Views & Opinion Preparing for the new SATs Comment by Patrick Mainprize, Education Lead at EducationCity It is the last year of the SATs in their current
form, and with the dates and sample questions already published for the May 2016 tests, preparation will be key to a smooth transition between old and new. Sample test questions along with
complimentary mark schemes and commentary for both KS1 and KS2 were published by the Standards and Testing Agency last July, but we still await the final test format that the first group of children will sit in May 2016.
Sample questions These sample questions do however give us a
good idea what the new tests will contain. They have been designed to assess the new National Curriculum and will therefore cover all the new objectives that have been added to the English, Mathematics and Science programmes of study. With approximately 70 new objectives spanning the three subjects in Years 3-6, this paints a
picture of a very different KS2 test for Maths and English. The Science sampling test which, of course,
didn’t take place this year, will recommence in 2016 with new topics added, such as gears, levers and pulleys. I wonder if we are looking at a return of science tests becoming compulsory for all primary schools at KS2? The new tests will be scored between 80 and
120 – with 100 being the mark which indicates that children are ‘secondary ready’. The aim is that primary schools should have at least 85% of their 11-year-olds achieving this level.
Preparing for the tests Preparation for the tests will be handled
differently in every school. A popular method of ensuring children are ‘SATs ready’ is running extra revision sessions either after school or occasionally on Saturday mornings. Another great option is to use online activities which children can complete
on an individual basis (in the classroom or at home) if they need extra practice on specific topics. This has the added benefit of preparing them for a test environment – being used to sitting down in silence and working independently for a sustained length of time is as important as knowing the material.
Support for teachers Lots of support is available to teachers, both in
written form and online. Many subject organisations such as the Association of Teachers of Mathematics, the National Literacy Association and the Association for Science Education provide materials to help schools with SAT preparation. Importantly, companies such as EducationCity provide online resources mapped to both the new and old curricula to ensure that all objectives are covered and that children and teachers are as prepared as they can be for the new tests.
Parents getting the results to show Comment by Chris Smith, head of education technology at Essex Education services The UK education system has changed
significantly in the last few years, including the introduction of a new national curriculum, the restructuring of exams, and following the general election this year, there could be yet more reforms on the way. One of the most prominent changes made
recently was the removal of levels from national education policy, giving schools the freedom to develop their own assessment and progression structures. What this means in practice is that schools are effectively having to start from scratch. They are now required to establish their own objective measures through which to monitor achievement and determine standards. This new development will take some getting used to. There are various approaches that can be implemented, including GCSE-style grading and CAT tests, with some schools adopting a daily assessment structure using classroom learning objectives and gauging responses to gain a clearer understanding of pupils’ abilities and growth. At this stage, it’s all about finding what works for teachers and, more importantly, pupils.
May 2015 In addition to all this, parents are demanding
more information from their schools. Recent studies have shown that parental engagement and an active interest in their education can positively affect children even into adolescence, and around 70 per cent of parents would like to feel more actively involved in their child’s education. But in the light of recent changes, communication between teachers and parents has become increasingly important in order to articulate the changes, explain new procedures and to discuss children’s needs, accomplishments and any concerns as they progress through school. It used to be that the main marker for
monitoring your child’s progress was through parents’ evenings and end-of-year reports. Fortunately, this environment is changing. The widespread use of email and text messages has improved the speed and frequency of school reporting, and in 2011, Ofsted reported that schools had started to adopt new technologies to augment the traditional methods of parent- teacher communications.
Pupil monitoring systems such as Target
Tracker for example, can be used to efficiently collate and visualise recorded test or coursework results, which can then be compared against national data and expectations and used to prepare strategies for pupil development. This in turn can inform schools on the progress of their assessment systems, providing them with measurable details of general trends and where to offer further student support. It is so important for schools to be able to
accurately measure and track attainment, as well as demonstrate that attainment to both the parent body and Ofsted. Systems which enable you to generate on-demand reports for parents throughout the year, featuring expected and actual attainment levels, helping them to understand where their child’s strengths and weaknesses lie, puts the schools back in control. Using this type of software is saving teachers a great deal of time both in and out of the classroom, freeing them up to focus on what really matters – teaching.
www.education-today.co.uk
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