1. Information for Parents on Key Stage 2 SATs*
07/16/96
Information for Parents on Key Stage 2 SATs *

2. What does SATs Stand For?
Statutory Assessment Tasks and Tests (also includes Teacher Assessment).
Usually taken at the end of Key Stage 1 (at age 7) and at the end of Key Stage 2 (at age 11).
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3. What level should children be at?
Around 85%+ of children are at Level 4 by the end of Key Stage 2.
Some children will still be at Level 3 and some children will achieve Level 5 or above.
A small percentage of children will not yet be working at Level 3.
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4. How are the children assessed?
For children working at Level 3 and above, there are two sorts of assessments:
Tests
Teacher assessments.
For children working below Level 3, the only statutory assessment is teacher assessment and those children do not take the tests.
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5. What does teacher assessment involve and is it different from testing?
Teacher assessment draws together everything the teacher or teachers know about a child, including observations, marked work and school assessments.
Teacher assessment is not a ‘snapshot’ like tests and is therefore more reliable.
There can be a difference between teacher assessment results and test levels.
Teacher assessment only, is used for children who work below level 3.
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6. When do these tests happen?
This year the tests dates will be from the 11th - 15th May.
It is a busy week for children and staff alike.
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7. How is SATs week organised?
A timetable is issued to school, telling us on which days tests must be administered.
We can determine at what time tests begin.
All children must sit the tests at the same time.
Test papers can only be opened 1 hour before the tests begin.
Tests are completed in classrooms, with any displays that may help covered over.
The LA monitor 10% of schools per year.
Children are divided into groups for test administration to ensure they are properly supported and feel secure.
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8. What help can children have?
In the reading test, children must read the text and questions by themselves, but MAY have help recording their answers, if this is done in a normal classroom situation.
In the maths and SPAG papers teachers can read questions to any child who asks, some children will have the whole paper read to them, on a one to one.
Teachers can encourage, but not guide or say that an answer is correct or incorrect.
Some children can be given up to 25% extra time if they have identified learning needs. This has to be applied for in advance.
Words on a test paper can be transcribed where a marker may not be able to read a child’s answer.
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9. How can parents help?
The best help is interest taken in learning and progress.
Attending meetings and parents evenings.
Supporting home learning.
Not putting children under too much pressure Ensuring children arrive for tests:
- in good time
- having had breakfast
- having gone to bed at a reasonable time
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10. What do the tests involve?
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11. ENGLISH
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12. Reading Comprehension
The reading test was changed in This year, as last 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.
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13. shorter, open response items
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
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.
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14. English grammar, punctuation and spelling
A new statutory test of English grammar, punctuation and spelling was introduced for children at the end of Key Stage 2 from May 2013.
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15. The level 3-5 test will assess children’s abilities in the following technical aspects of English:
grammar;
punctuation;
spelling;
vocabulary;
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16. Examples Circle all the adverbs in the sentence below.
Open the drawers carefully and quietly when using the filing cabinet.
Add a suffix to this word to make an adjective.
dread ______________
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17. Complete the sentence below with a contraction that makes sense.
If you give me the recipe____________
buy the ingredients on the way home.
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18. MATHS
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19. The levels 3-5 mathematics test consists of:
two non-calculator papers, Paper 1 and Paper 2, each lasting 45 minutes
mental mathematics test, with 20 questions of increasing difficulty
Children’s marks from all three tests are aggregated to calculate their overall mathematics level.
Teachers may read questions in both written papers to pupils if asked.
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20. SCIENCE
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21. Science sampling tests for children at the end of key stage 2 recommenced in June on a biennial basis. There will be no science sampling in 2015.
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22. 2012013 Test Timetable3 Test 2015 Test Timetable
11th May
12th May
13th May
14th May
15th May
Reading Test
1 hour
English grammar, punctuation and spelling test
Mental Maths Test
20 minutes
Maths Test B
45 minutes
Maths Test A
Level 6 Reading
Level 6 SPAG
Level 6 Maths papers 1 & 2
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