KS2 SATS 2016

Key Stages 1-2 and SATs advice

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enema
Posts: 180
Joined: Fri Jan 31, 2014 1:45 pm

KS2 SATS 2016

Post by enema »

Hi, can anybody tell me in a nutshell about KS2 SATS?

- Are they important for the child - is it true that they are somehow connected to Y7 streaming and available GCSE options?
- Have this year's SATS changed with the abolition of the levels? Are there still higher level SATS?
- Will we likely have to do prep work for them given DD has just been through 11+ grammar and independent school exams or will they be less rigorous?
- Roughly how much prep do people do for them outside of school - other pupils are now suddenly 'practicing papers at home' without prompt from school which is slightly panicking me

Our state primary has told us nothing about the SATS and their content, purpose and consequences; I'm finding them shrouded in mystery.
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: KS2 SATS 2016

Post by Guest55 »

There is a change to the KS2 tests this year:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collectio ... -materials" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

There are no level 6 papers this year.

The KS2 levels are used by schools and exam boards to set various targets. The child's individual result should not affect GCSE entry but cohort results do set GCSE proprotions of 'good' grades.

Secondary schools use them in different ways so you need to see what the school you've appled to says about them. Local schools [near me] seem to be having information evenings for Year 6 parents.
RedVelvet
Posts: 546
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2011 2:06 pm

Re: KS2 SATS 2016

Post by RedVelvet »

That's very helpful Guest55. Having seen this question I think I'll need to update my grammar knowledge.

4. Tick one box in each row to show if the underlined conjunction is a subordinating conjunction or a co-ordinating conjunction.

:roll:
PettswoodFiona
Posts: 2134
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2014 11:24 pm
Location: Petts Wood, Bromley, Kent

Re: KS2 SATS 2016

Post by PettswoodFiona »

Just to add - what about those children who have entered grammars without having taken SATs? DD isn't sitting them for example. As I understand it that is why our local grammar has girls sit the school's own CAT tests for setting in Maths as well a providing a baseline.
loobylou
Posts: 2032
Joined: Thu Nov 27, 2014 5:04 pm

Re: KS2 SATS 2016

Post by loobylou »

Round here I only know of 1 school that takes notice of SATs results from primary school. However, that school did separate tests on entrance last year so I don't know if they are moving away from using SATs results too.
The other schools here (comprehensive and selective) do tests in the summer before school starts or in the September.
My dh's school (comp) has a policy of making the classes as mixed ability as possible and they have not used SATs for several years, doing their own tests instead. When I spoke to the teacher in charge of yr 7 entry she said that she could tell by the school whether the child "deserved" their SAT score or not. Some children from 1 school coming with high level 5 were worse (in terms of general ability) than those coming from another school with a low level 4. And vice versa.
But I think it does depend on area as I have read on this forum before that in some areas (Bucks I think) the SATs do affect setting etc. Here it definitely is not the case and I see SATs as entirely for the primary schools' "levels" and with very little benefit for pupils or schools.
My ds is in year 6 this year. The level of the SATs this year frankly seems ridiculous compared with 2 years ago.
loobylou
Posts: 2032
Joined: Thu Nov 27, 2014 5:04 pm

Re: KS2 SATS 2016

Post by loobylou »

And to answer your other questions - I think it depends on you whether you want your child to work for their SATs. Mine certainly won't be doing more than they are expected to do at school. (Neither did dd).
When there were levels I had friends who made their children work hard for SATs but those were mostly people who were desperate for their children to get a level 4 (rather than a 3) for the sake of their child's confidence. I also know of 1 or 2 people who were very keen for their child to get a level 6 because they had "failed" to get into a selective school and again it was therefore a confidence boost.
I don't think anyone can predict outcome this year as the questions seem so much harder...
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: KS2 SATS 2016

Post by Guest55 »

KS2 results do matter - Secondary schools are judged on progression from them.

Schools that say they take 'no notice' of them are not being totally truthful as they need to track from starting point which are KS2 tests.

If you look at DfE Secondary performance table you can see how important these 'starting points' are!
J50
Posts: 296
Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2012 10:35 am

Re: KS2 SATS 2016

Post by J50 »

Guest55 wrote:KS2 results do matter - Secondary schools are judged on progression from them.

Schools that say they take 'no notice' of them are not being totally truthful as they need to track from starting point which are KS2 tests.

If you look at DfE Secondary performance table you can see how important these 'starting points' are!

So wouldn't you prefer people to do badly in their KS2 SATs so that their perceived progression is better?? :D
loobylou
Posts: 2032
Joined: Thu Nov 27, 2014 5:04 pm

Re: KS2 SATS 2016

Post by loobylou »

Guest55 wrote:KS2 results do matter - Secondary schools are judged on progression from them.

Schools that say they take 'no notice' of them are not being totally truthful as they need to track from starting point which are KS2 tests.

If you look at DfE Secondary performance table you can see how important these 'starting points' are!
Are they always judged from that starting point? Or can schools choose their own starting point if they can show it to be robust and measurable?
I ask because in dd's school her predictions and expectations definitely stem from her CATs results rather than her SATs results. I know this because her SATs results were fantastic and her CATs surprisingly poor and all her predictions are a level lower than her peers in her sets, whereas if they were from SATs she'd at least have to be on a par with them.

ETA: I have no particular interest here and no axe to grind. They just seem supremely irrelevant to me but I am prepared to be shown to be wrong by people who know more than me! (Presumably from a Value Added perspective, secondary schools would prefer their intakes SATs to be relatively lower than higher??? I think this was what the HOY7 I was talking to was trying to say - that the SATs that the children were coming in with gave an over-inflated prediction of GCSE results etc which is why they had started to rely on their own tests).
PurpleDuck
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Joined: Sat Jul 24, 2010 10:45 pm

Re: KS2 SATS 2016

Post by PurpleDuck »

loobylou wrote:
Guest55 wrote:KS2 results do matter - Secondary schools are judged on progression from them.

Schools that say they take 'no notice' of them are not being totally truthful as they need to track from starting point which are KS2 tests.

If you look at DfE Secondary performance table you can see how important these 'starting points' are!
Are they always judged from that starting point? Or can schools choose their own starting point if they can show it to be robust and measurable?
I ask because in dd's school her predictions and expectations definitely stem from her CATs results rather than her SATs results. I know this because her SATs results were fantastic and her CATs surprisingly poor and all her predictions are a level lower than her peers in her sets, whereas if they were from SATs she'd at least have to be on a par with them.
At a risk of sounding cynical - do you trust those CAT results or is it possible that your DD's CATs and predictions were 'carefuly adjusted' by the school, so that she can easily exceed them and the school can take credit for all the hard work? I have been told such things happen sometimes...
It felt like I hit rock bottom; suddenly, there was knocking from beneath... (anon.)
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