SATS results

[miccoops]

For anyone interested.. the raw scores required for an age expected score (100 and above scaled score) are on this link, published today

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1087928/2022_key_stage_2_scaled_score_tables.pdf

The Reading paper was down to 24 out of 50 raw score for a age expected .. that definitely lower than previous years.. backs up the feedback that it was a challenging paper. Waiting for my sons results from school later this week..

The SATs result is like that every year with some children do 11+ (with tutor or without). So not seeing the point of being skew, it is just part of it.

Same for GCSE score at KS3.

Widespread tutoring does rather allow the government to continue to paper over the cracks in the education system, though. All children deserve to get a good education, regardless of whether their parents can afford extra tutors.

The results this year don't look too bad on the surface but there is a clear attainment gap which is widening and which is only going to get even worse if schools can barely afford to keep the lights on and teachers/support staff leave for better conditions and pay elsewhere.

How do SATS results translate into predicted GCSE results ?

For instance a score of 110 translates to what GCSE grade prediction ? Thanks ?

My daughter is going to a grammar school, but FWIW I’m not a pushy parent gunning for top GCSE results. She’s autistic (what would have been Aspergers when it was still diagnosed) and I knew she wouldn’t get much SEN support in a comprehensive. Needless to say, grammar schools are full of autistic kids like my daughter, whether diagnosed or not.

It's not quite as simple as that. Essentially, all of a child's scores are combined and then they are grouped in "prior attainment groups" with those of similar scores. Using previous progression data and other bits of information, targets are created based on what a typical child in that prior attainment group in the past has then gone on to achieve.

Generally, however, and this is very rough, I would say:
Mix of scores below 90 - ungraded, 1s or 2s.
Mix of scores around 95 - 2s and 3s.
Mix of scores just below 100 - 3s and 4s
Mix of 100s to 105s - 4s and 5s.
Mix of 106 to 109 - 5s, 6s, maybe 7s.
Mix of 110+ - 7s, 8s, 9s.

Obviously, children achieve both under and over these, depending on many factors: personal effort, quality of instruction, support, resilience, etc.

Schools may also generate their own internal predicted/target grades. These aren't as important as the school isn't held to account with those. However, it does create scenarios where, for example, children with very low prior attainment are still given targets of 4s and 5s because "at our school, we don't set targets lower than that".

Thanks iamnottge1 x

Hi Twizzyizzy, Out of interest my child ( I refuse to say that twee 'DC' rubbish on here, makes me nauseous!)

Is going to Grammar school and got 116 SPAG
115 English, 110 Maths

Not sure SEN support is better in grammar than normal comprehensive, in general is even less.

What makes you say that? Do you have personal experience or is this just conjecture?

I’ve had a meeting with the SEN team and was genuinely taken aback by their knowledge and understanding of a rather overlooked and unsupported subset of autistic kids. They were suggesting small accommodations that I hadn’t even considered.

Not personal experience, but in general sense the notional SEN budget allocated to mainstream comprehensive school is higher than grammar school. SEN budget is really the difference between state schools in terms of support level provided.

Individual case could be different of course, but there is no evidence to suggest that ASD type of SEN is better supported in grammar.

My daughter got 98 for her reading. She got 120 for her SPAG. She can “read” anything, and I mean anything. She can also spell everything but the comprehension doesn’t add up. It’s confusing. A lot of teachers have scratched their heads over it. Any wise words anyone?

Tbh the kind of soft support my daughter needs doesn’t require a budget, merely understanding and the odd accommodation here and there.

Her primary school outright refused to have her on the SEN register as she was “too academically able” whereas the grammar will have her on the SEN register from day one. I (unfortunately) have years of experience of mainstream primaries failing to support autistic kids as long as they hit academic targets, so it’s been a breath of fresh air to interact with a school who see the bigger picture - the anxiety, the sensory issues, the masking etc.

This sounds like the case down to a specific SENCO but not the school really, and it will change over time.

Was she an early reader, or a self-taught reader? Any neurodivergence?

My son is hyperlexic and autistic. Taught himself to read at 3. Can read anything. Spelling comes naturally to him. But one key trait of hyperlexia is comprehension issues. Partly because, being autistic, he can struggle with inference, subtext and reading in between the lines. In other words, being such a literal thinker, he will read a text very literally and struggle with finding out what is inferred.

@Jellycats4life

That is interesting. Yes even from reception she could ‘read’ anything but yet again there was a huge discrepancy between that and her comprehension. She will spell nothing wrong, and I mean nothing. I remember her year 1 teacher telling me she could spell literally everything but I just thought it was flattery.

I have never heard of being hyperlexic but I will research that. Thank you. She is definitely ND but copes fine (well she has done at primary so far, fingers crossed for secondary).

That was sort of my point: if widespread tutoring takes place and these kids are routinely scoring 110+ then the government/schools take the credit whereas it is more likely to be the tutoring that has had the impact.

DS got 118, 120 and 120. He passed for grammar and is going to a selective independent.

The results is comparing against previous years, if widespread "tutoring" is not specific for this year, the headline result is comparable.

However, @DuckBushCityLimit make a good point with regards to the widening gaps. With budgets cut in the state sector it is the bottom 30% who suffers more.

I bet you it’s hyperlexia then, especially if you believe she is ND. There isn’t a lot online but there is a blogger called “And Next Comes L” who is really knowledgeable. Her website was one of the first things I found when I was Googling about my son 😊

@Jellycats4life

Thank you. 😊

In my experience, tutoring makes very little difference to the actual knowledge/skills a child has but it can affect their confidence with the subject (both positively and negatively depending on the specific circumstances).

This year, over 50% of my class scored 110 or above in Maths and nearly 70% scored 110 or above in Reading. None of them had tutors and all but one are going to a state secondary. The only child going to a selective school was one who missed greater depth in one of the subjects.

But it must make a difference ie DDs entrance exam was in January when the school hadn't yet covered the whole of the Y6 syllabus. The entrance exam was based on SATS level questions and she gained a good score. If we hadn't had a tutor to cover the full syllabus prior to the exam then she wouldn't have passed as school hadn't yet taught all of the knowledge by January.
I agree a lot of it is confidence + exam technique but this gives those kids who have been tutored a head start going into SATS, even if they have the same level of knowledge as those who haven't been tutored.

My dd got 120 spag, 114 reading and 118 maths and is going to grammar in September. No tutoring for Sats or grammar.

But feeling like it must make a difference doesn't mean it actually does. Most curriculum content is covered by January (because it has to be completely done by the start of April, really). In addition, the exams contain a mixture of questions at a Y3, Y4, Y5 and Y6 level so it's possible to score very well, including at "greater depth" partway through Y6. This is especially true in English-based exams but can be in Maths too.