Exams: the website for parents

The DfEE has created one of the most parent-friendly sites online. We investigate

Parents.dfee.gov.uk is the centre for parents on the main DfEE (Department for Education and Employment) website. The centre has two main sections: in-school and out-of-school, and additional features, including Events, Resources (Internet) and School League Tables. You’ll also find a magazine for parents and a delight picture-book called Discover, a learning tool for children.

After you have visited the educational parts of the site (and discovered how much work children have to do), you’ll know what subjects are likely to come up in exams. Then you might want to revisit Discover for fast, colourful facts on the subjects concerned. Discover is truly the fun part of the site, and you’ll appreciate its attractions more in the context of the rest of the site, which is as dry as dust.

The In School button takes you to the National Curriculum, and details about examinations and coursework assessment. Fun and games aside, these are two really useful areas. Other key attractions are:

the structure of school administration, which includes discipline and a list of school holidays.

selection in schools (the 1998 School Standards & Framework Act is quoted – an 11-plus exam is allowed in some areas, Banding is imposed in other areas to ensure an even spread of pupils at all levels of ability – the opposite of selection)

social issues like drugs and travel to school.

There are lots of quotes from documents listing the legal requirements imposed by Parliament on everything from ‘Exclusions’ to ‘Uniforms’ to the ‘Education of Sick Children’. Rights and responsibilities are also listed, so when dealing with issues like Exclusion, you can find out where you stand and who to complain to.

The Parents’ Guide to the National Curriculum gives you exhaustive amounts of information. Click on the buttons that take you to each of the key stages. The stages are broken down into subjects like English, Maths, Languages and the sciences, so it’s easy to find out what will be examined stage by stage, and through SATS as well.