Why do we have new SATs Examinations.15-Dec-2016
The new and more rigorous SATs test the new National Primary Curriculum, which has been taught in schools since 2014. (SATs stands for Scholastic Aptitude Test or Scholastic Assessment Test)
The new SATs tests have been designed to give a measure of attainment in three subjects areas:
- spelling, punctuation and grammar
These tests are set and marked externally, and the results are used to measure the school’s performance (for example, through reporting to Ofsted and published league tables). Your child’s marks are used, in conjunction with their teacher's assessment, to give a broad picture of their levels of attainment.
The Key Stage 1 SATs tests are taken in Year 2; and the Key Stage 2 tests are taken in Year 6.
These new tests are more demanding and rigorous than previous SATs and the results are not comparable to previous years.
In prior years, attainment at the end of KS2 was measured in levels, with level 4c being the average expected. In these new SATs the expected level is set to be 100, with scores ranging from 80 to 120. Any score above 100 is regarded as a pass and any under as a fail.
It is generally understood that 100 in the new SATs would equate to level 4b in the old SATs, which confirms that the new SATs have a higher standard.
KEY STAGE 2 READING
The reading test is a single paper with questions based on three passages of text. Your child will have one hour, including reading time, to complete the test. There are 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.’
KEY STAGE 2 GRAMMAR, PUNCTUATION AND SPELLING TEST
The grammar, punctuation and spelling test consists of two parts: a grammar and punctuation paper requiring short answers, lasting 45 minutes, and an aural spelling test of 20 words, lasting around 15 minutes. The grammar and punctuation test includes 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.’
KEY STAGE 2 MATHS
Children sit three papers in maths:
- Paper 1: arithmetic, 30 minutes
- Papers 2 and 3: reasoning, 40 minutes per paper
Paper 1 consists of fixed response questions, where children have to give the correct answer to calculations, including long multiplication and division. Papers 2 and 3 will involve a number of question types, including:
- Multiple choice
- True or false
- Constrained questions, e.g. giving the answer to a calculation, drawing a shape or completing a table or chart
- Less constrained questions, where children will have to explain their approach for solving a problem
KEY STAGE 2 SCIENCE
Not all children in Year 6 take science SATs. However, a number of schools will be required to take part in science sampling: a test administered to a selected sample of children thought to be representative of the population as a whole. For those who are selected, there are three papers:
- Biology: 25 minutes, 22 marks
- Chemistry: 25 minutes, 22 marks
- Physics: 25 minutes, 22 marks
Biology: ‘Describe the differences in the life cycle of an amphibian and a mammal’
Chemistry: ‘Group a list of materials according to whether they are solid, liquid or gas’
Physics: ‘Predict whether two magnets will attract or repel each other, based on where the poles are facing’