATS results but I don't think that means anything right now. I don't think extra practice now will make any difference, it is too late.
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streathammum
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Re: Revision for SATS?
Yes I think the school does take SATs very seriously. I don't particularly care how my son does in them although I am keen that he does at least put some effort in - he can be a bit lazy so I'm happy for someone else to prod him along a bit.
I think the school treats it as a sort of revision club/homework club rather than a formal lesson, which might be why my son's friends all seem happy enough to go along. It is genuinely voluntary, so if was awful no one would go.
I think the school treats it as a sort of revision club/homework club rather than a formal lesson, which might be why my son's friends all seem happy enough to go along. It is genuinely voluntary, so if was awful no one would go.
Re: Revision for SATS?
More homework. A Spag test to be done in "test" conditions for 40 minutes.
D's had has started it at school and can carry on if he wants - unlikely.
I looked at it, I can't do lots of it. Ended up arguing with dh as to what a determiner is. No idea.
I don't understand the mark system either but ds is not "met plus" (I definitely wouldn't be.)
D's said he is sick of tests. The teacher shouted that they should all be "met plus". My d's said he is never "met plus", he never will be, he hates literacy and is giving up even bothering to try any more.
I can't wait till this is over. My laid back son has become stressed.
Can anyone enlighten me what a determiner is?
D's had has started it at school and can carry on if he wants - unlikely.
I looked at it, I can't do lots of it. Ended up arguing with dh as to what a determiner is. No idea.
I don't understand the mark system either but ds is not "met plus" (I definitely wouldn't be.)
D's said he is sick of tests. The teacher shouted that they should all be "met plus". My d's said he is never "met plus", he never will be, he hates literacy and is giving up even bothering to try any more.
I can't wait till this is over. My laid back son has become stressed.
Can anyone enlighten me what a determiner is?
Re: Revision for SATS?
This is appalling in my view. I won't blather on too long as I know what I will say is going to be very predictable but a couple of points from my own experience.
When my DD was in y6 she was sent home with timed tests to do. I refused to time her. I told her this was her home and not an exam hall. She got level 4s in two of her SATs and scraped level 5 in one. This has had not a single minute impact on her life henceforth, nor has it been any kind of predictor of future academic success, which I won't outline on here but has been excellent.
When my younger DS was in Y6 he was made to attend extra classes as he was deemed to be a high flyer and on target for level 6. He was very miserable and stressed and didn't want to go to school. I asked the school not to make him do the classes as I didn't care what level he got; but of course they are all data driven and panicked at the thought of their high achievers not 'fulfilling their potential' (my hated phrase). He got the level 6. Which of course then became level 5 again at secondary school. He still speaks of how miserable those few months at the end of primary school were. He is Y11 now.
My advice - unless your son is loving it, tear the papers up and forget about it! (Runs for cover).
When my DD was in y6 she was sent home with timed tests to do. I refused to time her. I told her this was her home and not an exam hall. She got level 4s in two of her SATs and scraped level 5 in one. This has had not a single minute impact on her life henceforth, nor has it been any kind of predictor of future academic success, which I won't outline on here but has been excellent.
When my younger DS was in Y6 he was made to attend extra classes as he was deemed to be a high flyer and on target for level 6. He was very miserable and stressed and didn't want to go to school. I asked the school not to make him do the classes as I didn't care what level he got; but of course they are all data driven and panicked at the thought of their high achievers not 'fulfilling their potential' (my hated phrase). He got the level 6. Which of course then became level 5 again at secondary school. He still speaks of how miserable those few months at the end of primary school were. He is Y11 now.
My advice - unless your son is loving it, tear the papers up and forget about it! (Runs for cover).
