ColoursMakes me wonder….
I was chatting with an adult student of mine yesterday about the year 6 SATs. He and his wife had been invited into school for a meeting to discuss the SATs.
I listened with great interest as to what happened at this meeting as I am always interested in finding out the different attitudes of our local schools, especially in relation to how they handle the SATs, what advice they give and just how much revision /catch up work they give the children to do at home.
I was aware that this school had already issued the children with a rather substantial book of work for the children to complete at home with parents, in readiness for their year 6 SATs. However i was still agog with surprise as i listened to how the parents at this meeting were given a surprise ‘mini SATs test’!
I was horrified that a school could do such a thing! My immediate reaction was a huge gasp as my hand raised to cover my mouth in surprise. I then asked the question ‘…’what? Even the SEN parents?’ the reply … ‘ all of us!’.
Where in this situation was the empathy, understanding and responsibility for the SEN parents in the room. As most of us are aware, there is a high likelihood that any parents with SEN children may well have been SEN children themselves, and so will now be SEN Adults (so to speak). The school legally have to make reasonable adjustments for their SEN children, but, felt it was perfectly ok to spring a ‘mini SATs test’ on the parents at this meeting with no regard to the impact and ramifications this situation may have.
I know & I know that the school know that the parent telling me about this is dyslexic and is entitled to exam concessions as a restful of his dyslexia. I also know from his reaction and our chat that this situation was extremely stressful experience for not only him but for his wife who was also subjected to this surprise test, both intelligent & successful people who found this to be a genuinely un pleasurable and highly stressful experience!
Whilst I understand that this situation was more than likely thought up to give an insight of the ‘SATs experience’ for the parents, I am shocked and disappointed in the schools lack of care for the parents and also question their empathy and understanding of their SEN children and parents!
I wonder if they are aware of the Disability Discrimination Act – DDA and if the term ‘Duty of care’ actually means anything to this education establishment?
