KS2 Sats query

[Labro]

Really sorry if this has been asked before.

Are KS2 SATS levels based on the exam alone (just wondered why teachers place so much emphasis on revision and past papers)

If a child was achieving 3a in Maths, 4b in writing and 4a in reading at the end of year 4, then moves school for year 5 onwards, what sort of levels are expected to be achieved at the end of year 6?

National average is a 4b by the end of y6.

Are KS2 SATS levels based on the exam alone

Two levels are reported at the end of Y6 - a test level and a teacher assessment. The two are supposed to have 50/50 equal weighting in stature, but in reality they don't. School standards are judged on test results only and this is what drives league tables and OFSTED's agenda. This pressure is what leads some schools to revise, revise, revise - not realising that this is often counter productive, and that it is possible for children to receive a broad and balanced curriculum and attain good results.

Two years is a long projection to make, and moving schools may be a factor in progress. A child would be expected to progress by one whole level in two years to make satisfactory progress, so that would be a 4a, 5b an 5a on paper.

The expectation for end of Y6 really depends on your dc's end of KS1 levels. For instance, a child finishing Y2 with a 2B would be expected to be a 4B by the end of Y6. (+2 levels in KS2 is expected progress.)

Assuming linear progress there will be 1 level's progress from Y4 to Y6.

And for children who hadn't matured fully by KS1 Sats this is a nightmare as schools will have lower expectations and expectations for them than for those that matured quicker.

Or conversely, for those who were over-assessed at KS1, or who had matured earlier, reported progress will be less than expected. Not good news for the school, as Ofsted is so data driven!
(This is when Y6 teachers and school management curse Y2 teachers!)

It's only a nightmare in a school where the next four teachers cap expectations and learning. And since schools have to target good progress now, not expected progress, they want a child to attain higher than 2 levels to make them look good. So not a nightmare really - it's not in the school's or the child's interest to make it so.

square I would think it's in the KS2 teachers' interests to encourage the children to progress as much as possible. They will get lots of brownie points for showing good or outstanding progress.

Thanks everybody.
He was L3 at the end of KS1 (3c Maths, 3b writing, 3a reading)
The exam paper question was for a friend whose dd seems to have been doing nothing but sats revision at school since Christmas!

So Feenie if they were just age expected in Sats(2b)? what would the expected progress and good progress be in comparison.

Expected - 4b
Good - 5c

As I expected.

Keep nagging re ds's writing(he could do much better and does at home)and get what are you worrying about he's on course for a 4. Ditto dd's maths.

Progress is an issue at our school but they seem to be focusing everything on those not achieving age expectations.

Do Ofsted pick up on this now or is it just desirable?

Thanks for the info btw.

Making 2 levels of progress is important, as is achieving level 4 or above. A school where children only make satisfactory progress should find themselves under scrutiny from Ofsted, yes.

Currently floor targets ( ie if you are below these, OFSTED get twitchy!) are 65% level 4 and 90/92% two levels progress in English and Maths. So achievement and attainment are both important when measuring a school's success.

But if the maj were quite a good intake at rec 65% level 4 is quite a low expectation.

So if they're saying floor level is 90% 2 levels progress and 65% level 4s they're not bothered then re those achieving higher.Confused!

Would explain the couldn't give a shit/arrogant attitude at our school which is Satisfactory.

But if they were a good intake, then year 2 results should be good and so 2 levels progress is from a higher base level than for a year group with poorer results.
Actually, 65% level 4 is reasonably easy to achieve ( even in my school where each child is around 10%!) It's the 92% progress which is tough!

DD's teacher said that the writing was entirely internally marked & assessed (so I already know what level she's getting :) ).

He said Other items: grammar, reading, maths all depended on the exam result.

Mind, this teacher has been wrong about other SAT things.

Teacher assessments for all subjects have to be submitted this year BEFORE we receive the test results back, but that's not until Friday 28 June, so giving a final mark this early is a little premature-effectively the teacher is saying there is no possibility of any progress between now and the end of June! I certainly have some borderline children who should be a sub-level higher by then ( at least, I hope so!)