Year 6 SATs 9th -13th May 2016.

 In the summer term of 2016, children in Year 2 and Year 6 will be the first to take the new SATs papers.SATs  These tests in English and maths will reflect the new national curriculum, and are intended to be more rigorous.  There will also be a completely new marking scheme to replace the existing national curriculum levels.

 At the end of Year 6, children will sit tests in: Reading Maths Spelling, punctuation and grammar Writing is teacher assessed looking at the range of writing produced throughout the year and across subjects. ALL TESTS WILL BE EXTERNALLY MARKED.

 In 2015/16 children in all years at Key Stage 2 are expected to now study the new national curriculum.  KS2 SATs will reflect the new curriculum for the first time this year.  Test scores will now be reported as “scaled scores” making it hard to compare assessments made in previous years to this year.  The new curriculum is more rigorous and sets high expectations which schools have been working hard to meet.

 100 will represent the new National standard  Each raw score will be converted into a scaled score either at, below or above the National Standard.  The scale will have a lower end point and an upper endpoint  July 2016 for the first publication of test results, each pupil will receive:  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.

 A child awarded a scaled score of 100 is judged to have met the ‘national standard’ in the area judged by the test.  A child awarded a scaled score of more than 100 is judged to have exceeded the national standard and demonstrated a higher than expected knowledge of the curriculum for their age.  A child awarded a scaled score of less than 100 is judged to have not yet met the national standard and performed below expectation for their age.

 Previous Key Stage 2 tests were aimed at children achieving Levels 3-5 (with a national expectation to reach at least Level 4)  In the past, additional Level 6 tests were produced for children who demonstrated higher than expected attainment, above Level 5.  From this year, there won’t be any separate tests for the most able children. Instead, each test will have scope for higher attaining pupils to show their strengths.

 All children who can access the tests and are working within the Year 6 Curriculum are expected to sit the tests. Additional time can be applied for if the child qualifies.  Children can be given readers if they have access to a reader as part of normal classroom practice. This would be on a one-to-one basis.  Children can be given rest breaks if they have difficulties with concentration or working for prolonged periods as long as the test time does not exceed the total time allowed for the test – the clock is stopped. This would be on a one-to- one basis.

Please make sure your child arrives at school in good time.  Showing interest. Please ask your child how the test was.  Encourage your child to do their best.  Ensure that your child goes to bed at a reasonable time and has a breakfast.  Remind them that no one is out to trick them. We all want them to show what they can do!

Monday 9 MayEnglish reading test, reading booklet and associated answer booklet. Tuesday 10 MayEnglish grammar, punctuation and spelling test, Paper 1, short answer questions. English grammar, punctuation and spelling test, Paper 2, spelling. Wednesday 11 MayMathematics, Paper 1, arithmetic test. Mathematics, Paper 2, reasoning. Thursday 12 MayMathematics Paper 3, reasoning.

The reading test will provisionally be a single paper with questions based on one 800-word text and two passages of 300 words. Your child will have one hour, including reading time, to complete the test. There will be a selection of question types, including: Ranking/ordering, e.g. ‘Number the events below to show the order in which they happen in the story’ Labelling, e.g. ‘Label the text to show the title of the story’ Find and copy, e.g. ‘Find and copy one word that suggests what the weather is like in the story’ Short constructed response, e.g. ‘What does the bear eat?’ Open-ended response, e.g. ‘Look at the sentence that begins Once upon a time. How does the writer increase the tension throughout this paragraph? Explain fully, referring to the text in your answer.’

 The grammar, punctuation and spelling test will consist of two parts: a grammar and punctuation paper requiring short answers, lasting 45 minutes, and a spelling test of 20 words, lasting around 15 minutes.  The grammar and punctuation test will include two sub-types of questions:  Selected response, e.g. ‘Identify the adjectives in the sentence below’  Constructed response, e.g. ‘Correct/complete/rewrite the sentence below,’ or, ‘The sentence below has an apostrophe missing. Explain why it needs an apostrophe.’

 Please make try to ensure your child is present and on time during SATS week.  If your child is ill, every effort should be made for them to come to school to complete the paper as if they miss one or more papers, in a subject, they will NOT be awarded a “score” for that subject.  If your child is too ill to attend school, please contact as soon as possible so we can make additional arrangements.