SATS and year 3
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fatbananas
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SATS and year 3
Hi, I've just been told by a more experienced parent (ie one with a DC further up the school) that our DC will be sitting 'SATS' in two weeks' time. I'm assuming that these are something unofficial? Or do other schools do this? Has anyone got experience of this in their school? Thanks 
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Reading Mum
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Re: SATS and year 3
I think lots of schools do SATS at end of yr 3 but I seem to remember that they are marked internally - maybe? That was the last time we got any sort of measures that might compare DD to the world outside her school. 11+ will be the next!
Re: SATS and year 3
They are QCA optional tests ( optional for the school not the pupils!)
exactly the same format as the SATs , with an official marking scheme and threshold table, but marked internally rather than by external markers. Useful for assessment and for getting the children used to the format of the tests..
exactly the same format as the SATs , with an official marking scheme and threshold table, but marked internally rather than by external markers. Useful for assessment and for getting the children used to the format of the tests..
Re: SATS and year 3
They are just optional QCA Tests taken at the end of Y3/4/5 which are very similar in format to those taken in Y6 (and Y2). It will usually be a short writing, long writing, spelling paper, a couple of maths papers and a mental maths paper. The marks given won't usually be reported home though and will be used along with lots of other evidence to give their levels at the end of the year.yoyo123 wrote:They are QCA optional tests ( optional for the school not the pupils!)
exactly the same format as the SATs , with an official marking scheme and threshold table, but marked internally rather than by external markers. Useful for assessment and for getting the children used to the format of the tests..
Re: SATS and year 3
DfE site gives this information
Optional tests provide teachers with evidence to support teacher assessment. They are available for Years 3, 4 and 5, and Years 7, 8 and 9 in English and mathematics, and for science in Year 9.
The tests are marked by schools and they can decide how to use the test results.
Teacher packs include comprehensive guides with clear instructions for administering and marking the tests, level threshold information and one copy of the materials for assessing pupils. Where applicable mathematics teacher packs also include the mental mathematics audio CDs and test transcripts. Pupil packs contain materials to assess 10 pupils. Audiotape packs are also available. You can reuse any materials you have left over from last year.
Level thresholds and optional grids for test analysis are available to support teachers in the marking of the tests
Optional tests provide teachers with evidence to support teacher assessment. They are available for Years 3, 4 and 5, and Years 7, 8 and 9 in English and mathematics, and for science in Year 9.
The tests are marked by schools and they can decide how to use the test results.
Teacher packs include comprehensive guides with clear instructions for administering and marking the tests, level threshold information and one copy of the materials for assessing pupils. Where applicable mathematics teacher packs also include the mental mathematics audio CDs and test transcripts. Pupil packs contain materials to assess 10 pupils. Audiotape packs are also available. You can reuse any materials you have left over from last year.
Level thresholds and optional grids for test analysis are available to support teachers in the marking of the tests
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fatbananas
- Posts: 1411
- Joined: Mon Mar 08, 2010 2:03 pm
Re: SATS and year 3
Thank you for all your replies. I'm now getting a clearer picture!
I know I should know this but what constitutes a short piece of writing? I assume a long piece is a story; but is a short piece a diary entry or a letter or something? I'm not really sure what they've covered in year three in terms of persuasive writing, or letter writing. I know they've done instructions and reports.
I know I should know this but what constitutes a short piece of writing? I assume a long piece is a story; but is a short piece a diary entry or a letter or something? I'm not really sure what they've covered in year three in terms of persuasive writing, or letter writing. I know they've done instructions and reports.
Seize the day ... before it seizes you.
Re: SATS and year 3
it varies, the short piece of writing is 20 mins including planning, may be a story, a piece of persuasive writing, a recount, a report....
The long piece of writing is 45 minutes (?) including planning and could be anything. The writing is usually themed with the reading booklet.
You could have a look at some past sats papers to get an idea of the format, but I wouldn't worry too much.
The long piece of writing is 45 minutes (?) including planning and could be anything. The writing is usually themed with the reading booklet.
You could have a look at some past sats papers to get an idea of the format, but I wouldn't worry too much.
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fatbananas
- Posts: 1411
- Joined: Mon Mar 08, 2010 2:03 pm
Re: SATS and year 3
What about reading? Is there a reading comprehension paper suitable for year 3?
What levels can a child sit for in year 3? In year 2 there was a level 2 paper and a level 3 paper. What is there for these optional QCA papers in year 3?
I asked our school about them this morning and they said they were going to do them in year 3 either the week before or the week after the year 6 real thing. It's not long off as they are sometime in May. It does seem early to do them next week though. There's a whole term of possible improvement missed out on in the mark that way. Why so early I wonder?
What levels can a child sit for in year 3? In year 2 there was a level 2 paper and a level 3 paper. What is there for these optional QCA papers in year 3?
I asked our school about them this morning and they said they were going to do them in year 3 either the week before or the week after the year 6 real thing. It's not long off as they are sometime in May. It does seem early to do them next week though. There's a whole term of possible improvement missed out on in the mark that way. Why so early I wonder?
Re: SATS and year 3
Yes, there is a reading comprehension paper as part of the Year 3 optional sats. Our school does these optional sats for Years 3, 4 and 5 in the same week as Year 2 and Year 6 are doing their actual SATS.
I believe that there is only one version of the reading comprehension and writing papers and that up to level 4 can be obtained in each. If your child gets a 4 it's a plain 4 without a sub level a/b/c (like getting a 3 in Year 2).
There are 2 maths papers, one designed for level 2-3B and one designed for level 3C-4C. I think the teacher decides which paper they will sit but (at our school at least) anyone who sits the level 2-3B paper and does well in it also sits the level 3C-4C paper later in the week.
Although it's early in the year and a lot of progress still to be made before end of term the school tends to base their end of year assessments on the situation in mid May - it takes a long time to cut and paste all those reports by the end of July you know!
Having had 3 children go through these I wouldn't pay too much attention to the results, for example there are only 6 marks difference between 3C and 3A on the reading and writing paper.
I believe that there is only one version of the reading comprehension and writing papers and that up to level 4 can be obtained in each. If your child gets a 4 it's a plain 4 without a sub level a/b/c (like getting a 3 in Year 2).
There are 2 maths papers, one designed for level 2-3B and one designed for level 3C-4C. I think the teacher decides which paper they will sit but (at our school at least) anyone who sits the level 2-3B paper and does well in it also sits the level 3C-4C paper later in the week.
Although it's early in the year and a lot of progress still to be made before end of term the school tends to base their end of year assessments on the situation in mid May - it takes a long time to cut and paste all those reports by the end of July you know!
Having had 3 children go through these I wouldn't pay too much attention to the results, for example there are only 6 marks difference between 3C and 3A on the reading and writing paper.
