SATs

"I know I can read, you know I can read, Miss knows I can read so why does someone I've never met have to decide I can read?" -Niamh age 10 after sitting a 2000 word hour long SATS reading paper. Every May children aged 6/7(Key stage 1 - Infants), 10/11(Key stage 2 - juniors) and 13/14 (Key stage 3 - High school) sit SATS ( Standard Attainment Tests) in between these officially published tests children sit optional tests. Children in England can expect in their educational career to sit over 70 tests making them one of the highest tested school children in the world. But does it work? Does testing our children at various points in their educational ...  Read the complete review

Had a meeting with my son's headteacher yesterday. We are new to area and to school. I asked him about SATs. My son will only be 6 ½ when he takes them. I asked what the purpose of the test is. His response (in front of faculty) was 'it tells me which teachers I have to fire at the end of the year'. So much for supporting your faculty and giving them professional development. Having been a teacher myself, I then asked how the test was to be used regarding the students themselves. His response was shocking. He informed me that the test results taken in Year 2 predict a child's academic performance all the way to age 11 and then 16. I asked him ...  Read the complete review

I took my end-of-primary-school SATs 4 school years ago in 1999, and although i was pleased with the outcome i did not see the point of it. My school at the time, Milford Junior School, were extremely strict and intent on getting the best and only the best. Being one of the best educational options of yeovil at the time they pressurised us all to do the best. The first SAT i took was Maths, and my head teacher Mr Gordon came in a few moments before we had begun and did a short quiz, one of which questions was : how many sides to a prism (or something to that effect), and upon starting my question paper i immediately noticed that the 3rd question on the page ...  Read the complete review

My sons has just started senior school, having taken his SATs this year. I did not place too much importance on these tests (although, naturally, he is always encouraged). At the open evening prior to the exams, his teacher very kindly told me he should get level 5s but wouldn't as he is too lazy! They absolutley bombarded them with revision throughout their half term before, but some of this was so boring, I managed to find him a few interactive websites instead. I did everything they said in SATs week, put him to bed early, gave him a good breakfast etc. He was totally unfazed by it all! I did not let him do any revision on the ...  Read the complete review

As a student who has had to do SATs, then i can tell you they are not 'fun' they do not offer any satisfaction, it really annoys me to see parents who insist they are the best thing since sliced bread, get real! What good are these tests? What do they offer the participant? NOTHING. Some say they offer experiance in how to take exams. Believe me once you start on the slippery slope of GCSE's you get enough experiance. When i took my first SAT i didn't know i was taking it, it was just another piece of work. I was therefore suprised that when my younger sister came to do this test they had been set revision. I think the only parents that like the idea ...  Read the complete review