SATs for Year 2

[Aniee]

Hi All

We have been told that DD who is in year 2 will be doing SATS for numeracy and literacy after easter. What does this actually entail, i think i am right in thinking she will do 1 numeracy paper, but for literacy, how many tests are there?

Also what can i do to prepare her?

Thank you very much

They are Standard Attainment Tests. Basically they are set to test the school not the child to make sure they maintain standards of teaching. The teacher will not base a childs level at the end of year 2 on their SAT score and can teacher assess - much better as allows for 6/7 yo to have an 'off' day which is pretty normal. The maths is one test and the literacy is short writing, long writing and reading/ comprehension. Most schools don't even tell the children they are doing them.

My DS (yr 2, 6yo) did his short writing in February and got a 2c. His teacher has says she fully expects he'll be a 2B (nat ave) by the end of the year.

They are a requirement but not like GCSE's where it will affect any future education. Helpful for when they go to juniors though.

Not entirely true to say that teachers in Y2 can teacher assess, rather that they must teacher assess. The only result reported will be this teacher assessment, and it is drawn from many different sources of evidence, a small part of which will be the tests.

Children must complete a test if they are working at level 2 or above. They can only be tested once, with one test in reading, writing (including spelling) and Maths.

I wouldn't say that the tests are there to test the school, either. Maybe this used to be the case, when schools' only assessments used to be in Y2 and Y6, using only tests. But now schools constantly teacher assess from Reception to Year 6 anyway, the only difference being that the teacher assessment has to be reported in Y2.

The tests exist to ensure that the assessment process is sound and that the teacher is confident in their assessment knowledge - the tests can be used any time and for any purpose from September to June (but most schools use them in May out of habit and to support their final judgements). A teacher may choose to use them in January, for example, and use the results diagnostically to see where the children need to go next. The final teacher assessment in that case would probably be quite different from the results of the test.

To answer your second question, op, do what you would usually do - ask her teacher what her next steps are and how you can help with this at home, just like you might at any other point in her primary school life.

OP, I would not worry too much about this - as Feenie said, just carry on doing what you are doing to support the school and help at home.

My DDs both reported their KS1 SATs as 'We did a fun activity at school' - there was no stress in it for them at all.

HI All

Thank you so much for your answers, I have spoke to DD's teacher who has told me that she can not say what level she thinks DD is at, just incase she doesn't get it. Great! Also i mentioned how it's mainly teacher assessment and she said they don't do teacher assessment in this school they use the tests. DD knows she will be doing tests after easter and has said how some of her friends are practising at home and she wants to know if we can practice over the hols. All the school tell me is that she is doing well.

she said they don't do teacher assessment in this school they use the tests

Is this a state school? If so, they are acting against the statutory regulations - KS1 assessment has been teacher assessment only since 2005, and schools don't get to choose, that's the way it is. The LEA also have to moderate schools and make sure they are assessing properly. I would be very tempted to phone the LEA and tell them what this teacher said.

The statutory guidelines for 2011 can be found here.

Yes it's a state school. We had parents evening last month and i asked what level DD was at and she said she didn't want to say just incase she didn't get what she thinks she will get. I asked if they had done mock sats etc, and she said no. I am confused now, don't know what to do? In literacy, do they have to do both a long and a short writing task, what does this involve?

I haven't asked anything...so far but DS in in yr2. He has come home & said they have done a numeracy test - mental maths where the questions are asked not by the teacher but audio from DVD. He knows when they are doing tests because the teacher tells them & gets them to space out a bit more.

I'm taking the laid back approach because they all go into the same yr3 class next year. The yr3 teacher will likewise assess & differentiate as appropriate - ever the optimist

The teacher should have known the level your dd is at now like the back of her hand! Y2 teachers have to constantly draw on many different sources of assessment. Let's be kind and say maybe she assumed you were asking what her result might be at the end of year 2.

The longer task is just that, a longer piece of writing that your dd will be very used to doing as part of normal classroom practice - ditto the shorter task.

Mock SATs aren't necessary in Y2 - the tests are not really much different to normal classroom activities in Y2. Most teachers call them special booklets, or something, and children often enjoy completing them.

I am mystified as to what the DVD is, munstersmum - the tests usually call upon the teacher to say the questions in Y2.

Feenie, can I pick your brain for a moment? Is it feasible to ask my DD's teacher where she is at the moment level-wise? The school doesn't talk targets/levels very much, which I would say is only right as they are only 6 or 7, but I would like to know, will I look like an arse asking?

Every school is different. We have been told, he's at this 2B and to get to 3 he needs to do a/b/c/d. Atleast I know. I try and tell him nothing, but I am glad I KNOW.

Oblomov, that is exactly the sort of information that I want about my DD, she is here and to get there she needs to do this and this. Was it offered to you or did you ask? And is it a (excuse the use of the word) pushy school?

Feenie obviously don't know origin of the tape but his in state primary. From what DS said I have the impression there's something about how long the gap is between each question. He says it asks questions faster than the teacher & I'm sure he knew how many seconds (not minutes!!) it was.

No, lovecheese, teachers don't usually mind that question - have been asked the same by plenty of parents.

Not aware of any tape/CD for KS1 materials, munstersmum - either they introduced one in the 2009 materials (teachers may choose from 2007 or 2009 test) or it's a tape which isn't to do with KS1 tests (optional Y3 test maybe?). Interesting!

Well, yes it does appear to be very very pushy. School claims that sats are not important, but we think they are, to them. Generally the parents don't like the idea of sats, think its all for the school and not for the children. all the parents I know, play it down and we are really not that interested and see it as a pain, forcing our children to do more thna they need to and do not let on anyhting to the children.
But we had a meeting about sats in sept. they told us all about it. and that the children were not to know. we all agreed.
then at both parents evenings they have told us exactly where they are , and what their target is, and what they need to do to get there.
All info has been given by school, you didn't need to ask.
Can't wait for the stupid things to be over, really.

at both parents evenings they have told us exactly where they are , and what their target is, and what they need to do to get there

Doesn't this happen regardless of the year group though?

wouldn't have thought so. presume it is just in relation to sats. Reception and year 1 we more about him being happy and doing well. thta was it really. i'll let you know once we get into Yr3 and Yr4 !!

It's a teacher assessment, which occurs throughout school - they should give you this information as a matter of course. Let us know what happens in Y3!

My DS Yr 2 has already done his short writing task - they did it in February!! He got a 2c and I've been told he still has the long writing task to do and she will teacher assess at the end of the year. She is confident he'll reach a 2B (nat ave). He is a late aug baby though so 2C would be considered OK. (I know though he really needs to be a 2B for junior writing requirements iyswim?)

He is a 2B reading level but 2C overall and again should be 2B at the end of the year.

He's a 2B/2A maths. Teacher actually told me all the small 'tests' they have done show he should get a 3(c) in SATS. She was deciding whether to put him in for level 2 or 3 paper.

I think she gives all the parents this in depth info - she is a fabulous and honest teacher (and DS loves her ) but its possible she tells me more as I work in education and 'get' it iyswim?

I always just tell DS as long as he tries his best how good he is at something doesn't matter.

Interesting how different all the schools are. Ours gives us levels termly, so it's all incredibly transparent. it's not a pushy or an academic school, but they do this for all years, so not just Yr2 Sats. They just say it's important to track each child to make sure they're making progress and want the parents to be part of that discussion. Seems sensible to me.

Can I be a complete moron and ask what the levels are?

W - working towards level 1
1c
1b
1a
2c
2b - the expected level at the end of yr2
2a
3c
3b
3a
4c
4b - " " " " " " " yr6
4a
5c, b etc up to 8 at the end of yr11.

Not a teacher but married to one