Hillside Primary
KS2 SAT Meeting
Parents’ Information Evening
Thursday 22nd January 2015
What are SAT Tests and why do
children have to take them?
• KS2 SAT papers are taken by pupils in year 6 (when they are
10-11 years old) as part of the National Curriculum
assessment programme.
• KS2 SAT results are used by secondary schools to put the
children into suitable sets for core subjects. They will also use
these results to predict their GCSE grades.
• Children undertake KS2 SAT papers in two core subjects:
English and Maths. These are broken down into 6 separate
examined tests; 5 externally marked.
• Previously, pupils also took papers in Science. Annual
sampling tests in Science will now take place every two
years, starting in 2014.
•
Schools may also choose to hold Level 6 SAT assessments (in
addition to their Level 3-5 SAT papers). In this scenario, we
will consider their expected results before entering them for
the Level 6 SAT tests as they should already be demonstrating
an ability beyond Level 5 (KS3).
•
Importantly, the child must achieve a Level 5 in the Level
3-5 SAT tests and pass the corresponding Level 6 test in
the same year to be awarded an overall Level 6 result. If
the child does not pass the Level 6 SAT test they will be
awarded the Level achieved in the Level 3-5 SAT test.
What are SAT Levels?
Level 3: Below the nationally expected level of attainment for a
pupil at the end of Year 6.
Level 4: The nationally expected level of attainment for a pupil
at the end of Year 6.
Level 5: Above the nationally expected level of attainment for a
pupil at the end of Year 6.
At school, we also use sub-levels as a, b or c (a being the
highest). Eg. A level 4c is a low level 4, a 4b is a secure level 4 and
a 4a is a high level 4.
How Many Tests Are There?
•
Literacy Reading:
•
The Level 3-5 KS2 Reading SAT Paper follows the same structure as in previous
years with a Reading Booklet containing several similarly themed texts. Pupils are
given 15 minutes to read the texts and then 45 minutes to answer 35 individual
questions about them. The questions vary in their depth with some only requiring
a single word answer, others a paragraph to demonstrate strong understanding (up
to three marks). Pupils can refer back to the tasks at any point. It is a classic
reading comprehension assessment.
•
The Level 6 SAT Reading Paper is essentially just another reading comprehension
assessment. Pupils are given a Reading Booklet containing several texts and then
asked 25 questions about them. Pupils are allocated 10 minutes to read the texts
and then a further 50 minutes to answer the questions. As with the Level 3-5
Reading Test, the Level 6 Reading Test expects some shorter answers and some
longer ones, up to a maximum of four marks per question.
•
Literacy Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling:
•
Sample SAT papers for the new English Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling Test
will become available in late 2012. In December 2012 the STA have published
sample papers English Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling SAT papers. This
includes both Level 3-5 and Level 6 sample questions.
•
Literacy Written:
•
Pupils are no longer required to take an externally examined KS2 SAT Writing Test.
Instead this will now be wrapped up into an externally moderated teacher
assessment. Speaking and listening tests will continue to be teacher assessed.
•
Numeracy Mental Test:
•
A 20 minute mental arithmetic paper.
•
Numeracy Papers:
•
KS2 Maths SATs papers (Level 3-5) comprise three formal papers, Test A (45
minutes, non-calculator), Test B (45 minutes, calculator allowed) and mental test.
•
A child's mark from all three papers are aggregated to create their overall Key
Stage 2 Maths SATs level.
•
As with Key Stage 2 English, schools can choose to administer the Level 6
Mathematics Tests in addition to the Level 3-5 tests. The Level 6 Mathematics tests
consist of two papers Paper 1 – a non-calculator paper, lasting 30 minutes and
Paper 2 – a calculator available paper also lasting 30 minutes. Children's marks
from both tests are aggregated to determine whether they are performing at Level
6 in mathematics.
Literacy Tests
• Reading
• Writing (internal)
• Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling
Separate levels for Reading and Writing are awarded, along
with an overall level for Literacy.
Reading Test Examples
Some questions
will ask the
children to find
answers directly
from the reading
booklets they are
given.
Others will
require the
children to
deduce answers
by using words
or phrases as
evidence.
Some questions will ask
the children to evaluate
what they have read,
again using the text to
back up their answers.
Assessment of Writing
• The written test is no longer sent away to be externally
marked and assessed.
• The ongoing progress of individual children is carefully tracked
and developed throughout the whole of year 6: this level
assessed by the teacher is used in conjunction with the
written test to agree on a Level.
• Local Authority moderators visit schools to ensure high
standards of teacher assessment.
Writing Test Examples
Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling
Test
• Punctuation, sentence-grammar and vocabulary will all be
assessed by a series of short-answer questions in a variety of
formats. Some question formats will be familiar to children from
the current English reading tests and some new ones will be
introduced.
• The spelling test will assess around 20 words and will contribute
towards the whole-test score. While different methods of
administration are being trialled, the method selected will be
broadly in line with spelling assessment in previous National
Curriculum tests.
• A number of methods of testing handwriting are being trialled. If
a decision is made to assess handwriting in the final tests the
most appropriate method will be selected.
Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling
Test Examples
Level 3-5
1. Circle all the adverbs in the sentence below.
Open the drawers carefully and quietly when using the filing
cabinet.
1 mark
2.Tick one word to complete the sentence below.
Michael and Kate read their books ______________ they ate
their sandwiches.
Tick one.
While
which
between
during
1 mark
Numeracy Tests
There are three tests:-
• The mental test (20%)
• Paper A -no calculator allowed (40%)
• Paper B -calculator allowed (40%)
The tests cover Levels 3-5
• The first questions in the paper are generally Level 3
questions, moving on to Level 4, with the more challenging
questions at the end of the papers targeted at Level 5.
Equipment allowed in each test
• No equipment allowed in the mental test.
Pencil only.
• Children are allowed a pencil, ruler, tracing paper, protractor
and mirror for Papers A and B, and a calculator for Paper B.
They may not need to use all of these.
How You Can Support Your
Child At Home:
•
•
•
•
Sensible bedtime.
Healthy diet – eat breakfast.
Drink plenty of water at home and school.
Encourage your child positively, without putting too much
pressure on him/her.
• Support with homework – provide a quiet place for work,
share the targets, refer to the study guides you loaned.
• Use revision guides and websites to support your child’s
learning.
• Read with your child, discussing the content and choice of
words the author has made. Ask your child questions about
their reading, encouraging them to identify words or phrases
to back up their answers.
SAT Week Timetable
Date
Level 3-5 tests*
Level 6 tests*
Monday 11th May
2015
English Reading Test
English Reading Test
Tuesday 12th May
2015
English Grammar,
Punctuation and
Spelling test
English Grammar,
Punctuation and
Spelling test
Wednesday 13th May
2015
Mental Mathematics
Test
Mathematics - Test A
Thursday 15th May
2015
Mathematics - Test B
Mathematics - Paper 1
Mathematics - Paper 2
Revision Websites
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
BBC bitesize
www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk
www.compare4kids.co.uk (Excellent site.)
BBC Skillswise
Topmarks
Count On
Subtangent.com