#22 The SATS are not as evil as people make out

It's the final day of SATS. Actually, I've had a pretty good week. Compared to last year, I've found it much more - dare I say - pleasurable.

Apart from one student who appeared to be listening to a completely different set of questions during the mental maths test, our children have coped with them magnificently.

There has been nervous energy before; lots of huffing and puffing during; and tangible relief afterwards. Then we've all been to let off steam with a good old-fashioned game of rounders and a sing-song in preparation for our upcoming production.

It's all been remarkably chilled out.

We've had no booster sessions before or after school; we haven't been sending home reems of extra homework; we haven't been crushing our 11-year olds with the burden of pressure.

The result? On the face of it, the children have  been calm and collected. They've had smiles on their faces at the extra privileges afforded them during SATS week. And I've had no marking!

It could be argued that SATS serve no real use to pupils. The secondary school's seem to take little interest of them, preferring their own assessments. The scores will go on no CVs or individual records. They are more important for the primary schools who administer them as they are the barometer to show how well the school is doing.

For the kids themselves, it's been a positive experience to experience pressure and learn to cope with it effectively. It's been positive for the children to to prepare for exams, as they come thick and fast at secondary school. It's been positive for them to be competitive about how well they can perform compared with their peers,

In a few weeks time, the results will come in. That could be what makes or breaks me as a Y6 teacher. But I know that every child in my class has done their very best. I know they have revised hard for these exams. And ultimately, I know that we've given them the room to still have a childhood whilst preparing for them.

Well done, Barlby. I'm proud of you all. And I'm proud of the way we, as a school, have handled it too.