Key Stage 1 Sats - what, if anything, do I need to do?

[PippaFawcett]

I know they have changed this year but do I need to help my DS at all? He is fine across the board at school but doesn't seemed to have grasped the whole noun/adjective/verb/adverb thing they have been focusing on recently. Obviously I can help him with that anyway, but wondered whether I should be getting some SATS workbooks or anything.

Pippa, he has plenty of time to grasp nouns, adjectives etc. He's only little. He'll get there. Most schools play down key stage 1 SATS and the children don't even know there are doing them. So don't make a big thing of it. Relax!

I'm not doing any thing with mine. She's jut turned 7 I'm really not fussed. Kids in other countries are just starting school at that age!

This is all very reassuring! I did wonder why they were doing grammar already when I know some of the children are still struggling to grasp reading.

I'm doing absolutely nothing with mine and will be furious (with school, not her!) if she shows any signs of noticing SATS, let alone any anxiety.

I'm a teacher, although not presently working within KS1 (or mainstream at all).

My DD will still only be 6 when the school year ends. It is ridiculous that she should have to undergo such unfair assessments and I desperately hope her poor teachers (who are brilliant) do not feel under pressure to make the children jump through pointless hoops.

DD has just changed schools (house move) and is having a brilliant term - loads of PE, forest school, art, ICT and interesting science. I hope that it isn't going to suddenly change.

There are six new KS1 tests this year including two Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar tests which is why your child is doing grammar ...they will be tested on it in May.

You don't need to do anything with him.

He will get whatever mark he gets.

And you will find his mark of no consequence to his future.

www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/439447/Sample_ks1_EnglishGPS_paper2_questions.pdf sample of the type of questions your child will be asked

Why oh why can't they just teach the children then throw the tests idea away. Otherwise you just teach to tests.

Why are teachers so reviled by politicians that they can't be trusted?

Why don't they (government) enact evidence based policy in education instead of just automatically assuming it is only the fault of the teachers if standards aren't up to scratch.

I suspect the government favour a move away from teacher assessment to more testing.

So, just to throw a different spanner in the works - DS might have a few days off school in early May now as we have just been invited to a wedding abroad. Is that going to be a problem for the SATS or as it seems to be a continuous assessment thing, not a problem at all? I don't want to raise it at the school just yet as obviously they won't approve of any time off at all.

We're going away the first week of May & taking our yr2 DD out of school for 4 days. School already told us our sats week is w/c 16th may so she won't miss the sit-down assessments.

We have had a formal meeting re sats with all yr2 parents & teachers, the assessments really do seem more difficult this yr under the new curriculum.

We are doing (& will probs take with us on holiday in May) the Carol Vorderman 10minute exercise books for maths. We also have various KS1 exercise booklets for fractions, other maths topics plus a fab ks1 grammar dictionary (DD genuinely enjoys doing these exercise books , maybe once or twice a week).

Honestly don't worry too much about it all tho - I don't agree testing at such a young age. However, many kids are receptive to sitting with mum or dad once a week & showing you what they know, they love the attention, we get to know more about what they're up to at school.

Pippa if your child is in Y2 they must sit the six new national curriculum tests (SATs if you like) as these are statutory but schools can administer these any time during May.

How much has the content changed from the old KS1 SATS mrz?

My child, along with nearly two-thirds of her Y2 class, will be six when they sit these tests. Poor little things.

mrz, so if we happen to be away when the tests take place will DS have to do them when he gets back? I'm not sure that 6-7 year olds will have it in them to cheat!

First Q: hopefully you DS will hardly notice the tests if the school handles it sensibly. It's a assessment of where he's at so drilling really does not help.
Second Q.: kids in my DDs class missed it (family bereavement) and just sat the assessment the next week. Along with others that had been sick and my DD who had her cast removed on the day of the assessment and was then able to write herself for the first time in weeks.

Unless he's away for the whole of May he will have to do them

in the past there was a reading test (this year there are two) a maths test (this year there are two) a long and short writing task (these have been replaced by the grammar and punctuation test ) and a spelling test (this stays more or less the same).