English SATs

What does it mean for you and your children?

What does SATs stand for?

Statutory Assessment Tasks and Tests (also includes teacher assessment).

Usually taken at the end of Key Stage 1 (at age 7) and at the end of Key Stage 2 (at age 11).

What level should children be at?

National expectation for the end of Key Stage 2 is Level 4B.

Some children will still be at Level 3 and some children will achieve Level 5 or above.

A small percentage of children will not yet be working at Level 3.

How are the children assessed?For children working at Level 3 and above,

there are two sorts of assessments: Tests Teacher assessments.For children working below Level 3, the

only statutory assessment is teacher assessment and those children do not take the tests.

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Is teacher assessment used?

In English, writing is assessed purely by teacher assessment and the levels reported in June after the SAT exams so, even after the tests are finished, children will still be working towards their

writing levels.

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When do these tests happen?

This year the tests dates will be from the 11th - 15th May.

It is a busy week for children and staff alike.

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How is SATs’ week organised?The reading paper is on the morning of Monday 11 th MayThe grammar paper is on the morning of Tuesday 12 th May All children must sit the tests at the same time.Tests are completed in the hall, with some children who

need a more familiar environment in smaller groups. We try to ensure that all children are properly supported and feel secure.

Any displays that may help are covered over.The LA monitor 10% of schools per year.

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ENGLISH

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Reading ComprehensionThe reading test was changed in 2014. This

year, as last year, the texts in the levels 3-5 English reading booklet will not be linked by a theme. The booklet will contain three or four texts. The least demanding text will come first with the following texts increasing in level of difficulty.

Instead of being given 15 minutes reading time and 45 minutes to answer the questions, children will have a total of one hour to read the texts and complete the questions at their own pace.

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The reading answer booklet will comprise approximately 35 to 40 questions (totalling 50 marks). The questions are:

Shorter closed response items (such as multiple choice and matching questions)

shorter open response itemsLonger open response items that require children

to explain and comment on the texts in order to demonstrate a full understanding

Questions are worth 1, 2 or 3 marksApril 19, 2023

Some examples of reading papers are on your tables. Why don’t you try a few questions?

There are also examples of level 6 papers. These require different skills. They are hard and a challenge. Only a few children will do these - if they feel confident enough.

English grammar, punctuation and spelling

A new statutory test of English grammar, punctuation and spelling was introduced for children at the end of Key Stage 2 from May 2013.

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The level 3-5 test assesses children’s abilities in the following technical aspects of English:

grammarpunctuationvocabularyspellingWe are currently sending children home

with grammar and spelling homework in booklets to help them.

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Spelling

Some children find spelling very difficult.At Catshill, as at most schools, spellings are

taught in spelling families where words are grouped according to specific rules or patterns.

In addition, certain harder sight rules have been identified by the Government as words that all children should know by 11!

These are displayed on every classroom wall and strategies for learning them are varied.

Examples:

ChiefStationImmediatelyInstructorAwkwardAccommodationStopped

The main difficulty children find with the punctuation and spelling

tests (apart from the spelling!) is the technical terminology. How many of these terms do you know?

ConjunctionPersonal pronounArticlePrepositionCompound sentenceNounProper nounAdverbApostrophe Inverted commas

Examples:Circle all the adverbs in the sentence below.

1. Open the drawers carefully and quietly when using the filing cabinet.

2. Add a suffix to this word to make an adjective.

dread ______________

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Complete the sentence below with a contraction that makes sense.

If you give me the recipe___________

buy the ingredients on the way home.

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In which of the following is a question mark used correctly?

Tick one. “How were the pyramids made?” asked Rashid. “How were the pyramids made”? asked Rashid. “How? were the pyramids made” asked Rashid. “How were the pyramids made” asked Rashid?

For each sentence, put a tick to show whether the main clause or subordinate clause is underlined.

Sentence Main

clause

Subordinate

clause

I have violin lessons, although I have not

been playing for very long.

If you want to improve, you must practise a lot.

I practise every weekend, even when it’s in the school holidays.

One actual answer.

Write the correct singular or plural form in each space below.

One has been done for you.

one table, three tables

one present________________, four boxes one foot, a pair of ___socks__________________

one sheep, a flock of ___sheeps____________

And for those of you with children in Year 5 it gets harder…

Fill in the gaps in the sentence below, using the past progressive form of the verbs in the boxes.

to play

While I ________________________in the park, my mum

to push

________________________my sister on the swing.

Your children will also need to know:

Perfect and conditional tenses (modal verbs)The subjunctiveFronted adverbials Relative clausesDeterminersSubordinating conjunctionsQuestion tagsTo name but a few

However..

The new curriculum tests also test grammar in context by asking questions from a passage of writing.

It also requires punctuation and grammar error correction in longer texts as well as the traditional shorter questions.

It is hard – very hard!

What will we be doing in school?

Exam technique.Practice papers.Self assessment and analysis.Book related topic base. Talk books!10 minute grammar starters.Boosters.Reassurance and encouragement.

How can parents help?

The best help is interest taken in learning and progress.

Attending meetings and parents’ evenings.Supporting home learning.Not putting children under too much pressure.Ensuring children arrive for tests:

- in good time

- having had breakfast

- having gone to bed at a reasonable time

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More specifically:how can you help in reading?

Talk books!Reassurance and encouragement.Questions that always come up:Find and retrieve exact words and phrasesWhy does the author use this vocabulary?What effect does this have?Compare and contrastRead between the linesText structures

And in SPAG?

There are lots of SPAG internet games sites that are fun to play such as:

Zondle, BBC Skillwise and Bitesize and links from Woodland’s Junior

There are also a lot of word class song sites (not world class – verbs and nouns etc). The children love these. You Tube – Grammarheads. Grammaropolis is one though it is very American.

Help them look for patterns in their spellings. The booklets have different tips for learning at the front. Encourage them to practise every day.

Thank you for your help!