Cycle 3

We are nearly there, and we CANdo this!

We are very close to our End of Key Stage 2 Tests (SATs) and your children are doing their best every single day. I have listed a few things you can do at home to help but the main thing is to try and keep everything as normal as possible for them. Please come to me if you are unsure of anything below. We are all in this together and we can’t wait to see how well your children will do after all their hard work. Miss Stephens

Assessment and Monitoring

  • As of 2014, the ‘old’ national curriculum levels (e.g. level 3, 4, 5) were abolished as set out in government guidelines.
  • The 2014 curriculum is rigorous and sets noticeably higher expectations than previous curricula, which is why all schools have had to work hard to meet and adapt to it since its introduction.
  • Since 2016, test scores have been reported as ‘scaled scores’.

Scaled Scores

What is meant by ‘scaled scores’?

  • It is planned that 100 will always represent the ‘national standard’.
  • Each pupil’s raw test score will therefore be converted into a score on the scale, either at, above or below 100.
  • The scale will have a lower end point somewhere below 100 and an upper end point above 100.
  • A child who achieves the ‘national standard’ (a score of 100) will be judged to have demonstrated sufficient knowledge in the areas assessed by the tests.
  • Each pupil receives:
  • a raw score (number of raw marks awarded);
  • a scaled score in each tested subject;
  • confirmation of whether or not they attained the national standard.

Higher-Attaining Pupils

  • In the past, Key Stage 2 tests were aimed at children achieving levels 3-5 (with a national expectation to reach at least level 4).
  • This meant that additional level 6 tests were produced for children who demonstrated higher than expected attainment (above level 5).
  • Under the new system, there are not any separate tests for the most-able children.
  • Instead, each test will have scope for higher-attaining pupils to show their strengths.
  • This means that some questions towards the end of the tests may be more difficult for many children but they should be encouraged to attempt as much of the test as they are able to.

The Tests

Key Stage 2 SATs take place nationally in the week commencing 14thMay 2017

Statutory tests will be administered in the following subjects:

  • Punctuation, Vocabulary and Grammar (45 minutes)
  • Spelling (approximately 20 minutes)
  • Reading (60 minutes)
  • Mathematics

– Paper 1: Arithmetic (30 minutes)

– Paper 2: Reasoning (40 minutes)

– Paper 3: Reasoning (40 minutes)

  • There are no tests to be administered in science this year.
  • All tests are externally marked.
  • As in recent years, writing will be teacher assessed internally.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reading

•       The reading test consists of a single test paper with three unrelated reading texts. Children are given 60 minutes in total, which includes reading the texts and answering the questions.

•       A total of 50 marks are available.

•       Questions are designed to assess the comprehension and understanding of a child’s reading.

•       During the reading paper, a child’s inference and deduction skills are thoroughly tested. They will also be expected to answer questions on authorial choices: explaining why an author has chosen to use particular vocabulary, grammar and text features.

•       Some questions are multiple choice or selected response; others require short answers and some require an extended response or explanation.

 

 

Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling

•       A spelling test is administered containing 20 words, which lasts approximately 15 minutes.

•       A separate test is given on grammar, punctuation and vocabulary.

•       This test lasts for 45 minutes and requires short answer questions including some multiple choice.

•       Marks for these two tests are added together to give a total for grammar, punctuation and spelling.