Do you know a child who is sitting school tests this year? It could be year 2 or year 6 SATs, GCSEs, A Levels or anything else.
Exams are pretty nerve wracking, and our SATs Star project is a sweet way to reassure your loved one that they are lovely lovable and loved exactly as the are, regardless of their performance in the exams.
The SATS Star project is now in its FOURTH year and we've sold literally hundreds of letters of encouragement and good luck charms in the past. We've had loads of gorgeous feedback from parents, including:
"Just received the sats letter and pac man wrist band. Thank you very much. The letter brought a tear to my eye it’s so lovingly written and the personal information just make it special. Can’t wait to give it to my boy on Monday. Thank you x "
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"Mrs Bee, I have just received Jamie's sats letter and band, and I'm sat here in tears. Thank you so much, it sums up everything we want him to know.
He is so worried about letting the school down, himself down and us down that he has got himself in a state, it's horrible to see my bright happy boy being weighed down with worry. Hopefully your letter will let him know how much we believe in him.
Thank you thank you thank you. Xxx "
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"Just opened our SATs letters. What a really special thing for them to get. They love them and made 2 very anxious little girls feel much better at bed time. Thank you so much xxx "
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What is the SATs Star Project?
The whole premise of the SATs Star Project is that 'the universe' sends your child a letter that reminds them that they are totally wonderful, and very much loved, regardless of the outcome of the tests. These letters can be personalised, so you give us some info about things to include (for example the child's interests, things they excel in, details of pets, family members, etc.) You can see an example of handwritten letters we sent here:
In addition to the letter, we send a small good luck token for the child to take into the exam room with them. The magic of the project is that the token (and there is a choice of options this year!) is that it provides a visual and sensual reminder of the lovely things that were said about the child in the letter.
We have had many parents tell us that they find their child's SATs Star trinket months and years after the SATs have finished, and their child becomes attached to the meaning behind it. They seem to be especially comforting for year 6s when the start secondary school.
So, do you want to hear about what we have for 2019?
💥 This year we have more options than ever before! 👀
1) A personalised letter of encouragement and a pin badge! These are especially effective because they can be pinned inside a pocket - so the child can discreetly feel the support by putting their hand inside their pocket. In this way it's discreet and other children don't necessarily need to know about it, if that makes the child feel better.
There are a choice of 2 pin designs with this SATs Star listing:
2) A personalised letter of encouragement and a personalised pendant!
You can personalise the letter AND the words on the necklace:
The necklace comes packaged in a black and silver card presentation box.
3) A personalised letter of encouragement and a rainbow boblet (soft elastic wristband)
What symbolises hope more than a rainbow? These boblets are loved by our tweens and teens, and can be used to put up hair if necessary too. They can be re-tied to ensure the perfect fit.
4) A NON PERSONALISED letter of encouragement and a rainbow boblet wristie
This is a generalised letter of support, at a lower price point, so everyone can be included. We will send a lovely letter of support that doesn't include any specifics about your child, but is still something they will enjoy and remember. This option may also be more suitable for children who may feel a bit anxious about someone knowing so much about them.
This is a generalised letter of support, at a lower price point, so everyone can be included. We will send a lovely letter of support that doesn't include any specifics about your child, but is still something they will enjoy and remember. This option may also be more suitable for children who may feel a bit anxious about someone knowing so much about them.
Why have the prices increased from last year?
Each year we try to find a way we can increase the amount of children we can send a SATs Star to. We are always interested to hear ways that we can expand the project, so please message us if you have some suggestions.
We are limited somewhat by the fact that there is only Dom and I working at Mrs Bee - and that this is our main family income. We give whatever we can, but we still have to pay the bills.
In the past we have sold heavily subsidised SATs Stars, and these have been well received. However, it means that there is no money to pay other people to help us write the letters (as these take the vast majority of the time).
In addition, we donate 20% of the total income to Young Minds. After discussing the issue with a focus group, we felt that we would be better to charge more for each item, which would then give us the opportunity to employ people to help us, donate more to charity and expand the project that way (whilst still enabling us to pay the bills - which is even more important now we have expanded into our own business premises).
We have consciously added an option at a low price point (£4, with free P&P) so that no-one is excluded by budget.
I hope you understand, and we are happy to receive any feedback as we are deeply committed to the SATS Star Project and we want to see it thrive.
Can I buy an extra SATS Star and you donate it to a child in need?
We are limited somewhat by the fact that there is only Dom and I working at Mrs Bee - and that this is our main family income. We give whatever we can, but we still have to pay the bills.
In the past we have sold heavily subsidised SATs Stars, and these have been well received. However, it means that there is no money to pay other people to help us write the letters (as these take the vast majority of the time).
In addition, we donate 20% of the total income to Young Minds. After discussing the issue with a focus group, we felt that we would be better to charge more for each item, which would then give us the opportunity to employ people to help us, donate more to charity and expand the project that way (whilst still enabling us to pay the bills - which is even more important now we have expanded into our own business premises).
We have consciously added an option at a low price point (£4, with free P&P) so that no-one is excluded by budget.
I hope you understand, and we are happy to receive any feedback as we are deeply committed to the SATS Star Project and we want to see it thrive.
Can I buy an extra SATS Star and you donate it to a child in need?
This is a tricky question and one that Dom and I have given a lot of brain power to. The suggestion comes from a place of great generosity and we often receive questions like this. You guys - our customers - are an amazing and generous bunch, and we are so thankful and proud of you.
The problem is, how do we choose a child? If you put yourself in the position of a parent whose child received a donation like this, how would you feel? It's simpler if schools identify children who might benefit, but the schools we have approached have been reluctant to get involved in this way, and have bought whole class sets instead.
Dom and I both taught in a school in Hull on an estate that has record levels of deprivation. Our experience was that, even in the most deprived families, parents will find a small amount of money if they believe something will be a help to their child. It's a bit of a weird moral maze if you gift a SATs Star to someone's child without giving the parent the opportunity to be the one who provided it.
To avoid this issue altogether, we have decided this year that any parent who wishes to make an additional donation will be invited to make a donation to Young Minds themselves. This way the charity benefits and it's entirely transparent where the additional donations go to and how they are used by the charity.
If you wish to make an additional donation, you can find a link here:
https://youngminds.org.uk/donate/
Finally - don't forget to tag us in your social media pictures of your children with their SATs Stars, so we can give them a shout out on the day and wish them well! On Insta / Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest we are @mrsbeesemporium and #SATSstars
Wishing you - and your children - the very best of luck for the test season!
Much Love,
The problem is, how do we choose a child? If you put yourself in the position of a parent whose child received a donation like this, how would you feel? It's simpler if schools identify children who might benefit, but the schools we have approached have been reluctant to get involved in this way, and have bought whole class sets instead.
Dom and I both taught in a school in Hull on an estate that has record levels of deprivation. Our experience was that, even in the most deprived families, parents will find a small amount of money if they believe something will be a help to their child. It's a bit of a weird moral maze if you gift a SATs Star to someone's child without giving the parent the opportunity to be the one who provided it.
To avoid this issue altogether, we have decided this year that any parent who wishes to make an additional donation will be invited to make a donation to Young Minds themselves. This way the charity benefits and it's entirely transparent where the additional donations go to and how they are used by the charity.
If you wish to make an additional donation, you can find a link here:
https://youngminds.org.uk/donate/
Finally - don't forget to tag us in your social media pictures of your children with their SATs Stars, so we can give them a shout out on the day and wish them well! On Insta / Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest we are @mrsbeesemporium and #SATSstars
Wishing you - and your children - the very best of luck for the test season!
Much Love,
