SATs Madness

[ChipnDaleRule]

I really feel for my son at the moment, and all other 10-11 year old children. The pressure he is under to do well in his SATs is unbearable. Today he came home in tears because his teacher told him off for not knowing how to do a maths problem.Instead of sitting with him and talking it through with him, she said that if he couldn't do that he would struggle on the day Way way too much pressure for children. Personally i blame the league tables. The schools league position seems to take president over the child.
SATs are not the only way to test a child's ability

 

[scottish mum]

I am soooo glad that we don't have SAT's.

There really is far too much pressure on these young kids and as you say they are more concerned about the league tables than helping the kids.

I'm sure your ds will do the best that he can and that is all that matters x

 

[disneyangel]

Our kids do national tests here in Scotland but there doesn't seem to be such a big focus on them as you guys have on SAT's. my 9 year old DD has just sat some . The only difference she noticed from other ongoing assessments is that they are printed on coloured paper and you are not allowed to leave any blank answers .

 

[loobzuk]

my DD sits her SAT's next week too and there is a degree of pressure coming from the school (and some of her friends have parents who can't seem to see past the SAT's either). Fortunately she's very calm and isn't overly worried by them. We've arranged treats for Friday night and Saturday so that she has something further ahead to look forward to.

When she goes to secondary school they test all the children again anyway which means these tests are only benefitting the junior school that she's leaving!

Good luck to all children sitting them and I hope no one (children and parents alike) gets too frazzled by all the pressure.

 

[ChipnDaleRule]

DS sits CATs too once in secondary Ive told him that when he worries, to think of the holiday he will have 5 days after they have ended

 

[Ware Bears]

for your DS. We were lucky in that the junior school my DDs went to, although encouraging the children to do their best, didn't put excessive pressure on them so it was never a big deal in their eyes. It's a shame that some schools (and parents!) put so much emphasis on them.

I'd just encourage your DS to do his best and concentrate on that holiday for after they've finished!

 

[scottish mum]

Our kids do national tests here in Scotland but there doesn't seem to be such a big focus on them as you guys have on SAT's. my 9 year old DD has just sat some . The only difference she noticed from other ongoing assessments is that they are printed on coloured paper and you are not allowed to leave any blank answers .

I wasn't even aware of them .

In our school the kids in P3,5 and 7 had a computer based "quiz" and that is as far as the testing went. The kids weren't even aware of them until the day they were doing them so there was no stress/worry or extra tuition. The "quiz" seemed really good and the questions were automatically adjusted depending on how each child was getting on

 

[meggiebeth]

My school put a huge amount of pressure on us to do well in the SATs (bear in mind this was only around 5 years ago). We spent the whole of year six revising, doing practice papers, etc, until passing was jammed into our heads after so much practice.

My brother, who shared a class with year 6s when he was in year 5, was forced to do this constant revision for two whole years.

I just don't think SATs results necessarily determine how well a child is doing. It is way too big a hype and way too much pressure in some schools, such as mine. And the results are biased because some schools spend years practicing and constantly revising for them (such as mine) and other schools do not.

 

[joolz1910]

The SAT's results are not that valuable when determining a child's ability within a subject. Like Meggiebeth says, if they have been hot-housed for the test, they can demonstrate a skewed result. Kids at primary schools should be out playing, not swotting for exams! I don't believe in homework for them either, so there!

 

[A Small World]

DD is in Y7. She did her SATs last year and like others have said spent the whole yr being prepared for them- practice tests and so much homework all year.

A couple of weeks later they all went to visit their new secondary school for the day and DDs new school (where most of the class were going) decided to make them do their CAT tests that day. I was fuming - that day was meant to be about getting them used to the school not about sitting yet more tests.

She also came home from school last week with a letter to buy a Maths revision guide for the exams after half term - a revision guide in Y7???????

 

[fizz13]

I agree that too much emphasis is put on SATs, my 10 y old was told that the rest of his school life depended on them and got upset!! I told him that in fact it was way more important to the school for them to look good and he will have done well as long as he does the best HE can, he said he had never thought of it that way and hasnt worried since, at least today is the last day. And I'm very proud of him as he hasnt been stressed out at all this week. Now he just wants to know when the results will come so he can squeeze a treat out of me

 

[fizz13]

DD is in Y7. She did her SATs last year and like others have said spent the whole yr being prepared for them- practice tests and so much homework all year.

A couple of weeks later they all went to visit their new secondary school for the day and DDs new school (where most of the class were going) decided to make them do their CAT tests that day. I was fuming - that day was meant to be about getting them used to the school not about sitting yet more tests.

She also came home from school last week with a letter to buy a Maths revision guide for the exams after half term - a revision guide in Y7???????

thats outrageous that they sprung the CATs on them that day, dont get me started on them because they are another bee in my bonnet!! predicting a GCSE grade from a test at 11 years old, please!!

 

[carolineone]

Here in northern Ireland they are still doing the old time 11+system ,they have changed the style a bit but so much pressure for the children ,and parents ! I have twins doing it this year !

 

[crabbie1]

Kids should be allowed to grow up and school should be fun. I do not push my DD into anything unless she wants to do it. I hv noticed some parents have their kids put forward for everything. Dance judo football extra this extra that.
I had a verrrry pushy father from the age of 5 who chose my career for me. Music!! Went to boarding school music college , had no social life then ended up hvg a nervous breakdown cus I was so unhappy.
I would never put my daughter through that. Living the parents wants through the child.
Don't get me wrong Charlotte does her homework and she does it before dinner and no tv till she has .
She sits her SATs next year and I have told her just to do her best. She will be 10 as not 11 till August.
Sorry for the rant but although kids need a push sometimes we need to remember they are just kids.
Off subject does anyone know when we hv to apply for secondary school? She leaves next year but Noone has mentioned anything from school

 

[Danauk]

Off subject does anyone know when we hv to apply for secondary school? She leaves next year but Noone has mentioned anything from school

If your LEA is like ours your daughter will get secondary school info at the start of year 6. The local secondary schools here send out info about open evenings in the first term and then all applications have to be done on line. I think this year all applications had to be done by November.

 

[joolz1910]

Kids should be allowed to grow up and school should be fun. I do not push my DD into anything unless she wants to do it. I hv noticed some parents have their kids put forward for everything. Dance judo football extra this extra that.
I had a verrrry pushy father from the age of 5 who chose my career for me. Music!! Went to boarding school music college , had no social life then ended up hvg a nervous breakdown cus I was so unhappy.
I would never put my daughter through that. Living the parents wants through the child.
Don't get me wrong Charlotte does her homework and she does it before dinner and no tv till she has .
She sits her SATs next year and I have told her just to do her best. She will be 10 as not 11 till August.
Sorry for the rant but although kids need a push sometimes we need to remember they are just kids.
Off subject does anyone know when we hv to apply for secondary school? She leaves next year but Noone has mentioned anything from school

My approach too! If the kids want to do extra-curricular activities, then that's fine. I don't understand parents who push their kids into every available activity. Mine like to play - isn't that what kids are supposed to do?lol

We applied for secondary school in the October of Year 6.

 

[crabbie1]

If your LEA is like ours your daughter will get secondary school info at the start of year 6. The local secondary schools here send out info about open evenings in the first term and then all applications have to be done on line. I think this year all applications had to be done by November.

My approach too! If the kids want to do extra-curricular activities, then that's fine. I don't understand parents who push their kids into every available activity. Mine like to play - isn't that what kids are supposed to do?lol

We applied for secondary school in the October of Year 6.

Thankyou both.

 

[cornish pixie]

My approach too! If the kids want to do extra-curricular activities, then that's fine. I don't understand parents who push their kids into every available activity. Mine like to play - isn't that what kids are supposed to do?lol

We applied for secondary school in the October of Year 6.

I think lot's not all see it as free baby sitting !!! I see 5 year olds at school from 8 ( breakfast club to 6 ) every day Monday to Friday and no there parents don't work !! Sorry but its true please dont flame
Cornish pixie

 

[crabbie1]

I think lot's not all see it as free baby sitting !!! I see 5 year olds at school from 8 ( breakfast club to 6 ) every day Monday to Friday and no there parents don't work !! Sorry but its true please dont flame
Cornish pixie

Thts true I agree with you we are all different in our views on everything
When i start my new jobAs a district nurse i may have to use the after school club . Waiting for charlotte to say " can i go again mom
Daves ex wife puts there 4 yearold in everything swimming sunday judo thurs ballet saturday and is with a child minder every day before and after school. She has been offered help from us but after 3years and £12000 later to get every other weekend and 2 weeks of school holidays she would rather do the above. All through spite.She is bossy moody and cheeky when we have her cus her mother spends no time with her! After a few hours when she knows she cant get away with it she changes her moods . Most of us work and have no choice but to put kids in school clubs etc

 

[joolz1910]

Some of the parents I know do it to be competitive. They believe all of the clubs and activities will make their a child superior being.

If my kids express an interest in an activity, I let them do it. When they want to stop going, I let them stop. I seem to be in the minority with this though.