1. Key Stage 1 Assessment Meeting 2018
12/3/19
3:20pm

2. It’s not our fault – it’s a legal requirement of every school
What you need to know:
It’s not our fault – it’s a legal requirement of every school
The 2019 tests will spread throughout May.
There will be no formal writing test (more about that later)
There will be a spelling and grammar test (SPAG)
There are two mathematics papers (more on that later)
There will be a reading test (more on that later)
7) Year 2 isn’t just about testing
8) Extra time or support will be provided to some children
9) Interventions are already taking place
10) There is no change from the 2017 or 2018 SATs
We will ensure that the children do not sit the tests close together and that we have a gap between tests so that the children do not feel overwhelmed. The children will continue normal lessons and topic lessons around this time so that their routine stays fairly similar.
There are already interventions in place, if you would like to speak to me about these please feel free at the end of the session.

3. Youtube Video
SATS

4. Reading – Government Age Related Expectations
We believe that reading boils down to hard graft. Top readers read to a parent nearly every night, and the one’s who struggle tend to read the minimum of three. In basic terms – you get out what you put in.
If you’re lucky enough to belong to a child that loves reading, this challenge is somewhat easier. However, it’s a battle worth fighting because - placing the test to one side for a moment - they will need to access and understand a lot of textbooks on entering KS2.
What does the Government say?
The whole class has made brilliant progress in reading. Their comprehension skills have come a long way but most children still need to answer the comprehension questions in full sentences. Some children are still struggling with reading aloud so as I have said please, please read at home as much as you can. I have targeted readers and these children are reading at least twice a week with and adult at school.

5. How to Help Your Child with Reading
Encourage opportunities for Reading at all times.
Model reading even if it is something from online, a recipe or letters/postcards that you have been sent.
Find time to read at least 3 times a week – if not 5. You can read to them or they can read to you: straight after school, in the car before school starts, at bedtime.
Encourage your child to answer questions about the texts you are reading – even if you end up reading it to them. Think about those VIPERS questions (ask for more support on this if you are unsure). Change one of your reading days to a comprehension day.
If you want (or I may already give you some) comprehension sheets, use one of your reading days to do that instead as it has questions already done for you.
Show your appreciation: praise and encourage, even for small successes!

6. Grammar (SPAG) Say Hello to GRAMPUN! Grammar
The spelling and grammar tests scores are added together to give an indicator of your child’s ARE (age-related expectation). This is a shame as some children excel at grammar, but find the spelling element challenging.
You may be aware of GRAMPUN by now but if not this is him. He is a naughty puppet who ruins my classroom but he also makes the children laugh and they love sessions with him on a Tuesday. GRAMPUN introduces the children to a new spelling, punctuation or grammar focus for the week that fits with our writing focus. The children then answer questions/show GRAMPUN what they can do. The children love being taught this way and we are seeing brilliant results. However, spelling seems to be our weakness and the area which many children in the class need to focus on.

7. (Reasoning and Problem Solving Paper 2
Maths
(Arithmetic Paper 1)
(Reasoning and Problem Solving Paper 2
Maths
What does the Government say?
I have tried to push Arithmetic this year in order to support children’s basic understanding of Math (T1, 2 and 3) and to enable them to access more complex Math (such as fractions, measurement and time).
Most children are confident in Maths and are doing very well. We have had some tricky weeks where the children have learnt a new way of working which they may not have covered in Year 1 but with practise most are getting there. If you wanted to do more than the ABACUS games at home I will suggest the CPG Maths workbook although please do not feel the necessity to do this as we do not want the children getting stressed.

8. How to Help Your Child with Maths
Encourage opportunities for Maths wherever possible especially money and time!
Buy some of the Year 2 SATs books.
Encourage your child to talk about what they have been learning in Maths that week (I usually do a weekly routine) and if they say they are stuck: print resources, find games, ask me for extra work.
Encourage your child to use TT Rockstars and DoodleMaths as much as possible.
Complete the Maths weekly homework which has a clear description of what we have been learning and how we learn it. If you struggle to understand my explanation – just ask.
Show your appreciation: praise and encourage, even for small successes!
If I grab you at the end of the day to catch up on something I have seen from your child that day, please DO NOT panic that they have done something wrong.

9. Teacher Assessment - WritingTA
What does the Government say? .
Handwriting is important – children with poor, ‘printed’ script can not fall into the ‘Working at the expected standard.’
Spelling is important – learning difficulties, such as dyslexia, sadly are not taken into consideration
I am very proud of the effort of all the children in their independent writes on Thursdays. I have spoken to the children about these sessions and I have overly expressed that I just want the children to try their best on these days. I have emphasised that this is not a competition to see who can write the most or do the best but it is just for the children to show what they can personally do. I try really hard to link the independent write to our Topic lesson so the children have lots of information and feel confident in what they are writing about. We have discussed what being independent means but I have explained that this does not mean they can’t ask for help, look at dictionaries or use the word banks I put on the table. I want to emphasise that we do these long writes across the school and that it is not just Year 2. This is something I would do with the children whether they were in a SATS year or not as it enables them to show what they have learnt both topic and grammar wise. Then I am able to assess what they need more practise or focus on.

10. How to Help Your Child with Writing
Practise and learn weekly spelling lists – make it fun!
Encourage opportunities for writing, such as letters to family or friends, shopping lists, notes or reminders, stories or poems.
Write together – be a good role model for writing.
Encourage use of a dictionary to check spelling.
Allow your child to use a computer for word processing, which will allow for editing and correcting of errors without lots of crossing out.
Remember that good readers become good writers! Identify good writing features when reading (e.g. vocabulary, sentence structure, punctuation).
Show your appreciation: praise and encourage, even for small successes!

11. Teacher Assessment - Science
No test! TA

12. How to Help Your Child In SATs
First and foremost, if you choose to tell your child about SATs support and reassure your child that there is nothing to worry about and that they should always just try their best. Praise and encourage!
Ensure your child has the best possible attendance at school.
Support your child with any homework tasks.
If you can only do the bare minimum - reading, spelling and arithmetic (e.g. times tables) are always good to practise.
Talk to your child about what they have learnt at school.

13. Other questions you may have:
Do they have to do it?
What if they are poorly?
Where will they do it?
Can some children be given extra time or a scribe / reader?
Who marks the SATs?
When do we get the results?
How are they being prepared for SATs at school?

14. Are there any questions or concerns?
SATs play a very little part of your child’s achievement at Primary School, especially at Year 2 and while we have to submit the results, it is only part of a bigger conversation I will have with your child’s next teacher.
I would emphasise that you do not tell your child that they are sitting tests. We have not and will not use that language at school and we hope to make the time fun and positive for the children. All staff at Welton will support your child the very best we can to ensure this is the case.
Are there any questions or concerns?
This PowerPoint presentation will be put on our class blog for your reference.