Taking on a Y6 class at this point in the year!

[CtrlAltDelicious]

Hello all,
I'm starting a new job on Monday which has a 50% teaching commitment with a small class of really lovely year sixes. (Maths and English 5 mornings a week.)

I'm just a bit unsure how to approach this, obviously being this close to SATs. I've studied the data and also marked their most recent Maths papers and it seems there are some worrying disparities - particularly with maths. Level 5 predicted children coming out with 4c, etc. All children bar 1 have EAL. Where on earth do I go in terms of teaching?

Obviously I don't want to begin my new job by saying to the Head "right, these predicted levels are bollocks." But I am worried about the results.
My question is, where would you begin in terms of teaching? I'm thinking of analysing the papers today for the weakest areas and going right back to the beginning and plugging gaps. Any help would be most welcome.

[newbieman1978]

Think you've pretty much hit the nail on the head, find the gaps and plug them as best you can whilst keeping an eye on everything else.
With a matter of weeks until SAT's there isn't time to do anything radical though you may feel different and I'm not a teacher.

Good luck.

[ragged]

Why do you need to sort out predicted levels? Is that your problem?

[CtrlAltDelicious]

Thanks both!
Unfortunately predicted levels will be my problem as it's an SLT role. So whilst I can't have much impact on this year's results, I do need to start looking at why they're so wildly different from expectations. I've been in planning anyway and made good ground with both English and Maths.
Unfortunately the daily planning sheets are quite lengthy. Ugh!

[CharlesRyder]

I would tell the Head you have concerns about the predicted levels before you set foot in the classroom with the kids. You don't want them thinking it all went to sh*t because they were with you for the last month!

That would need to be a carefully worded conversation though!!

I reckon the best thing you could do for the levels would be to spend a month on test technique- flipping boring though and not a good use of a month of an 11 year old's life.

[Chickenandpenguin]

As a year 6 teacher heading into SATs I'd definitely have a conversation with your head before working with the kids. Do a baseline assessment if necessary as evidence. Then I'd, sadly, plug test technique and strategies as previous poster said. Some basics definitely but you can't make too much of an impact in the time you have sadly. Once SATs are done I'd definitely plug gaps etc so they've a strong start for secondary. Good luck!