Tests take place in May each year
In term 5, children in Year 2 and Year 6 take SATs papers. These tests in English and maths reflect the new national curriculum, and are intended to be more challenging than those sat prior to 2015. .
At the end of Year 6, children will sit tests in:
- Spelling, punctuation and grammar
These tests will be both set and marked externally, and the results will be used to measure your child’s progress and the school’s performance.
KS2 Reading Test
The reading test will be a single paper with questions based on one 800-word text and two passages of 300 words. Your child will have one hour, including reading time, to complete the test.
There will be a selection of question types, including:
- Ranking/ordering, e.g. ‘Number the events below to show the order in which they happen in the story’
- Labelling, e.g. ‘Label the text to show the title of the story’
- Find and copy, e.g. ‘Find and copy one word that suggests what the weather is like in the story’
- Short constructed response, e.g. ‘What does the bear eat?’
- Open-ended response, e.g. ‘Look at the sentence that begins Once upon a time. How does the writer increase the tension throughout this paragraph? Explain fully, referring to the text in your answer.’
KS2 Maths Test
Children will sit three papers in maths:
- Paper 1: arithmetic, 30 minutes (written)
- Papers 2 and 3: mathematical fluency, solving problems and reasoning, 40 minutes per paper
Paper 1 will consist of fixed response questions, where children have to give the correct answer to calculations, including long multiplication and division. Papers 2 and 3 will involve a number of question types, including:
- Multiple choice
- True or false
- Constrained questions, e.g. giving the answer to a calculation, drawing a shape or completing a table or chart
- Less constrained questions, where children will have to explain their approach for solving a problem.
KS2 Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar
The grammar, punctuation and spelling test will consist of two parts: a grammar and punctuation paper requiring short answers, lasting 45 minutes, and an aural spelling test of 20 words, lasting around 15 minutes.
The grammar and punctuation test will include two sub-types of questions:
- Selected response, e.g. ‘Identify the adjectives in the sentence below’
- Constructed response, e.g. ‘Correct/complete/rewrite the sentence below,’ or, ‘The sentence below has an apostrophe missing. Explain why it needs an apostrophe.’
Not all children in Year 6 will take science SATs. However, a number of schools will be required to take part in science sampling: a test administered to a selected sample of children thought to be representative of the population as a whole. For those who are selected, there will be three papers:
- Biology: 25 minutes, 22 marks
- Chemistry: 25 minutes, 22 marks
- Physics: 25 minutes, 22 marks
What can you do to help?
It is important to ensure your child is not too anxious about the tests. Read through the guide and follow the thinks below to support your child through the KS2 SATs process.
A checklist of support
- Make sure they get plenty of sleep
- Encourage them to ask for support with any revision topics they are unsure of
- Explain that SATs are a way of showing what they know
- Ensure children know, they cannot FAIL!
Good websites and guides