GS's view on education

What a sad reflection on the current state of affairs. An experienced Y6 teacher who retired at the same time as I left the GB, told me she loved teaching but not teaching for the tests. Said it all. My GD, also aged 11, is taking the SATS very seriously - even the maths.

Yup - it's SATS time. And whoever says that they do not teach to the SATs is in a dream world. My GS is dreading going back to school tomorrow, as he says that all that happens is that the teacher says they have all done badly on the tests and then hands them another one and says they must do better. But as my GS astutely says: "How can I do better if they are not teaching me but just giving me more tests?" I am biting my tongue and just trying to be encouraging, but it is hard to do, as he has hit the nail right on the head. He thinks it is pointless and he surely has a point.

I have a nephew who is taking them. He says his teacher teaches them 'exam technique' and how to improve. It seems that it's really only for the run up to the tests and they spend a full day a week planning what they will do afterwards. A collaborative way of working is planned and then a huge 'project' where they will all work collaboratively to design, plan and model a perfect water park. Each group is going to make their model on a 2X4 piece of hardboard. They will have to make sure it's inclusive, accessible and will appeal to children, grown ups and grannies. ( Grannies aren't grown ups!). They will have to produce the advertising leaflets, plan the pricing, write Trip Advisor reviews as well as local newspaper reports including 'below the line' comments. All sounds great fun to me. I've been consulted as what 'grannies' might want.

And they are doing the leavers' play too. God bless that teacher!

Would that my GS was doing something equally interesting, but apparently not. They are not getting "exam technique", which, in any case is not appropriate at primary school, but just tests and more tests.

Quite agree. It sounds most unsatisfactory.

It seems his teacher has told them all that despite her personal opinions, because the government says they must be done, they must be done. And that the best lesson to learn is it's practice for when they enter the world of work and they will have to do things they don't like or can't see the point of.

She's quite a character I think.

You do not make the pig fat by weighing it!

The tests will not show anyone anything very different to that which the good class teacher already knew! The tests are testing teachers and not children!

I am very much for assessing children and making sure they make very good progress etc. However this huge focus on a set of tests that focus on a narrow set of skills, over one week in May and by which schools can live or die has got out of proportion and the needs of the children have been pushed aside.

My DD2 has taken on a Y2 class until the end of year as the previous teacher resigned at Feb half term. She says the plans for this half term are deadly dull as it is re-visiting and revising Literacy an Maths and she is not looking forward to it! After half term it gets livelier!

That's the real issue Pensemmon, that sats tests don't add much to what a teacher knows, not all children cope well with exam pressure. It is about testing teachers. Miceelf's gs's teacher sounds brilliant -