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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

KS1 SATs sat now - test group questions

33 replies

noblegiraffe · 19/04/2016 23:38

My DS has been sitting some of the KS1 SATs papers this week because the government are using them as some sort of test group.

Does anyone know why? Is it to set grade boundaries or something?

Also, is it the same papers that will be sat in May? I assumed not because that would be ripe for cheating, but then if it is for setting grade boundaries, how would they do that with two different tests?

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HarveySchlumpfenburger · 20/04/2016 00:05

As far as I know, it is the same paper that will be sat by other schools in May.

It's to set the expected standard and to help them make up work out the scaled scores for each paper.

I'm sure they've put just as much care and thought into this as they have when introducing the rest of the assessment process. What could possibly go wrong?

Original poster

noblegiraffe · 20/04/2016 00:14

So my DS was telling me some of the spellings they had to do. I could then tell the other schools, they all drill the kids on those words and pass?

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HarveySchlumpfenburger · 20/04/2016 00:24

Yes, I think so. Although at KS1 it's the TA that is reported not the test, so there probably wouldn't be much benefit unless schools were only relying on the test result to make a judgement.

jennielou75 · 20/04/2016 19:47

Schools are sworn to secrecy even in May.If we discuss the content at all we would be investigated and have our results anulled. They are very clear in the official documents.

Original poster

noblegiraffe · 20/04/2016 20:23

But parents are not sworn to secrecy, nor the kids? Until May?

Is there a similar test group sitting the Y6 SATs?

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HarveySchlumpfenburger · 20/04/2016 20:27

I think the problem is that schools are sworn to secrecy but the children aren't.

Obviously a 6 year old isn't going to leak the whole test but there's a good chance some of the spelling words and perhaps the subject of the reading test might get out.

Under the old system, they used the same tests every year (either the 2007 or 2009 tests) so i don't see that being too much of an issue.

mrz · 20/04/2016 20:35

Last year the DfE threatened anyone posting questions on social media with prosecution noblegiraffe no doubt this year will be subject to the same threat

Feenie · 20/04/2016 20:40

D'you that eejit a few years ago who posted the KS2 thresholds early? He did make himself v identifiable, so I do wonder if he ever got into bother?

Feenie · 20/04/2016 20:40

D'you remember

Original poster

noblegiraffe · 20/04/2016 20:51

I just checked the DfE Information for Parents leaflet, and there's absolutely nothing in there about an embargo on discussion of questions. If they intended to prosecute, they should make it clear that they're meant to be a secret. Or not have the same exam papers a month apart!

There's an embargo of discussion of GCSE exams until the next day for international schools sitting them in different time zones, but as Hannah's Sweets showed last year, that's completely unenforceable.

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Original poster

noblegiraffe · 20/04/2016 20:52

Rafa was the old system just KS1?

I suppose it's not seen as high stakes enough to do properly.

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mrz · 20/04/2016 20:59

schoolsweek.co.uk/dfe-threatens-high-court-action-if-teachers-discuss-sats-content-online/

MN removed posts last year as did TES and Twitter

mrz · 20/04/2016 21:00

That was just the KS1 tests KS2 were new tests every year noble

Finola1step · 20/04/2016 21:02

This is what Michael Rosen has been tweeting about. So it is true then.

mrz · 20/04/2016 21:06

No it isn't what M Rosen has been Tweeting. He is claiming that the sample tests which have been online for months are the actual tests children in schools selected to trial the tests have taken and the tests all children in KS1 will be taking next month.

Original poster

noblegiraffe · 20/04/2016 21:07

DfE have tweeted nothing about these KS1 tests.

OP posts:

mrz · 20/04/2016 21:08

Yet

Original poster

noblegiraffe · 20/04/2016 21:12

But my DS sat them this week so they're leaving it a bit late!

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mrz · 20/04/2016 21:15

To be honest I very much doubt they are bothered if the KS1 questions are shared as the results of the tests aren't reported.

mrz · 20/04/2016 21:17

They were apparently monitoring social media chatter last year as they kept popping up whenever anyone mentioned the tests and specific questions.

HarveySchlumpfenburger · 20/04/2016 21:20

Forward planning is not one of the DfE's strong points at the moment.

HarveySchlumpfenburger · 20/04/2016 21:24

Michael Rosen's twitter feed is confusing me. Has he got the wrong end of the stick?

Feenie · 20/04/2016 21:29

schoolsweek.co.uk/government-inquiry-launched-as-primary-test-leaked-online/

HarveySchlumpfenburger · 20/04/2016 21:40

That really is the icing on the cake in what has been one long cock up.

Why is this the mistake that they are looking in to though?

HarveySchlumpfenburger · 20/04/2016 21:47

I don't think they're going to be able to tweet and tell people not to leak the content of the tests without looking really silly.

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