There I said it I hate the SATs and what they are doing to my normally bright, confident, out going daughter. She’s in year 6, she is 11 years old and instead of doing what ‘normal kids’ do when the sun comes out, she spent the weekend going though a stack of revision guides we managed to get her out into the garden but the books came too.

At this point I would like to clarify that the books was bought, paid for and supplied by the school and not by us.

Today was day 1 – the reading exam, and she came home sat on the sofa and looked totally deflated, ‘I tried my best,but’ – and at this moment my heart sank – ‘I know I’ve done badly as there was 7 pages I didn’t even get to look at’. My daughter is an intelligent child, she’s in all the top sets in her class, and she really struggled today.

I’d love to know what the children – because let’s face it that’s what they are they are 10 and 11 year old children – are going to get out of these ‘tests’ other than having what confidence they have had instilled in them over their time in primary education, ripped away from them just in time for their progression to secondary school.

Tomorrow we have the spelling test – oh such joy ! ‘Please can you test me on my spellings mum’ I was asked after dinner tonight ‘of course’ – I may not approve of these tests but at the same time I will help her anyway I can if she wants to revise. ‘What words do you need to practice ? Is it the 100 words in the back of your book?’ I asked ‘no all words’ was the answer ‘all words ? How can you possibly revise all words ?’ I really do feel these children are being set up to fail, and that is cruel by anyone’s standard but, it’s all the more cruel when you realise these are children of just 10 and 11 years old.

But it’s ok because they get a bacon sandwich each morning and a party on Friday.