1.  End of Key Stage 1 Assessment Meeting March 2016

2. A warm welcome! Purpose of the meeting: Update on national changes in assessment arrangements Explain school arrangements for KS1 SATs Opportunity to look at sample test materials Question and Answers

3. The National Curriculum A new national curriculum was introduced in 2014. As a result, the Standards and Testing Agency (STA) is changing the tests so that they assess the new curriculum. Pupils will take the new tests for the first time in May 2016.

4. Scoring the tests ‘Old’ national curriculum levels (e.g. Level 1, 2, 3) have now been abolished, as set out in the government guidelines. From 2016, test scores will be reported as ‘scaled scores’. This means it is very difficult to compare the assessment of a previous year with the current year. Your child will still be taught with the highest expectations and cover all required elements of the curriculum, similar to previous years. The new curriculum is more rigorous and sets high expectations which all schools have had to work hard to meet since the beginning of last year.

5. Scaled Scores What is meant by ‘scaled scores’? It is planned that 100 will always represent the ‘national standard’ or working at ‘age related expectation’. 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.

6. Scaled Score Examples On publication of the test results in July 2016: 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.

7. KS1 Assessment Arrangements At the end of Year 2, children will take SATs in: Reading – Paper 1 and Paper 2 English - Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling Maths – Arithmetic and Reasoning SATs have to be carried out during May. Week Beginning Monday 16 th May 2016

8. Reading Paper The new reading test for Year 2 pupils will involve two separate papers: Paper 1 consists of a selection of texts totalling 400 to 700 words, with questions about a text. Paper 2 comprises a reading booklet of a selection of passages totalling 800 to 1100 words. Children will write their answers in a separate booklet Each paper should take around 30 minutes, but children will not be strictly timed, as the tests are not intended to assess children’s ability to work at speed. The texts in the reading papers will cover a range of fiction, non-fiction and poetry, and will get progressively more difficult towards the end of the test.

9. Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar Test Children taking Key Stage 1 SATs will sit two separate papers covering grammar, spelling and punctuation: The test consists of:  A spelling test containing 20 words.  A punctuation and grammar test, split into two papers and worth 20 marks in total. This test requires short answers to questions and has some that are multiple choice.

10. Sample Questions

12. Sample Spelling Spelling 1: The word is faster. Hannah ran faster than Lee. The word is faster. Spelling 2: The word is sunny. Yesterday it was very sunny. The word is sunny. Spelling 3: The word is face. I had a big smile on my face. The word is face. Spelling 4: The word is group. There was a large group of children at the party. The word is group.

13. Mathematics – Arithmetic and Reasoning The new Key Stage 1 maths test will comprise two papers: Paper 1: arithmetic, worth 25 marks and taking around 25 minutes. Paper 2: mathematical fluency, problem-solving and reasoning, worth 35 marks and taking 35 minutes, with a break if necessary. There will be a variety of question types: multiple choice, matching, true/false, constrained (e.g. completing a chart or table; drawing a shape) and less constrained (e.g. where children have to show or explain their method). Children will not be able to use any tools such as calculators or number lines.

14. Sample Questions - Reasoning

15. Sample Question – Arithmetic

16. How to help? First and foremost, support and reassure your child that there is nothing to worry about and that they should always just try their best. Praise and encourage! Outstanding attendance and punctuality throughout the year Support at home with homework, reading, spellings, times tables Liaise with school if you have any issues/concerns at any point

17. Help your child with reading Focus developing an enjoyment and love of reading. Talk about the story before, during and afterwards – discuss the plot, the characters, their feelings and actions, how it makes you feel, predict what will happen and encourage your child to have their own opinions. Look up definitions of words together – you could use a dictionary, the internet or an app on a phone or tablet. All reading is valuable – it doesn’t have to be just stories. Reading can involve anything from fiction and non-fiction, poetry, newspapers, magazines, football programmes, TV guides. Visit the local library - it’s free!

18. 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. Remember that good readers become good writers! Identify good writing features when reading (e.g. vocabulary, sentence structure, punctuation).

19. Help your child with maths Play times tables games. Encourage opportunities for telling the time. Encourage opportunities for counting coins and money. Look for examples of 2D and 3D shapes around the home. Identify, weigh or measure quantities and amounts in the kitchen or in recipes. Play games involving numbers or logic, such as dominoes, card games, draughts or chess.