So what is this Key Stage 1 assessment all about?

[AtheneNoctua]

Is it a formal test?
Is the evaluation record by the school?
Do they use it to determine things like what classes or level of attention your child will get in a particular subject?

What year?
Where is is taking place?

They do SATs in the summer term of year 2.
There are foundation stage EYFS assessments in reception.
And some schools do HFER assessments.

Some schools may use them for their continuos assessment of pupils - to monitor progress between years and key stages, to ensure pupils are making appropriate progress.

Some assessments may be used within school for sorting out tables/groups in ability sets.

They may also identify children who need additional support in class.

I guess I'm asking about year 2, as she is in year 1 now. Is it a test? Or are the kids observed over time (as opposed to sit down her and take this test)?

So it sounds like performance on this test could impact her education as it could determine what table she sits at, and who she works with.

SATS?

They are national tests. They are done over a short period of time. I don't think they are timed, but they are sat down answering questions type things.

They are used to measure the school.

Ideally the children should not even be aware they are doing them. They are not IMo important as an individual assessment of a child.

AN - a teacher would use way more than a SAT result to determie what table she sits on even initially. Far more weight would be placed on the teacher's assessment overall. And tabled are not static - children can and do move between them at different points of the year.

And some schools do not set at all.

thanks, hula.

Athene - I don't think all private schools choose to do them, though most will. All state ones do, I think.
Some schools make a big deal of them, others do it with the children (and parents) hardly aware of what is going on.
Your headteacher/teacher will fill you in!

At KS1, the only result which will be reported to you (or anyone) will be the teacher assessment, which is built up slowly over the year from many different sources, one tiny part of which would be the tests.

At Y2, the move has been completely away from the emphasis on testing - they still have to be done, but only to support the bigger picture. Pilots are under way to ensure Y6 testing goes in much the same direction any time soon - but KS1 tests have been like this for a few years now.