sats overkill

Key Stages 1-2 and SATs advice

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moomin
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Joined: Fri Feb 15, 2008 2:17 am

sats overkill

Post by moomin »

Does anyone else feel their childrens school is totally overdoing it?I'm beginning to think year six is a total waste of time.
scarymary
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Location: Dorset

Post by scarymary »

I have a daughter in year 5 and she has done two lots of mock SATs this term already under the guise of 'tracking'. I'm sure she'll be doing more of them before the so-called real mock SATs in May. Whatever happened to a well-rounded education? What year 6 will be like I don't dare think about.
Burneth
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Location: On another planet called Gloucester!

Post by Burneth »

Definitely agree my DS's education hasn't really moved on a lot in Year 6. I went to teacher/parent meeting this week and the only topic of conversation was, of course, SATS. I understand why it is important to schools but at the expense of our children's education?

I agree with moomin - and can't wait for my DS to move up to year 7 and progress.
Bewildered
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Post by Bewildered »

It's a Joke!

When I needed to know his level, to assess suitability for 11+, they were schtum. I inadvertently ended up getting the information I needed from other parents, whose children told them, :shock:

From not being given any information, on your childs progress except in the end of year reports. I now hear on a daily basis that DS1 was given another paper, and got level xyz, and his friend got this and so and so got that. Every time a piece of work is marked it is given a Level. The teachers, only talk in levels now! To date, I know, he's been given 3 papers as homework for half term.

They've got a healthy schools week planned after half term, so at least that week will be free from SATs revision! After SATs they will be doing nothing except rehearsing for the end of year leavers concert.

Yes, yr6 does appear to be a waste of time.
Burneth
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Joined: Sat Nov 10, 2007 6:20 pm
Location: On another planet called Gloucester!

Post by Burneth »

I have noticed that "practice papers" have replaced regular homework lately too!

It's all about revision, revision and more revision.

It's hard enough to keep 10 year olds motivated in school but DS is just getting bored now!

We have also been given a timetable for the "SATS week" - which is in May...a long time away yet - with all the practice these kids are getting, the School should get the best results in the Country :shock:
SunlampVexesEel
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Re: sats overkill

Post by SunlampVexesEel »

moomin wrote:Does anyone else feel their childrens school is totally overdoing it?I'm beginning to think year six is a total waste of time.
Agree 110% (oops... maybe that isn't a good SAT answer :lol: ); three sets of practice SATS at DD's school.

At least we have secondary schools to worry about to keep our minds off Yr6. We're thinking towards next September now.

Regards
SVE
Animis opibusque parati
gloucestermum
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Location: Gloucester

Post by gloucestermum »

DS had mock SATS a few weeks ago-then at parents evening we were told what levels they had reached,given revision books to look at "if our son wanted to" and what "boostering" group they would be in,boostering now for 10 weeks! I was feeling quite smug actually,as in the year 5 CAT tests,DS had a blip from what is usually his high standard-then was put in a lower group for Maths and English-based on these scores! Surprise surprise he is now back in the top groups after the mock SATS!

What happened to knowing the child and not the test score??
Burneth
Posts: 903
Joined: Sat Nov 10, 2007 6:20 pm
Location: On another planet called Gloucester!

Post by Burneth »

The word "blip" makes me smile. The teachers must use it universally to explain "out of character results" as my DS came home saying he had a "blip" and at the time I wondered where he had got that word from! Well now I know! You have every right to feel smug gloucestermum - how rude to drop DS as a result of one of those "blips" - well he soon showed them!!

Not had the pleasure of a revision book offer yet however DS has been told to check out the revision bites on the BBC website! As for boostering groups - well really!!

So once May has been and gone...what will they do with them until the end of term...I know there is talk of a "prom" - :lol:
yoyo123
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Location: East Kent

Post by yoyo123 »

from teh schools point of view the situation with sats is awful. So mch rides on them. The schools are under constant pressure and teh teachers have to set a target level for each child evry term .

I believer in assessing so that you can spot when I child is falling behind and so that you can target the work appropriately , but this really is overkill.

My friend teaches year 6 and hates the way that her teaching is geareed to the tests. She is an extremely talented teacher and her talents are being wasted.SHe could do so much with them. I believe that most teachers feel the same wasy about teh constant pressure to put teh children in convenient boxes

hmm now THERE'S an idea! :wink:
Road Runner
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Joined: Thu Sep 14, 2006 8:32 pm

Mel x

Post by Road Runner »

At my sons primary school they started mock SATS in the November so straight after the 11+(our choice to do that I know) he was expected to revise and practise again to make the school look great. I wouldn't mind but being a child he thought he would of been given time off after all the 11+ hard work. I admit to telling him not to worry too much about the mocks however when he did badly in the first English mock his teacher balled him out infront of the whole class. He was then so worried about the second mocks in Feb that he wanted to practise and guess who helped him!! Anyway he indeed achieved the 'right' levels expected by his Teacher and went on to get good level 5's in all three real SATS but bless him I think he was glad to get to secondary school just to slow down a bit, no wonder all the then abundance of homework seemed like a doddle n comparison.

Mel x
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