Year 6 SATs Information Monday 12th May – Friday 16th May 2014

1. Year 6 SATs Information Monday 12th May – Friday 16th May 2014

2. Contents • Introduction to Tests and Levels • SATs Timetable • About the Tests • Tips on how you can help your child prepare • Useful websites • Handy hints • How else you can help

3. Year 6 End of Key Stage 2 Tests • SATs, or Standard Assessment Tests, are the former, but still held to, name for National Curriculum Tests. • These are statutory end of key stage tests in the core subjects of the National Curriculum: English and mathematics. • On all test papers children are shown how many marks each question is worth: one, two or three. This should help them know how much effort to put into answering each one. • Papers are sent away for independent marking and returned to the school.

4. National Curriculum Levels are awarded as follows: • B = below the level of the test (Level 3) •N = No test level awarded •A = Child was absent for one or more test papers • Level 2 = well below the expected level • Level 3 = below the expected level • Level 4 = the expected level for eleven year olds • Level 5 = above the expected level • Level 6 = well above the expected level

5. Timetable

6. Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar Test (SPAG) • Levels 3-5 • The English grammar, punctuation and spelling test at levels 3-5 has two components, worth a total of 70 marks: • a booklet of short-answer questions • a spelling task • Paper 1: Short-answer questions, consists of between 40 and 50 questions assessing grammar, punctuation and vocabulary. Each question is worth one or two marks with a total for the paper of 50 marks. The questions are: • selected response items (such as multiple choice questions) or • short, open response items, in which children may have to write a word, a few words or a sentence. A sample of the test can be accessed here. • Paper 2:The spelling task, consists of 20 sentences, which are read aloud by the test administrator. Each sentence has a word missing which the child must complete. The task is worth a total of 20 marks. A sample of the spelling test can be accessed here.

7. Reading • This year the texts in the levels 3-5 English reading booklet will not be linked by a theme. The booklet will contain three or four texts. The least demanding text will come first with the following texts increasing in level of difficulty. • Instead of being given 15 minutes reading time and 45 minutes to answer the questions, children will have a total of one hour to read the texts and complete the questions at their own pace. • The reading answer booklet will comprise approximately 35 to 40 questions (totalling 50 marks). The questions are: • shorter, closed response items (such as multiple choice and matching questions); • shorter, open response items; and • longer, open response items that require children to explain and comment on the texts in order to demonstrate a full understanding. • Questions are worth 1, 2 or 3 marks. • A sample reading booklet can be accessed here; a sample reading answer booklet can be accessed here. These are provided for illustrative purposes, as an indication of what future key stage 2 English reading tests that are not ‘themed’ will look like. They are not intended to be used as a practice test.

8. Maths • The levels 3-5 mathematics test consists of: • two non-calculator papers, Paper 1 and Paper 2, each lasting 45 minutes • mental mathematics test, lasting 20 minutes • Children’s marks from all three tests are aggregated to calculate their overall mathematics level. • A sample level 3-5 maths Paper A test can be accessed here. • A sample level 3-5 mental maths test can be accessed here.

9. Tips on how you can help your child prepare • The biggest single influence on your child’s SAT marks will be their reading ability. Good readers can read questions quickly, and understand what they need to do. Continue to encourage your child to read every day, looking at both stories and non-fiction. • To help your child prepare for SATs it’s crucial that homework is completed and handed in on time. www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/revision/index.html (general revision) www.cgpbooks.co.uk/online_rev/ks2choice.asp (interactive revision activities) www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/ (science, literacy, numeracy) www.coxhoe.durham.sch.uk/curriculum/curriculum.htm

10. Handy Hints! • Look through a practice paper together and talk about how you would answer the questions. • Agree on what the question is actually asking you to do. • The number of marks each question is worth is printed at the side: 1 mark answers can be brief, one word or number. 2 mark answers will require at least two bits of information, like two different phrases, or an answer complete with method. 3 mark answers need to be thorough. Encourage your child to look for this information, and not to waste time agonising over the 1mark answers. • Some questions are multiple-choice. If they don’t know the answer, your child can guess – and may still get a mark. Children are not used to doing this! • If they get stuck on a question, tell them to move on rather than waste time on it. • Practise spending five minutes checking a paper

11. How else can you help? SATs can be a worrying time for your child and can lead to nervousness as the tests approach. Good coping strategies include: • Reassure them that they just have to try their best on the day. • Encourage them to spend 10-20 minutes a day on revision or practice. • Remind them that in most parts of the SAT papers, children do not have to write in sentences: often phrases or even single words will be enough. • Keep an early and regular bedtime routine in the days leading up to and including the test week – no later that 8.30 p.m.! • Ensure your child has breakfast every day, especially during the week of the tests. Research shows that children who miss breakfast perform worse in late morning. • Check your child can tell the time accurately so they will know how long there is to go in the test.