Key stage 2 sats, science.

Key Stages 1-2 and SATs advice

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kitty1509
Posts: 79
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 11:53 am
Location: Lincolshire

Key stage 2 sats, science.

Post by kitty1509 »

Today my daughter came home with a times table for her year 6 sats.

At the bottom of the letter it stated that Science is not formally tested this year. Any suggestions why? Does this mean that they feel science is not as important as English and Maths? It says that there grades will come from teacher assessment. How do you all feel about this? do you think this is good or bad.

I guess it is better for children who get distressed having to sit formal tests, like my own daughter.

Her teacher also commented that practising sats papers is not good as this could be what is stressing her, however she has only practiced 1 maths paper, which she did not find challenging, but I feel that this would help to highlight an area that is weaker.

Now she does not want to do them. They have suggested BBC revisewise, does any one know if this is any good? or can you suggest better sites.
Milla
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Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2008 2:25 pm

Post by Milla »

I think science at our school has been compromised by simply not having any facilities to teach it with any breadth. They do the very occasional thing at a local comp (bunsen burners, equipment and so on) but beyond friction and weather and water and frogs and growing seeds and the planets there's only so much they can teach (actually, rather impressed with self for coming up with that lot. Perhaps I'll be a science teacher). Is that anything to do with it?? Or just indicative of the limitations of our school??
yoyo123
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Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2007 3:32 pm
Location: East Kent

Post by yoyo123 »

there is still the national curriculum which sets out what should be taught, but I think science as a whole is being marginalised.

I would rather trust teacher assessment than test result tbh

Milla, sound, light, electricity, habitats and life cycles. variables and fair testing, hypothesis and devising experiments..all there in KS2
ourmaminhavana
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Post by ourmaminhavana »

I'd scrap all of the SATS so it's no good asking me :)
Milla
Posts: 2556
Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2008 2:25 pm

Post by Milla »

yoyo123 wrote:there is still the national curriculum which sets out what should be taught, but I think science as a whole is being marginalised.

I would rather trust teacher assessment than test result tbh

Milla, sound, light, electricity, habitats and life cycles. variables and fair testing, hypothesis and devising experiments..all there in KS2
darn it. I'll shelve my plans, hang up my white coat, and quietly lay aside my catalogue of test tubes. :cry:
yoyo123
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Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2007 3:32 pm
Location: East Kent

Post by yoyo123 »

never say never, it could be our new venture...................
Daogroupie
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Location: Herts

Science at KS2

Post by Daogroupie »

There is no formal sicence sats this year because the government is not creating and marking papers. I am sorry for my dd that this challenge has been taken away this year. We continue to behave as if there will be science sats. After a lot of focus on VR, Maths and English for entrance exams we are enjoying working through KS2 science. We try and apply it in our daily lives as much as possible. We both sit the paper and then mark each others and we are both gradually getting better! If your dd is not feeling involved I would suggest you start with simple topic worksheets and then build up to actual papers. If your dd wants to succeed academically she has to get used to exams. They are just glorified tests after all. Most class work is a series of small tests, it is best to present sats in thiis light, a summary of what you have been working on all year. My dd is looking foward to them. She enjoys pitting her wits against her peep group. Have you tried Sam learning? Your school should be able to get a loging id for you, my dd realy enjoys it and it will help you see where her weak areas are.
wonderwoman
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Joined: Thu Oct 23, 2008 11:07 pm

Post by wonderwoman »

There is no science test for KS2 SATs this year. Children will be given a level based on teacher assessment, as KS3 are. Some schools may choose to do an old test to back up their assessments.

Having had 3 through KS2 SATs and various practice papers it was obvious that the same questions came up year after year in a slightly different form. IMO it was quite easy to get a level 5 and although I can't remember the exact percentages I do remember that almost all children did get level 5 in my dc's years. So it probably wasn't a very useful test and the Government can save the money of setting and marking it.
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