KS2 SATS level 5 & 6

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stroudydad
Posts: 2246
Joined: Sat Oct 08, 2011 2:25 pm

KS2 SATS level 5 & 6

Post by stroudydad »

'Twas parents evening last night and all the talk was about sats, which I know nothing about... Can anyone please tell me how they work, what exactly is tested, how the tests are done and how they're scored. I know there is a forum for that but nothing seems to gi be what I want so I thought I'd try this friendly local forum first. Any help most welcome
SD.
Glparent
Posts: 108
Joined: Sat Nov 21, 2009 12:02 pm

Re: KS2 SATS level 5 & 6

Post by Glparent »

SD - I read your request and felt I could provide a pretty good overview of SATs, having worked in Year 6 for many years! I hope this info is of use to you.

National Sats Week this year is w/c Monday 14th May 2012. The Year 6 tests are administered in school, during normal lesson times and should follow a national timetable (although I think this year there has been a more flexible structure as there are changes to the English papers).
Normally the week goes like this :
MONDAY
English - Reading comprehension paper (15mins to read booklet on particular topic then 45 mins to answer questions about booklet). Questions are a mixture of 1,2 and 3 marks answers, covering all aspects of understanding and comprehension of the booklet. 2011 booklet was all about the sport of caving, 2010 was about gold (Midas, the Wild West etc).
TUESDAYIn previous years the writing tasks have been as follows:
English - Long Writing task (45mins inc. max 10mins planning time to complete written task given on prompt sheet - could be biography, playscript, report, formal letter, starting/finishing fictional story etc)
English - Short Writing task (20mins inc. max 5mins planning time to complete written task given on prompt sheet - again, could be one of a variety of sorts of writing as above)
English Spelling test - (no time restrictions) usually several paragraphs on particular topic with spaces for missing 20 words throughout the text. The class teacher reads through complete text including the missing words and the children fill in the gaps on their copy. Usually quite challenging words.
From this year, schools have been asked to use the provided writing assessments and have been given the option to either have these marked internally or externally. I think it is assumed that the tasks will be along similar lines to previous years, but we won't know until we open the packs in exam week!
WEDNESDAY
Maths - Paper A non-calculator (45mins) (Total marks 40)
THURSDAY
Maths - Paper b calculator allowed (45mins) (Total marks 40)
Mental Maths Test - 20 questions from CD recording provided with papers, combining 5 sec, 10 sec and 15 second answers.(Total marks 20)

The total marks for English and Maths are converted into Levels using certain thresholds which change slightly each year - eg. Maths 0-19 = N, 20-35 = Level 2, 36-54 = Level 3, 55-72 = Level 4, 72-100 = Level 5.
Off the top of my head I'm afraid I can't remember how the marks break down between the different parts of the English - I know the max marks for handwriting is 3, and the max mark for 20 correct spellings is 7 (someone will correct me if I'm wrong, I'm sure! :oops: )


Science - Papers A & B (both 45 mins) - schools are now randomly selected to sit these. (When all schools sat them they were both done on Monday morning.)

Level 6 papers are also available, and I understand they will be sat the following week - I think there is 1 maths paper, 1 writing and 1 comprehension for English and I am not sure about Science. I have no experience of how these are marked/levelled etc, so I will be interested to hear from anyone else who can shed some light on this for me.(Thanks! :) )

The results are usually published early July, and normally accompany the child's final primary report at the end of the summer term.

Hope that doesn't bore you to tears!
turtleglos
Posts: 455
Joined: Wed Jul 07, 2010 12:04 pm

Re: KS2 SATS level 5 & 6

Post by turtleglos »

Thanks for that. Despite Ds1 taking his SATs last year I still didn't know that much about them. :oops: I know that level 6 is coming back this year after being away for a while and that our school usually scores quite high in these. I'm afraid that our Ds1 was getting stressed about the SATs last year and that every time his teacher told the class that they needed to improve he took it personally. I told him that as he had a place at his chosen school it was up to him if he wanted to do his best for his school, or, if he felt under too much pressure I didn't care if he scored a level 2! He got all 5's.
Ds2 though is another kettle of fish!!hmmm
Stroudyday, don't worry, your ds1 will do fine. :wink: :D
Everyone is a genius, but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will think it is stupid.
aargh
Posts: 406
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2011 7:00 pm

Re: KS2 SATS level 5 & 6

Post by aargh »

Don't let your DC stress about SATs. They are a method for the Gov to league table the school, not something your DC needs to "pass". Secondary schools usually do their own analysis when your DC reaches them. It is the school that stresses, because they are the ones who suffer if the DCs don't do well.
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: KS2 SATS level 5 & 6

Post by Guest55 »

The KS2 tests in Year 6 are marked externally to an agreed mark scheme.
Monday 14 May English reading test
Tuesday 15 May For schools administering the externally marked English writing test, and schools selected in English writing sample:

English writing test (shorter task) and spelling test
English writing test (longer task)

Wednesday 16 May Mental mathematics test

Mathematics test A
Thursday 17 May Mathematics test B

The level 6 tests (boo, hiss) are back much to the disappointment of Secondary teachers like me who know the tests aren't 'real KS3 level 6' tests e.g. last year's papers!!

They are also marked externally and on the following Monday and Tuesday

Monday 21 May Level 6 test in English reading
Tuesday 22 May Level 6 tests in mathematics

There are two papers in maths. Pupils will receive a level 6 if they get a level 5 on the 3 to 5 papers PLUS sufficient marks on the level 6 papers.

http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/tea ... s-for-2012" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Despite what aargh says, we DO take a good note of the score in these tests. They are also used to assess a Secondary school ion the 'value' it adds to your child.
aargh
Posts: 406
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2011 7:00 pm

Re: KS2 SATS level 5 & 6

Post by aargh »

I was going by what my local comp said at open day. Maybe they are unusual then.

Presumably though, you are not taking any notice of the level 6s Guest55? If they are not real?
Guest55 wrote:They are also used to assess a Secondary school ion the 'value' it adds to your child.
That's the poxy Gov and its love of measuring the hard to measure.
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: KS2 SATS level 5 & 6

Post by Guest55 »

I will note the 6s as I did before as they will have HUGE gaps. I will also anticipate difficulties in explaining to parents why these children will be level 6 for the whole of Year 7.

As I have posted elsewhere, I'd rather they had spent time improving problem solving and using and applying and completing the level 5 curriculum.

I see nothing wrong in the concept of 'levels of progress' to measure a school. It's also helpful for parents to understand that a level 4 should be aiming for a grade C minimum at GCSE.
aargh
Posts: 406
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2011 7:00 pm

Re: KS2 SATS level 5 & 6

Post by aargh »

I have no objection to levels of progress either, merely the methodology the Gov tries for the measuring.
APP gives a better all round view than SATs in my opinion, but Govs want something easier to feed into statistics and do not trust teachers enough to rely on such measures.
Amber
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Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:59 am

Re: KS2 SATS level 5 & 6

Post by Amber »

aargh wrote:I was going by what my local comp said at open day. Maybe they are unusual then. .
I think there may be regional variations over this. The 2 Gloucestershire secondary schools I have worked in most recently take no notice of them at all. By which I mean, they are not even entered on pupil profiling systems. These are not selective schools. At DS's GS though, I have a hunch something is done with them to help to set targets during Year 7. Depending on your view of these targets, you may view them as important or not.
I think in Bucks where G55 is, they are perhaps more important.
aargh
Posts: 406
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2011 7:00 pm

Re: KS2 SATS level 5 & 6

Post by aargh »

Thanks for the explanation there Amber. As you kno, I am in Glos.
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