Year 6 SATs Briefing (2016): New curriculum, new tests, new standards: This year, is the first time the New National Curriculum will be tested. There are a great many changes to tell you about and some significant unknown factors. In the past children were measured against Levels. Now, they will be measured against the new Year 6 Age-Expected standards. There is not a straight conversion between the two systems but the table below is an approximation. NC Levels Level 3 Level 4C Level 4B Level 4A Level 5 Below ageexpected Pass Age-expected Age-expected Above ageexpected Age Expectations Below Towards Towards At At/At+ Below ageexpecteexpecteexpected Below age- Below age- Age-expected At and above age-expected Other factors that make the new standards more challenging are: Many assessed criteria have been altered; the children have only studied them for 2 years. There is now a met core standards model rather than best fit model for teacher assessment. Additional Provision: Our main strategies support all children. 1. Quality first teaching 2. Sets (including Booster Group) 3. Differentiated tasks and choice of challenge
4. Teacher support/guidance 5. Bespoke Quality Interventions 6. Subsidised revision guides Children who need extra support to achieve AT will be invited to SAT Attackers (on Wednesday afternoons until the exams); we hope this is seen as a positive step. In the past, a small number of pupils at Talbot have taken challenging Level 6 papers. These have been removed but a small number of Level 6 questions will be incorporated into the standard papers for all children. Children who are able to access the hardest questions (but need support with them) will be invited to do a series of lessons with Mr Middleton (maths) and/or Mrs Alpar (for literacy). These sessions will be on Thursday afternoons. Following the SATs tests, the children will be thrown into a wider and richer curriculum, which offsets the additional focus on literacy and maths between February and May. Lastly, the results are analysed carefully, so we can identify areas of strength and areas for improvement within school. This has real benefits for pupils lower down the school. SATs timetable (2016): Monday 9 th May Tuesday 10 th May Reading test Grammar, punctuation and spelling test Spelling test Wednesday 11 th May Maths paper 1 arithmetic paper Maths paper 2 reasoning Thursday 12 th May Friday 13 th May Maths paper 3 reasoning No scheduled tests Writing is assessed by class teachers by the end of May. For most pupils, Science is no longer assessed through SATs tests. However, each year, samples of children are selected from a range of schools from across the country. The information is collated nationally; no results are given to the parents or school. Talbot has not been required to take part in this process to date.
Criteria for Year 6 writing in 2016: towards This is the new interim assessment framework for working towards the expected standard. The children must meet each statement consistently. Key points: Basic skills are foremost Handwriting is a critical issue for some pupils The new, tougher spelling is a critical issue for some pupils Creative elements have been removed
Criteria for Year 6 writing in 2016: expected This is the interim assessment framework for the expected standard. Writing standards will be evaluated through: Literacy books Progress tasks Creative curriculum books Topic books Spelling tests Homework How can you support your child in writing? Support the use of the Rising Stars revision guides. Discuss ideas for homework with your child, before they settle down to write it independently. Insist on good handwriting and presentation. Check core skills with them afterwards (COPS capitals, order, punctuation and spelling). Can the children improve their work (ARMS add, remove, move, and substitute).
Ask your child to read their homework to you. Can they improve it and make corrections?* Encourage writing at home, especially for a purpose. How can you support your child in reading? Promote the experience of reading by valuing and modelling it. Encourage your child to read often and broadly. Listen to your child read and discuss it with them; this is more important than the mechanical skills. Use Bug Club to check comprehension skills. Support the use of the Rising Stars revision guides. Ask them questions about their books.* Get your child to write down their answers, especially if they find this tricky. Link opinions in their own words to evidence from the text. You can buy reading comprehension study books (from WH Smiths and the like) and look at the reading texts on Education City. You need to check that anything you buy is designed for KS2 and levels 3-5. How to support your child with the SPAG tests: Support the use of the Rising Stars revision guides. Use the IXL website to revise tricky skills. Education City and DB Primary have many resources. Encourage lots of reading! Why has the author chosen to use punctuation at certain points? Help your child to learn their spellings each week. Insist on good grammar in homework. Check it with them. Is it correct? Could it be more ambitious? How you can help your children with the maths tests: Support the use of the Rising Stars revision guides. Use the IXL website to revise tricky skills. Education City (including timed tests) and DB Primary have many resources. Support them with their times table knowledge (including applying it). Make sure your child can tell the time. Make sure your child is confident with practical measuring and different units of measurement. Encourage maths in real life, so it becomes less abstract. You can buy maths study books (from WH Smiths and the like). You need to check that anything you buy is designed for KS2 and levels 3-5.
Applying for additional time: Schools may apply for additional time online, by answering a short series of questions about the child. The questions will draw on teachers knowledge of children and their ability to assess an individual child s access needs. It is no longer linked to particular screening tests. Additional time is designed to support children with specific needs, rather than to give an edge for middle ability children. In addition, the time provided must make a significant difference to a pupil s performance. Last year, no pupils were eligible for additional time. Help with Readers: Pupils cannot be helped with reading in the reading test. Pupils can be supported with reading in the maths and SPAG tests. Support means assisting children who are having mechanical reading issues; they cannot have things explained to them. Typically, children are helped with individual words, phrases or questions, rather than the whole tests.