1. Reporting of end of Key Stage assessments
Parents Coffee Drop-in
6/7/16

2. Outline The new SATS tests, how they have changed and why
End of Key Stage 1 assessment: the new tests, teacher assessment, reporting arrangements, scaled scores.
End of Key Stage 2 assessment: the new tests, teacher assessment, reporting arrangements, scaled scores.
Summary
Useful Links

3. Do you have a child in year 2 or year 6?
If so, they would have taken the national curriculum tests (SATs) in May.
These tests provide information about how your child is progressing, compared to children the same age nationally.
There have been changes to the tests this year at both key stages. This is because the tests are based on the new national curriculum, which your child has been taught since September

4. Year 2 pupils
In May Year 2 children took have the national curriculum tests, also known as SATs.
The results of these tests help us as teachers judge how well your child is progressing, but we don’t use the test results alone. Instead, we think about what we’ve seen over the whole of years 1 and 2 so that we can give you a full, accurate picture of how well your child is doing. It is this teaching assessment and not the tests that are reported to the local authority in Year 2.
Assessment is important because it helps us to understand how your child is doing and put in place support to help them improve if they need it. If, for example, your child is struggling with their reading, it is vital that we know this early on, so that we can give them the help they need to get back on track.

5. What you will receive from your school
After your child’s teacher has considered your child’s work across years 1 and 2, as well as their scores on the tests, they will make their teacher assessment.
The school will provide a report on what your child has achieved in mathematics, English reading, English writing and science, and you will receive this report on Thursday 7th July.
When making their decisions, teachers will think about what your child can do against the national standards, that is how other children are performing across the country.
The report from the school will tell you whether your child is performing at the expected standard for their age in maths, English reading and English writing or whether they need some more support to achieve it.

6. The new tests
As you might already know, this was the first year of the new key stage 1 tests in maths and English reading.
There was also an test in English grammar, punctuation and spelling, which was optional this year and not sat by children in many schools including St Laurence.
There is no test in science at key stage 1.

7. How were the tests marked? Scaled scores.
Your child’s teacher will have marked their test papers, and generated what is known as a scaled score, where a score of 100 means a child is working at the standard expected of them.
A score below 100 indicates that a child needs more support and a score of 100 or above suggests a child is working at or above expectations for their age. The maximum score possible is 115, and the minimum is 85.
It’s important to remember that these tests aren’t the whole picture though. Teachers will also make judgements based on how your child has performed in the classroom over the last two years and they will use the tests as one piece of evidence to make their judgements.
The reason for having these tests in addition is it gives teachers a way of comparing your child against a consistent national standard.

8. Should I be worried if my child isn’t at the expected standard in the test?
Absolutely not, these tests are taking place to help teachers identify where children might be struggling so they can put support and extra assistance in place to get them back on track with their reading or maths.
Also these tests are just one element of the overall assessment for children at year 2, and teachers are also considering how pupils performed over the whole of years 1 and 2 when they are making their judgements.

9. Key stage 2 tests – Year 6 pupils
National Curriculum Tests (SATs) are taken by pupils during their final year in Key Stage 2. They provide a snapshot of your child’s progress at that moment in time. They cannot be “passed” or “failed”, but simply provide an indication of your child’s attainment.

10. Changes to the assessment system
This year, children in Year 6 were the first to take the new SATs tests. These tests in English and maths are to assess attainment in the new National Curriculum and are more rigorous than under the previous system.
In addition, there is now a new system of reporting the results of the tests which replaces the previous system of reporting national curriculum levels.
Instead of gaining a level such as level 3, 4 or 5 as was the case in previous years, children have been awarded a scaled score based on the raw score they achieved in the tests.
A scaled score of 100 would mean your child’s attainment is at the expected standard for the end of Key Stage 2.

11. What is tested
This year, your child would have taken a reading comprehension test, maths test and the grammar, punctuation and spelling test.
Science is no longer tested at the end of KS2, however a small percentage of schools will have to undertake a sampling test.
In line with the Government commissioned report into testing in schools, children no longer sit a writing “test” in year 6. Instead Teacher Assessment is used to assess writing, and this is based on evidence from day-to-day work throughout the year. There are three main possible outcomes as a result of this assessment:
‘Working towards the expected standard.’
‘Working at the expected standard.’
‘Working at greater depth within the expected standard.’

12. Teacher Assessment
As well as their SATs results, you will be informed of your child’s attainment based upon the ongoing teacher assessments undertaken throughout the year.
This information will be provided to parents on Thursday 7th July in their end of year report.
There is only one standard for teacher assessment in Reading and Maths, which will indicate whether your child is working at the expected standard or not.

13. Year 6 continued: FAQs What will I receive afterwards?
In the summer term you will receive your child’s test results in reading and maths, alongside their result from the English grammar, punctuation and spelling test. You will also receive your child’s teacher assessment outcome in reading, maths and Science which will state whether your child is working at the expected standard or not. Remember, the teacher assessment for writing is more detailed.
What do the scale scores actually mean?
A score of 100 represents the new and more rigorous expected standard for the end of year 6. Some children may not be quite at this level yet and may be working below. Others may be working beyond the nationally expected level of attainment and may achieve a scaled score above 100. For some pupils, a score close to 100 may be a real achievement. It is worth bearing in mind that achievement is relative based upon the pupils’ starting points.
Is this information shared with secondary schools?
Yes, however different schools use the information in different ways. Both the SATs results and teacher assessment results are shared with the secondary schools, along with more general information about your child.

14. Summary and Key Dates
Children will receive their end of school report on Thursday 7th July.
For Year 2 this will include:
Teacher Assessment for Reading, Writing and Maths.
Your child’s test results in reading and maths, alongside their result from the English grammar, punctuation and spelling test. This will be given as a scaled score. Remember in Key Stage 1 the tests are only used to inform the teacher assessment and are not reported to local authority.
For Year 6 this will include:
Teacher Assessment for Reading, Writing and Maths. Remember the teacher assessment for writing will be more detailed.
Your child’s test results in reading and maths, alongside their result from the English grammar, punctuation and spelling test. This will be given as a scaled score with 100 or above meaning they are working at the expected standard and below a 100 meaning they are currently working towards the expected standard.

15. Useful links
Information for parents: 2016 national curriculum test results at the end of key stage 1
Information for parents: Results from the 2016 national curriculum at the end of key stage 2