The SATs questionnaire has now been removed from the site. Many thanks to all of you who submitted a completed copy.

Over 235 parents took part in the questionnaire and their replies make interesting reading.

On this page you'll find an overview of the responses followed by a detailed analysis and list of all the comments received.

If you would like more details please contact the site at admin@forparentsbyparents.co.uk

Two thirds of all respondents felt overall that SATs testing at this age was neither desirable or necessary.

45% of those against SATS testing at this age thought that it created unofficial streaming of children at too young an age. While 34% of those against believed that it put too much pressure on young children.

Typical of many comments was this from one mother:
"My daughter got more tired towards the end of the week (of tests). That means her junior school will sort her into an ability group which may not be right. She was so tired that in her last exam she wrote a story instead of completing the paper."

While a majority of all respondents agreed that the main reason the Government had to conduct these tests was to identify failing schools, most respondents agreed that their were better ways to evaluate both school/teacher and pupil performance than rigid SATS testing.

"To have more regular unannounced visits to the school by OFSTED would gain a more realistic view of how schools are being run."

"The school management and support system should identify and support teachers who have difficulty. School inspection and monitoring arrangement are more than adequate for identifying failing schools."

Some parents felt that SATS at 7 were yet another pressure on young kids to 'grow up too soon' while others expressed the specific view that learning at this age should be focused around 'fun' and that a fun environment represented the best way of learning for a majority of children.

"I still feel that at age 6/7 the priority should still be basic skills such as social skills,sharing, manners and discovering new things. Many European education systems don't start children in full time education until 7 with no ill effect. Let our little ones be little for as long as we can."

Those in favour of SATS highlighted the fact that the onus was on the school and parents to handle the testing procedure in a sensible way so the kids did not feel any pressure.

One Year 2 teacher and parent summed up feelings very well: "Our Year 2 children loved doing their junior challenges and got a great boost to their self esteem. I know it is not like that everywhere, but please do not generalise."

Also, those in favour highlighted that SATS do make sure that no children 'slip through the net and that problems are highlighted through this process.

"Often overworked teachers or very young teachers don't have the experience to identify problems like dyslexia. At least testing all the children identifies a problem."

However, overall the sentiment expressed was that too many teachers/schools and some parents put pressure on children to 'perform' well and that this transferred to children whose parents did not pressurise them.

One mother's view sums up the general picture:
"My son was very anxious when he took his SATS last year. His teacher was forever pushing him as he was in the 'top group'. He started to hate going to school and never came home with a smile on his face."

The feelings of many parents are well expressed by these comments from a retired Primary school headmaster and grandparent:
"While some pupils in the past have slipped through the net, it is a case of finding a happy medium, which I do not believe it is at the moment. They are using stats as a yard stick in 3 subjects when social and life skills are just as important in the real world. These clearly cannot be measured, but are just as important. Learning should always be a joyful experience and learning cannot be seen simply as a means of passing formal tests, particularly at this young age."

Click here to see a full analysis of the questionnaires plus a list of all the comments received.

We were pleased to receive a response from the Dept of Education & Skills in relation to this SATS questionnaire. A summary of the response from Mr David Treble can be found below - The last 3 paragraphs make particularly interesting reading and we await the results of the trial with interest and will keep you updated on this issue.

"The Key Stage 1 tasks and tests have been designed to be incorporated, as far as possible into classroom activities. Children are assessed on how well they have done in their mathematics and English work. They are not assessed on anything other than what they have already learnt in the classroom.

From the point of view of children, all of the tests are relatively low stakes and do not, of themselves, impact significantly on their life chances. Such of the pressure that children feel is transferred from their parents and from their teachers. It is the responsibility of teachers to ensure that pressure on children is kept to the minimum. Parents, too, need to try to ensure that their anxieties about their children's performance are not transferred to the children themselves.

But some element of pressure to perform is an inescapable feature of life and it is not necessarily a negative thing to give children some experience of this before they reach the point of taking high stakes public examinations.

You may be interested to know that Ministers have listened to Head Teachers in primary schools and responded to the issues raised about testing at Key Stage 1. The Secretary of State recently launched the Primary Document, 'Excellence and Enjoyment: A Strategy for Primary Schools'. This document outlines our vision for primary education where high standards are reinforced by a broad and enriched curriculum to offer children a stimulating and engaging experience. Further information about 'Excellence and Enjoyment: A Strategy for Primary Schools' can be found on our website www.dfes.gov.uk/primarydocument

We are currently trialling an approach that uses testing to underpin teacher assessment, rather than having the two reported alongside each other. Teachers will still use national tasks and tests to help them make their assessment, but rather than the marks from one set of tests having particular status, the results from all the work done throughout the year, including these tasks and tests, will be used by the teacher to make one comprehensive judgement about a child's progress and attainment. This will also have the benefit of making information for parents clearer, with one 'level' for each child in each subject area, instead of two.

The results of the trial will have to be evaluated before any decision to change existing arrangements is made. If the trial is successful, the system will be rolled out nationally in 2005."

David Treble
ASSESSMENT TEAM
SCHOOL PERFORMANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY DIVISION