Information for Parents
Year 6 SATs
January 2012
Why do we do SATs?
All children in DBS complete SATs at the
end of Year 6.
They assess our student’s achievement
against a National Average.
They show how much progress they have
made at DBS.
It is a chance for our students to
demonstrate what they can do, and prove
what they have learnt.
Explaining the SATs Levels
Level 3: Below the nationally expected level for a pupil at
the end of Year 6.
Level 4b: The nationally expected level for a pupil at the
end of Year 6.
Level 5: Above the nationally expected level 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).
e.g. A level 4c is a low level 4, a 4b is a secure level 4 and a
4a is a high level 4.
The Literacy Tests
Reading- 50 marks
Short Writing- 12 marks
Long Writing- 28 marks
Spelling- 7 marks
Handwriting- 3 marks
Separate levels for Reading and Writing are
awarded, along with an overall level for Literacy
Writing
The Genre of writing to be tested is not known by the school
prior to the test.
The tasks could require the children to write any of the
following…
Instructions
Persuasive text
Discussion text
Recount
Report
Explanation
Play script
Poetry
Narrative texts (a story, or based on any of the above formats)
Writing
Reading
Some
questions
will ask the
children to
find answers
directly from
the reading
booklets they
are given.
These
questions are
usually worth
1 mark.
Reading
Others will
require the
children to
deduce
answers by
using words or
phrases as
evidence.
These
questions are
usually worth
2 marks.
Reading
Some
questions will
ask the
children to
evaluate what
they have read,
again using the
text to back up
their answers.
These
questions are
usually worth 3
marks.
Spelling
The spelling test
carries a possible 7
marks.
The spelling words
are tested within the
context of a passage
of text.
As the passage is read
out to the children,
they fill in the correct
spellings on their
copy of the text.
Maths Tests
There are three tests: The mental maths test (20%)
 Paper A - no calculator allowed (40%)
 Paper B - calculator allowed (40%)
Maths Tests
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.
Maths Tests
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.
Mental test
Maths Tests
Some examples of past papers showing
the types of question the children are
expected to answer at each level
Maths Tests
Maths Tests
Test schedule example
Sunday 27th
May
Monday
28th May
Tuesday
29th May
Reading Test
45 minutes
(plus 15
minutes
reading time)
Writing Test
(Short)
20 minutes
Maths
Mental Test
20 minutes
Spelling test
10 minutes
Writing Test
(Long)
45 minutes
Maths
Test A
45 minutes
Wednesday
30th May
Maths
Test B
45 minutes
Thursday
31st May
What DBS are doing:
In addition to their general day to day activities
DBS will:
Devote more classroom time to writing, reading
and maths for a targeted period leading up to the
SATs.
Provide extra curricular booster sessions in
writing, reading & maths.
Use our teaching assistants to help address
individual children’s areas of need leading up to
the SATs.
How you can support
your child at home:
Sensible bedtime.
Provide them with a healthy balance. Give them time to
relax and play.
Healthy diet – eat breakfast.
Drink plenty of water at home and at school.
Encourage your child positively, without putting too much
pressure on him/her.
Celebrate your child’s successes to date.
Revision Websites
www.bbc.co.uk/schools/revision/
This is an excellent site, providing revision help for KS2, KS3, KS 4 and KS5. This covers all subjects through activities
and tests.
www.icteachers.co.uk/children/children_sats.htm
A wide range of KS2 SATs questions, from both past papers and their own team of teachers.
www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/revision/index.html
Revision pages at Woodlands Junior School. These revision pages support the work they do at Woodlands Junior School.
They have been put together for their students to help them with their revision. Included are some sample questions
taken from past Key Stage 2 SATs papers, as well as a whole host of interactive tests/quizzes.
www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks2/maths/booster_sea/index.htm
Booster maths games for children to look at the major topics.
http://www.mathletics.co.uk
Not just for homework. This includes some excellent games, activities and help for maths.