Welcome Westacre Middle School Parent information event: SATs 2016 Aims: Explain the key changes in assessment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6) Share the format of SATs week Understand the format of the SATs tests Provide practical suggestions to support children and parents

Overview The Standard Attainment Tests Week beginning Monday 9th May 2016 *Please ensure your child attends school punctually throughout the week*

Introduction The new national curriculum has been taught in all local authority maintained primary schools, and some academies, in England since September 2014. Those pupils who are the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6) in May 2016 will be the first to be assessed against the new curriculum. In addition to SATs tests, in Literacy and Numeracy, your child’s progress in these core subjects will be assessed throughout the year. This Teacher Assessment will be reported, in addition to their SATs test results, at the end of the year.

The purpose of the SATs To measure pupil progress and attainment A pupil’s progress score will be attained by comparing their KS1 score against the average KS2 score for the pupils nationally having the same prior attainment Results can be used by high schools as a ‘baseline’ assessment. To measure school performance To identify regional and national trends

New Scoring System As you are aware, with it coming into effect from last year, levels have gone! Teachers now assess by deciding against a list of standards whether a child is secure in their stage. The age expected for children, by the end of Year 6, would be ‘Secure 6’. However, the tests will not be scored like this, they will be scored as follows:

The new scoring system From 2016 onwards, scaled scores will be used. On the scaled score 100 will always represent the ‘national standard’. However, due to the small differences in difficulty in tests year to year, the raw score that equates to a scaled score of 100 might be different.

What do the results mean and how are they reported? External marking – reported to school and passed on to parents in addition to Teacher Assessments. Scaled score of more than 100 Above average attainment Scaled score of 100 At age related expectation for attainment Scaled score of less than 100 Below average attainment Teacher Assessment enables us to measure the progress your child has made in finer detail. We are keen to celebrate your child’s progress regardless of the scaled score category, in which they will fall.

The Key Stage 2 SATs consist of: Literacy English reading: reading booklet and associated answer booklet English grammar, punctuation and spelling Paper 1: short answer questions English grammar, punctuation and spelling Paper 2: spelling Numeracy Mathematics Paper 1: arithmetic Mathematics Paper 2: reasoning Mathematics Paper 3: reasoning

SATs week timetable Monday 9th May Tuesday 10th May Wednesday 11th May English reading test Tuesday 10th May English grammar, punctuation and spelling test: Paper 1 short answer questions English grammar, punctuation and spelling test: Paper 2 spelling Wednesday 11th May Mathematics: Paper 1 arithmetic test Mathematics: Paper 2 reasoning Thursday 12th May Mathematics: Paper 3 reasoning

Numeracy SATs explained Paper 1 – An arithmetic test assessing pupils’ confidence with the range of mathematical operations. It will last for 30 minutes and have a total of 40 marks available. This paper has replaced the previous taped mental maths test of 20 questions. Paper 2 & 3 – Two mathematical reasoning papers that will test mathematical fluency, problem solving and reasoning. These two papers will last for 40 minutes each and have 35 marks available per paper. These are just like the previous paper A and B. As consistent with recent years, neither paper will allow the use of calculators. The total marks will then be out of 110.

Numeracy SATs explained How is content balanced in the tests? Number, ratio and algebra make up 75-85% of the tests, Measurement, geometry and statistics make up 15-25% of the tests and will not be tested paper 1 (arithmetic paper). What will the arithmetic paper be like? The children will have simply presented questions covering all four operations, including with fractions. Speed, as well as accuracy, will be key on this test. The questions will each be worth 1 mark for the correct answer; however, questions involving long multiplication or division will be worth 2 marks. On these 2 mark questions, the correct answer, no matter how it is achieved, will receive the full 2 marks; an incorrect answer but correct usage of the formal method can obtain 1 mark; however the correct usage of a non-formal method that results in the wrong answer will obtain no mark. Examples of the formal methods can be found on our website. http://www.westacre- middle-school.co.uk/standard-written-methods/  

Numeracy SATs explained What will the two reasoning papers be like? These are pretty much the same as paper A and B previously were. However, they will cover the increased level of content (explained on the next slide) and have large answer boxes. As with the arithmetic test, the boxes will have squared paper filling them like the children’s maths books.   Are there any test technique recommendations? Children need to refrain from quick guess work – they can use any space on a page for working out and we encourage them to do this. The questions increase in difficulty through the test. Children are not be concerned or worried if they find the paper, towards the end, difficult.

Numeracy SATs explained What new content may appear in the test? Roman numerals up to 1000 Adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing fractions Scale factors Algebra (some simple elements have appeared in the past) Converting metric and imperial (taught previously but didn’t usually appear on the test) Properties of circles Reading, writing and ordering numbers up to 10 million and down to 3 decimal places Calculating area of parallelograms Calculating the volume of cubes and cuboids using formulae Finding missing angles in quadrilaterals and regular polygons Know times table facts to 12x12 with rapid recall

Literacy SATs explained Reading The one test will consist of a reading booklet and separate answer booklet. It will last for 1 hour and 50 marks will be available. The test will consist of approximately 3 texts that will increase in difficulty for the children to answer questions on; these texts will be unrelated to one another. Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar (SPaG) Paper 1 – Questions. This is a 45 minute test worth 50 marks that tests the children’s grammar, punctuation and vocabulary knowledge. Paper 2 – Spelling. Approximately a 15 minute test of 20 words. This means the SPAG paper is out of 70 marks.

Reading SATs explained How is content balanced in the tests? Explaining the meaning of words in context (10-20%) Retrieve and record information/identify key details from fiction and non-fiction (16-50%) Summarise main ideas from more than one paragraph (2-12%) Make inferences from the text/explain and justify inferences with evidence from the text (16-50%)

Reading SATs explained What will the reading paper be like? 22-33 marks for 1 point questions, 10-20 marks for 2 point questions, 3-12 marks for 3 point questions New emphasis on comprehension through lower mark questions rather than lengthy explanations. Greater emphasis on turning points, how a character changed through a story and sequencing of event, in addition to this there is a higher likelihood of poetry making an appearance. Children will control the balance between reading time and answering time themselves – we recommend they read one text and then answer the questions before moving onto the next text. We usually spend 5 minutes reading each text and 10/15/20 minutes answering the respective questions. Answers need to be very specific and related to the text they are discussing. They should quote from the text whenever possible.

SPaG SATs explained How is content balanced in the tests? Grammar: 36-50% Punctuation: 14-29% Vocabulary: 4-10% Spelling: 29%

SPaG SATs explained What will be covered? Word classes - nouns, verbs, adjectives, conjunctions, pronouns, adverbs, adverbials, prepositions and determiners Subject and object Sentence functions -statements, questions, commands and exclamations Sentence structures – clauses (main, subordinate, relative), phrase, conjunctions Verbs - simple past and present, perfect form, modal verbs, present and past progressive, tense consistency, subjunctive, active and passive Punctuation – capitals, full stops, question marks, commas in lists, commas for clauses, inverted commas, apostrophes, parenthesis, colons, semi-colons, single dashes, hyphens and bullet points Vocabulary – synonyms, antonyms, prefixes, suffixes and word families Standard English – verb forms, formality with vocabulary and structures, subjunctive Spelling – possessive apostrophe with plural words, use of a hyphen and contractions (paper 1 only)

SPaG SATs explained Conventions to ensure that marks are gained Inverted commas can be single or double as long as the use is consistent. Colons & semicolons should be followed by a lower case letter unless a proper noun or I. American variants in spelling will not be accepted; however, if listed as equal alternatives in an English dictionary they will be (e.g. organise/organize both accepted) Vocabulary must be in the dictionary to be accepted. Statements with the style of a question in spoken language will not be accepted as a question e.g. This is your favourite? Will not be an acceptable question. An exclamation will only be accepted if they start with ‘what’ or ‘how’. Marking of spelling in paper 1 – Verb forms must be spelt correctly; contractions must be correctly spelt with the apostrophe correctly positioned and without joining in handwriting between letters where the apostrophe is placed; prefixes and suffixes must have the whole word spelt correctly; plurals must be spelt correctly and will lose the mark if an apostrophe is used unless it is correctly used for a possessive plural. Punctuating speech - Closing punctuation must be inside the final inverted comma and a fronted reporting clause must be separated by a comma. No comma before an ‘and’ in a list. Capital letters (biggest loser of marks!) – If a capital letter is required it must be there or children will not obtain a mark. Incorrect capitalisation at any point in a sentence will lose the mark (this includes whole words being capitalised for effect). If children are asked to write a word or phrase in a box capitalisation will not be marked unless it is a proper noun.

What does this mean for your children? An opportunity to apply their skills and knowledge. ‘Special work’. Work will take place in formal conditions within a calm and purposeful atmosphere. Expectations for conduct and attitude will be emphasised.

How are we preparing your children? Providing opportunities for them to practice the tests in test conditions Teaching children how to approach the tests Analysing the results from tests to inform the planning of lessons and the approach to interventions Tailoring lessons to meet the needs of groups and individuals Regular exposure to SATs-style questions Small group and 1-1 interventions Teaching Assistant interventions and ‘catch-up’ sessions Focus groups in lessons Sending home completed SATs papers, as appropriate, to use as a learning resource at home (and to see how your child has performed) Purposeful homework tasks Providing revision guides for literacy and maths to support revision at home

What does it mean for you? Keep doing what you are doing! Follow routines and continue to work with your child Homework Home reading Extra opportunities for learning and practise Prepare with your child each day Punctual attendance Breakfast, healthy snack, lunch, water bottle ‘Standard’ stationery Promote a positive perception of the SATs Our common goal is for a positive outcome for all our children