Mother in Need Report post Posted April 25, 2006 (edited) My son's school has decided a few months ago to have the Key Stage 3 SATS at the end of year 8 (instead of year 9), and to start the Key Stage 4 curriculum at the beginning of year 9 instead of year 10, and to have the GCSE exams at the end of year 10 instead of year 11. My son has basically not had an education since the beginning of this school year. He is in year 8, and now that he attends a lesson or 2 (at the most) a day, it turns out he cannot actually take part in most lessons anyway, as they are all working on their SATs preparations and as he hasn't been in any of the lessons in this school year, he hasn't got a clue, which just upsets him more and he has to be taken out again. Apparently (though as school barely ever writes anything in his home/school book my info comes from ds in a rather confused way), school are not going to ask him to sit the tests. Fine with me, as he'd be so upset and stressed out it would end up with major meltdowns. And how would he perform, if 1) it is a year earlier than anyone else in the country and 2) he hasn't been to any of the lessons. I was wondering though, how does this work? Can school just decide that a child does not need to sit his SATS? I thought they were obligatory? Do they need to disapply in some way? And if so, on what grounds? Knowing this might help my case with the LEA to get him into a special school as he is not being educated in this one. Anything else I should know? Edited April 25, 2006 by Mother in Need Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Elouise Report post Posted April 25, 2006 My son's school has decided a few months ago to have the Key Stage 3 SATS at the end of year 8 (instead of year 9), and to start the Key Stage 4 curriculum at the beginning of year 9 instead of year 10, and to have the GCSE exams at the end of year 10 instead of year 11. My son has basically not had an education since the beginning of this school year. He is in year 8, and now that he attends a lesson or 2 (at the most) a day, it turns out he cannot actually take part in most lessons anyway, as they are all working on their SATs preparations and as he hasn't been in any of the lessons in this school year, he hasn't got a clue, which just upsets him more and he has to be taken out again. Apparently (though as school barely ever writes anything in his home/school book my info comes from ds in a rather confused way), school are not going to ask him to sit the tests. Fine with me, as he'd be so upset and stressed out it would end up with major meltdowns. And how would he perform, if 1) it is a year earlier than anyone else in the country and 2) he hasn't been to any of the lessons. I was wondering though, how does this work? Can school just decide that a child does not need to sit his SATS? I thought they were obligatory? Do they need to disapply in some way? And if so, on what grounds? Knowing this might help my case with the LEA to get him into a special school as he is not being educated in this one. Anything else I should know? Nathan was disapplied for SATS at this age...no one wanted to tell him he had to sit them and be on the recieving end of a complete meltdown complete with doors ripped off and thrown. Funnily enough THAT little incident made his temp. special school placement rather permanant. SATs only matter to the government IMHO. Trying to build up a kids confidence to sit Basic and GCSE level exams matters more and you have 2-3 years to support him on that. I would not worry about SATs. I have also promised to keep Sam home from ANY SATS tests he does NOT want to tackle as I have to live with the horror...(mainstream school VERY inclusive, they stagger his SATS and give him lots of breaks in English and make him STOP demanding the next level up science papers) Yes you CAN get leeway for an ASD kid and its also worth asking for the ASD specific english papers to be used too. Nathan is allowed to use those. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kazzen161 Report post Posted April 25, 2006 Is this a LEA school? I have not heard of a school doing this. I woudl have thought it woudl have affected their "league table" results. What are the children going to do in Yr 11? >>>its also worth asking for the ASD specific english papers to be used too. What are these for Eloise (SAT's? GCSE?) and how do they differ from ordinary ones? Karen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PinkSapphireAngel Report post Posted April 25, 2006 I did not know there were any ASD specific English papers at all! Do they have them for Key Stage 2 SATs too? (Year 6) as my son is due to take these next month Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flora Report post Posted April 25, 2006 Our local secondary school are doing something similar with the key stages. They finish stage 3 at the end of year 8 and start stage 4 in year 9, however they haven't brought forward the GCSE's, they've just extended the actual course. Lauren Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mother in Need Report post Posted April 25, 2006 (edited) Is this a LEA school? I have not heard of a school doing this. I woudl have thought it woudl have affected their "league table" results. What are the children going to do in Yr 11? Yes it is a mainstream LEA school. Yes I would have thought too that it would affect their league tables, but this does not seem to bother them. In Year 11 they'll do some core programmes and fill the rest with, quess what, extra, additional, optional courses for more GCSEs... and Oh, ofcourse those GCSEs done in the previous year will be started on their AS courses. My question is, still, can they disapply, and could I use this info in some way to prove to the LEA that his needs are not being met where he is now? And what is this specialised papers in English? Are there others in other subjects? Edited April 25, 2006 by Mother in Need Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kazzen161 Report post Posted April 25, 2006 >>My question is, still, can they disapply, and could I use this info in some way to prove to the LEA that his needs are not being met where he is now? It is possible to disapply a child, but the schools have to give certain evidence (woudl have thought it would have had to have been done by now). Many schools don't bother, though it does affect their overall results if they don't. May be more use if he did take them, and you could use the results to show how little progress he has made. As he has missed a year+ of schooling, and they are taking the GCSE's early - I cannot see that it is an appropriate school for him. He is in effect covering 5 years of education in 3. R missed most of Year 8 (except Science), but this year he has been a lot better for some reason. Karen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mother in Need Report post Posted April 26, 2006 As he has missed a year+ of schooling, and they are taking the GCSE's early - I cannot see that it is an appropriate school for him. He is in effect covering 5 years of education in 3. R missed most of Year 8 (except Science), but this year he has been a lot better for some reason. Karen Good point there Kazzen161, he is not just losing this one year he is in now (which is year 8 like your son), in effect he is losing two in a go. And straight into GCSEs next year. He'll only be JUST 13 then, he simply isn't ready and certainly won't be ready. Did your R manage to catch up and did he receive extra education in order to do that? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Elouise Report post Posted April 26, 2006 I did not know there were any ASD specific English papers at all! Do they have them for Key Stage 2 SATs too? (Year 6) as my son is due to take these next month Darn it, Nathans psychiatrist and sppech therapist sorted them out for him, I have a nasty feeling it may have been a pilot scheme for this year. When we see them next i wil ask if this is going to become more available as Sams school think its going to be the only way to get Sam to sit for English in year 6. *watch this space* Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kazzen161 Report post Posted April 26, 2006 >>Did your R manage to catch up and did he receive extra education in order to do that? Because he has a Twin who is in the same set for Maths and Science, I used to use his notes to teach R what he missed. He did most of his Geography, Music, DT, Drama, PE lessons, and some ICT, Maths and Science lessons. He didn't go to any history, English or French lessons. The only one I have noticed a problem with this year is Maths, as they are revisiting topics, and R has not had as much practice at them. Also, French - he refuses to go this year, as he knows no French at all. We have a parent's evening in a few weeks, so I might find they are other problems. He is in top sets for most things, and has a good general knowledge, so I think that has helped him. (In fact, I sometimes wonder what they do do at school, as he hasn't seemed to miss out on much). He recieved no help from school at all. Do they do ASD specific Maths papers too? R has problems understanding what the questions want him to do. Karen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
