I have very mixed feelings about using SAT result statistics from schools on my website.
I have nailed my colours to the mast about SATS on numerous occasions. To reiterate, I think a single measure at a single point in time is a very poor way of assessing children. A far better measure would be a longitudinal study using a teacher’s own assessment. I have hopes for APP, as long as time taken to assess does not outweigh the time taken to teach.
In recent years innumerable members of the teaching profession have expressed their own very real concerns about the accuracy of the end of Key Stage tests. With the Y6 results out recently I also have so much sympathy for the Year Six teachers who have spoken to me about their frustration with this year’s writing SAT paper which, in their opinions, gave their Level 5 children little chance to demonstrate the skills they had developed all year.
On the other hand, I was, naturally, delighted for the school who emailed the following:
“Just to let you know that our raise in attainment across the school in writing has been superb following our ‘en mass’ attendance at your course.
We adopted, across the school, your sentence structures … with outstanding results.
SATS; we gained 91% at level 4 and above for English, up from 68% last year, but our writing was our real achievement, up from 32% (2008) to 51% (2009) to 84% this year. We can only attribute it to the inspiration you gave us back in October.
Thank you very much again.”
Now, I don’t want to wade into the argument about SATS marking. However, back in May another teacher emailed me after the SATS to let me know how his class had done. This Y6 teacher had been part of a small group who we asked to use, review and feedback on the draft of my new “Writing Outstanding Persuasive Writing” book.
He said…
“SAT’s – my kids breezed it! Some stunning pieces of work, looking forward to seeing how they mark it.”
He also shared the following piece of work he was submitting for marking:
Short Writing Task
Simply The Best
Do you know someone who was so ill they had no chance of surviving? Do you know someone who strived to survive? Do you know someone who almost died? I do, her name is Maria Starr.
At the age of nine Maria caught cancer and was fighting against it for two whole years. On the edge of dying she survived and was brave and jolly the whole time. Always the optimist even at the hardest of time she was never down!
Maria is truly special and fortunate that she is still here today. Maria prays for those who unlike her did not make it.
What Maria has done is heroic and that makes her an idol, an idol to those like her. Maria is outstanding and now every year does the race for life to help others that are in her position.
Overall Maria is truly a ‘star’ (And that’s not just because of her surname!) Maria Starr is honestly and truly special! Can you think of anyone better for the ‘simply the best’ award?
Now that’s persuasive!
Have a happy and relaxing summer.
Alan Peat
Alan Peat's Blog 