SATS

[T13A]

Hi

SATS started for year 6 at my son's primary school (about 160 pupils) which he left last September on Monday. They have had a 'deputy head' for nearly two years due to the illness and eventual death of the head teacher. A new head will take up the post in September. A letter arrived yesterday (Monday) saying that an OFSTED team will arrive today to do their inspection.

And the point of it all is....?

Annoyed concerned parent.

Paul 

[fred.]

I struggling to both parse this, and to understand what you point is.

SATS started on Monday across the country.

Did your son leave the school in September? Was this because he moved up to secondary school, or just because you wanted him to move school? If he has left to go to secondary school, then why does it matter about this year's SATS?

Its very sad to hear that the head was ill for so long, and that this illness proved terminal.

Ofsted turn up to schools all the time, its what they do. As a parent I don't know why this should concern you. It tends to concern the teachers much more.

To me it seems SATS are used far more to measure the school, rather than the pupil. Though they are used to set kids in secondary schools - but most secondary schools do further tests anyway.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Good luck to him and the school.
Okay, I'm a teacher, I could launch into one here.
But too politically charged and too close to my last breakdown.

[Matt J]

I have no problem with SATs, my kids school approach them in a no stress kind've way.

Now OFSTED, that's another kettle of fish, I'm a Governor at the school, its only small 70 kids, and everyone is sh*t scared about the whole system and the impact on the school.

[T13A]

Apologies for not making myself clearer at the time of posting, I was probably seeing red.

My son left the school last September and is now at secondary school, but I still have close contact with it.

The teachers and head do a good job of trying to make the situation 'stress free' for the kids, but there is only so much they can do. There is still a lot of pressure on the teachers and kids. Last year when my son was going through SATS I asked several questions to the teachers about how SATS helped with the learning and development of my son which they struggled to answer (to my satisfaction anyway and I was not trying to embarrass them).

To announce an OFSTED inspection on day one of SATS week which would take place on day two just seemed unreasonable and unhelpful to me.

Cheers Paul

[capthugeca]

I have a problem with SATS.
My son is now at secondary school but he spent so much time in Years 5 and 6 being prepared (read "sitting previous papers") for his SATS. What made matters worse is that he is on the autistic spectrum and so many of the questions didn't test his English or Maths ability (he is actually on par with his peers). Instead they tested how his condition affects the way he interpreted the the written word. Many of his answers were not wrong; they just weren't the answer that the examiners wanted.

That eighteen months could have been used so much better, preparing him for his transition to secondary education and, let's face it, SATS results count for nothing as far as our children are concerned. They are assessed as soon as they arrive at secondary school.

I won't get started on Ofsted!



OK rant over! And breathe. 

[jimduncanuk]

No SATS in my country!

[sunjester]

Our education system is totally ****ed!

[toxicpixie]

Home educate. You get to see your wee ones and they grow up free range and not as battery chickens Not for everyone and it's quite terrifying but well worth it. I say this coming from a family of teachers

[urbancohort]

Stress free schooling! I was a grammar school boy back in the day... now THERE'S a system I am glad is largely gone...

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[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Stress free schooling! I was a grammar school boy back in the day... now THERE'S a system I am glad is largely gone...

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That nice Mrs May is bringing it back. I transferred from a Sec Modern to a Grammar School, and we were treated like dirt.

IanS

[toxicpixie]

I think she wants perpetuate that, Ian. Make sure all our kids Know Their Place and are too stressed and broke to do anything about it.

[sunjester]

I think she wants perpetuate that, Ian. Make sure all our kids Know Their Place and are too stressed and broke to do anything about it.

Unlike the current system?
So long as we have a culture in schools that it isn't cool to learn or eventhat  dangerous be to seen to do too well, we are screwed.

My nephew was head hunted in Year 10 and offered a sports bursary at a private school, the best thing that ever happened to him. He had been cruising along under the radar, just doing enough to get by. Suddenly he was in an environment where it was expected that you would work hard, and classmates didn't give you a hard time if you did well. His grades improved hugely, he got top marks at A level, last year he got a first in a sports science degree and is looking into a Masters. They also pushed him in sport and as a result he has been a regular in the under-21 England hockey team.

None of that would have happened if he had stayed in that state secondary school (and his was considered a reasonably good school as well!).

[Techno]

Guys.....

Please let's not get overheated about this.....

Cheers - Phil

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

 

That heated enough Phil.