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Original poster

Keys stage 1 revision / practice papers / Parents in touch website / Letts revision resources

29 replies

magicfarawaytree · 04/02/2009 16:07

Hi has anyone used this website before or recommend any resources for key stage 1 revision / practice papers. I have seen the letts ones recently but the packs are sealed.

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ramonaquimby · 04/02/2009 16:12

do you mean to sit down and practice with a Year 2 student (who have SATS later this year)? I think this would unnecessarily worry them!

RustyBear · 04/02/2009 16:16

Don't bother.

Original poster
magicfarawaytree · 04/02/2009 16:18

not sit down with yet, but the school have already given them a couple of practice papers 'just to see how they are getting on'. They have not told them that is what they are nor have i told dd but I will as the time approaches i want her to have a practice.

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Original poster
magicfarawaytree · 04/02/2009 16:20

crap typing - should read not to sit down with yet. The school has given them a couple of practice papers 'just to see how they are getting on'. They have not explained that they will be assessed on these nor have I told her anything about the sats. However, as the time approaches I will want her to be used to the format of the papers and to have a practice at being timed in that format. Speed is a foreign concept to dd.

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Original poster
magicfarawaytree · 04/02/2009 16:22

why not to bother rb

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Niecie · 04/02/2009 16:25

Don't do anything.

DS1 didn't even know he had done his KS1 stats and that is absolutely the way it should be.

The school is handing out practice papers? What are they worried about? I would be quite cross if they did that to my DSs actually.

Feenie · 04/02/2009 16:26

Year 2 assessment has changed, magicfarawaytree. Parents now receive just teacher assessment, which is built up slowly over the year using lots and lots of different evidence, the least important of which is now the test. See this thread for a previous discussion.

Feenie · 04/02/2009 16:27

Also, the tests are not timed in Y2!

Original poster
magicfarawaytree · 04/02/2009 16:30

The school does not used the scores but does all the children to familiarise themselves with the format of the test. have had two different practice papers 1 maths and the other english. School is not pushy (not very much homework at all) children still get littled printed school awards for mainly non academic achievements, except in the case of children who are struggling who will get commedations for taking steps forward.

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Original poster
magicfarawaytree · 04/02/2009 16:39

Thnak you has cleared up a few of the misconceptions I had. I thought that the score was the primary indicator for child placement in Year 3.

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RustyBear · 04/02/2009 16:43

I said don't bother because the school will vbe doing what they consider necessary to familiarise the children with the format - as it seems yours is. If you are trying to raise your child's score, it'll only cause problems in KS 2 because your child will seem to be working at a higher level tan they actually are.

Also, as Niecie says, ideally the children shouldn't really realise thay are 'doing SATS' - any tests should really be handled as if they were a routine spelling test or tables test, without makuing a big deal of it.

I remember when DD was about to take her KS! SATs,we got a newsletter home which explained that they would be doing assessments, but that the chldren wouldn't know what they were about & shouldn't be worried about them. DD gave me the letter & asked "What are these tests I'm not
it supposed to know about?"
When I told her teacher she laughed & said that DD obviously wouldn't have a problem with the reading - but the next year the letter was in an envelope!

Feenie · 04/02/2009 16:43

The teacher assessment will help the Y3 teacher decide what your dc needs next, in the same way as the end of year 3 teacher assessment will help the y4 teacher.

RustyBear · 04/02/2009 16:47

It is an indicator for placement in Year 3, not necessarily the main one, but it really isn't doing your child any favours if they get put in the top set when they are not comfortable working at that level.

Feenie · 04/02/2009 16:51

However, the teacher assessment is the indicator, not the test result. This will have been built up by the teacher over the whole year, using lots of different pieces of evidence.
When we are moderated by the LEA every 4 years to check our judgement, the list of evidence we have to show to 'prove' our judgement has the test right at the very bottom in terms of importance! Any school who only used the test to prove their judgement would rightly fail the moderation and be in big bother, as that isn't what Y2 assesment is about any more (thank god).

Mercy · 04/02/2009 16:53

Agree with what others have said.

My dd did fine in her Yr2 SATs but has recently in Yr3 moved down a group for one subject (although I don't think she quite realises).

It's all rather fluid and that's fine imo (unless they really start tailing off obviously)

Snowybird · 05/02/2009 14:14

My twins are in a small primary so there are no sets anyway in year 3. I have the impression that the teacher already knows them so well that the SATS results are not going to tell her anything new and that therefore practice is pointless.

Or am I wrong?

Is there any way their scores would ever matter?

basementbear · 05/02/2009 14:19

Like Snowybird, my DCs are at a school where there is only one class per year, so sets are not an issue. From friends' experience, most children at the school don't even realise they have taken the tests. I would certainly not be doing any revision as I wouldn't want them to be put in a higher set they might not feel comfortable with, like Rusty said. IMO, SATS results are only for the schools' benefit, not the pupils'.

Feenie · 05/02/2009 18:33

There are no SATS results in Year 2! Only a teacher assessment - this is the level reported to parents, governors, LEA and at national level.

popsycal · 05/02/2009 18:34

oh my god
olease dont bother
i say this as a mum of a year 2 pupil and a teacher of 12 years

TheFallenMadonna · 05/02/2009 18:36

No, no, no. Ds has no idea that he was assessed in this way last year. The school doesn't mention to the year 2 children at all. The year 6s take it more seriously, but I'd have been really cross if DS had been sent home with past papers "to practice for my exams" like my friend's ds was.

Original poster
magicfarawaytree · 05/02/2009 23:26

Thank you all for your advice. The idea of the practice papers was not about raising the dds score, but for her to practice extracting information. She tends to be more comfortable practicing things a little and then she is off and running and doesnt not want input unless she asks for it.

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Feenie · 06/02/2009 21:10

The tests don't include anything which is not part of normal, everyday Y2 practice - which is why most Y2s don't have a clue when they're doing them or not. Don't worry!

hellywobs · 11/02/2009 09:59

Y3 teachers do their own assessment, especially if you're in an infant/junior school rather than a through primary as infant schools may ahem "inflate" the results at KS1 a little. I wouldn't worry about SATS at all -they are not for the child, they are for the school league table. I certainly won't be coaching my Y1 son for them.

Akiko · 09/03/2009 15:13

We did Letts practice papers at home plus some exersizes from Mega Maths. Since then, my Ds has jumped 2 levels at school to 3c.At first, he could not even understand some of the questions. He feels much more confident and understands the exersizes better now. I think it helps to go through the material at home as in large class at state primary, teachers do not always have time to work individually with a pupil. Sadly

Akiko · 09/03/2009 15:14

The website is goo, I downloaded the tests plus used Letts. They also give information on answers and teachers marking.