News today is that David Cameron has said that he wants to implement children who fail at their Maths and English SATs in Year 6 (ages 10 and 11) should repeat them in Year 7 (up to a further two times). Money is waiting for the Secondary Schools with £500 for every pupil who has failed in Primary Schools. This, thankfully, does not apply to children with Special Educational Needs.
I am all for tests. I like how they can determine who needs additional help – whether that be support or to stretch them further. What I do not agree with is extra pressure and taking away childhood. Already the capable children in Year 2 (ages just 6 and 7) have to take two tests (the normal paper and the higher one). Not sure why that is because at GCSE level they would just take the higher paper. They will spend more time learning for both papers, and obviously less time playing as they spend more time under test conditions.
Let’s move on to the 11 year olds. The children who do not pass their SATs at the desired level – well I always thought that SATs were a measure of the school and not the child – so I do not understand how the “failure” can move on with the child?! Children are already over-anxious and worried about the SATs tests (even the more capable children) so what damage is this going to do to those who do not make the grade. To feel like a failure, an under-achiever. I do not suppose this will do their self-confidence any good. And to have to take the test a further two times if it is not “passed.” Ludicrous! At a time when children are just heading for puberty, having to deal with moving on to “big school” – where lessons are taught differently and they are put with a lot more children. Having to take on so much more – extra subjects, making new friends, and so on.
The SATs in Year 7 can be retaken up to two times in the Spring and Summer terms. Surely this is not only adding pressure on them but meaning there is less time for extra curricula activity. For, goodness forbid, enjoying the sunshine and starting to relax after what must be a really long year for them. Why if they have not passed at the appropriate levels can it not already be determined that they need additional help – why the need for more testing. Do they not already have their CATs tests too?
There is £500 for Secondary schools for every child who has failed in Primary schools. Is this meant to be an incentive for the Secondary Schools to want to take these children? I do not think that £500 is a lot of money. This would most likely coincide with the Pupil Premium scheme too – again not a huge amount of money. No I think that it is too little too late. Put the funding into primary schools to help ensure that the children do not fall behind in the first place.
Thankfully this does not apply to children with Special Educational Needs which brings me much relief that my own son will not have to endure all this testing. But it begs the question that does this mean that the quality of their teaching is not as important – because that is the reasoning behind all of this, that our children deserve good quality teaching.
i thought the Sats tests were to show what the child was capable of (wrong obviously) I had one high achiever and one who has always struggled. Was I surprised when one got an A* at GCSE and one got a D? No, that was their level! Some children, no matter how hard they try, are never going to get a higher grade. My daughter is by no means thick, she just struggles with English as she is Dyslexic and with Maths, she has never understood it. Now as a young adult, she is having trouble getting seen for interviews as she doesn’t have the prerequisite “compulsory” grades. Is she being chucked on the scrap heap? I really hope not. Also, my son has a First Class Masters in Electronic Engineering…and he’s having trouble getting work too. It’s no guarantee.
Sorry, it makes me cross.
This is the first I’ve heard of this. What a ridiculous idea! Like you, I thought SATs were a measure of the school. I understand the point in tracking the progress of children and being able to give more support to those who don’t make the right amount of progress (even those at the top end if they fail to make progress), but the tests should be a snapshot taken at the end of primary school. The results should go onto secondary school so they have some idea of the needs of each of their individual year 7s, but where is the point in taking the tests again? They’re not GCSEs, they don’t help kids in later life. They’re just a measure of progress.
Let’s hope the Tories don’t get in, so kids don’t have to put up with this nonsense.
I detest tests. Performance on one day does not give a true representation of anyone’s knowledge or skill set, a good or bad day can totally sway the results.
I hate that children are being lumbered with such ridiculous tests, surely evaluation the school year would enable the teachers to establish who knows what rather than ask a few Q’s on one day!
And £500 if a kid fails, umm no. What on earth is this government thinking!
I hadn’t heard of this either!
I always thought the SATS were just to get a measure of where the children are in their development, rather than an actual test!
I think there is so much pressure put on children in Senior School with exams, there is no need to start this even earlier as it can be counterproductive for children who don’t excel in an exam environment!
Thanks for sharing, my daughter goes into year 6 next year, so I will be keeping a close eye on this.
It is all so confusing. It is hard to figure out if they are trying to focus on learning, later on, rather than just results. As an American, I feel like I need to take a course on the British testing system.
I think kids retaking the SATs is so wrong….They already have enough pressure on them with starting secondary school without the added pressure of more exams….I don’t like this at all! x
I find this very upsetting and very worrying. They should be getting rid of the SATs, not using them more! Year 6 children (and teachers) already have a full year, at least, of worrying about and studying for their SATs. So much pressure in Y6. Now, they will continue that pressure and fear of ‘failure’ into Y7, when Y7 children already get tested anyway. More league table rubbish. This part of our education system is nothing to do with the children, yet again. Tests can be used to help children progress and for teachers to support them in their learning but sadly, this is not the main aim of the SATS. Again, we are living in a world of business and competition. It will be another excuse to tell teachers they are doing a bad job in both Primary and Secondary settings. I could go on a lot more as this has made me feel quite angry at yet another ‘bright’ idea for education. I think the government’s aim is to get as many teachers to leave as possible so that they can replace them with lower paid supervisors (with all children on personalised electronic tablets). I can see why so many parents and teachers are feeling disillusioned by the education system at the moment. It will be interesting to see what happens after the election with all these ideas.
My lad is just getting hsi first taste of all this, he came home with a 35 page book to do during the Easter holidays as his SATs revisions, just 1/2 a day they said. Gosh it is supposed to be a holiday. Luckily he is very clever and likes tests so this won’t phase him but I’m sure it will be harder for my girls. Mich x
so much pressure with SATS I remember my sons school had all the build up then they didn’t do them because they went on strike
This is the first I’ve heard of this too. And how downright wrong! Like you said, SATS are testing the school, not the child. I’m not a big fan of testing children at primary age, unless its done with a very light hand as they do at my kids’ school in Yr 2. In Yr6 its a different matter as the kids are older and they need to be fully aware of what they’re sitting for. My daughter is about to take her SATS in Yr 6 and despite being very capable is fairly worried as she’s been put down to sit Level 6. I totally agree, though, that this #500 thing is a cynical incentive. Mr Gove is still very much lurking the shadows, I fear….