SATs Exam: News & Updates on SATs in The UK (Updated: August, 2020)

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What Are the Different Sections in a SATs Exam?

SATs

Introduction

To help your child prepare for their SATs exam, we’ve put together this post which looks at the individual sections of the test. We’ve also outlined the skills your child will need to tackle them.

Sections in Key Stage 1 (KS1) SATs

Children sit their KS1 SATs at the end of Year 2 in primary school. These SATs are split into the following sections:

Reading

The reading test is made up of two papers:

Paper 1 – a selection of texts, with questions interspersed
Paper 2 – a reading booklet made up of a selection of texts. Children are required to write their answers on a separate sheet.

English Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar (SPaG)

The SPaG test is made up of two papers:

Paper 1 – a 20-word spelling test
Paper 2 – a grammar, punctuation and vocabulary test

Maths

The KS1 maths test is made up of two papers:

Paper 1 – arithmetic
Paper 2 – mathematical problem-solving and reasoning

To help your child prepare for their KS1 SATs, check out the following resources:

Key Stage 1 SATs Practice Test 1

Key Stage 1 SATs Practice Test 2

Sections in Key Stage 2 (KS2) SATs

Children sit their KS2 SATs at the end of Year 6 in primary school. These exams are more formal in nature and are usually externally marked. KS2 SATs are split into the following sections:

Reading

The KS2 reading test is a single paper with questions based on three passages of text. The paper will include a range of questions and children will be asked to interpret information within the text and comment on writers’ use of language throughout the passages.

English Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar (SPaG)

The SPaG test is split into two parts: a grammar and punctuation paper and an aural spelling test. In the former, children will be required to identify particular word types such as adjectives and nouns and rewrite sentences or add missing apostrophes to constructed sentences.

Maths

At KS2, children sit three maths papers:

Paper 1 – arithmetic, this is made-up of fixed response questions, such as long division and multiplication
Papers 2 and 3 – reasoning, these papers involve a mix of questions including multiple choice and true or false

To help your child prepare for their KS2 SATs, we recommend the following resources:

SATs Skills Your Child Will Need

Subject-wise, your child’s school will be doing all they can to prepare them for the SATs, but you may still want to help them at home. In fact, there are certain skills that you can focus on outside of school that will really make a big difference.

Reading and Interpreting Questions

Once this skill is learnt, it can be used in all tests that your child will sit in the future. Children can sometimes misread what they are being asked to do and lose marks, so this is a skill well-worth working on at home. Use practice SATs papers to help your child perfect this skill ahead of the tests.

Understanding Test Format and Structure

As a parent, you should spend time familiarising your child with the SATs exam format, structure and content. Our practice papers show children what the test will look like, how it is laid out and where they should provide answers. The more time your child spends using practice papers, the more likely they are to be comfortable with the marked assessment.

Concentration

SATs are a challenge, particularly if your child tends to struggle with concentration. At KS2 level, your child will be required to concentrate for longer periods of time than might come naturally to them, so they will need to work to develop their capacity.

Help your child to gradually build up their concentration. Revision sessions tend to be more effective in shorter bursts of 20 minutes on a regular basis. It may be a while before children are able to concentrate for the full 20 minutes, so offer encouragement to maintain their focus. As the SATs tests draw nearer, begin to increase their concentration time, providing incentives if necessary.

Time Management

For your child to perform at their best in the SATs exam, they must have good time management. Practice this skill by challenging your child to see how many times tables or simple maths calculations they can complete in a given time period. You can build this up steadily and gradually give them more time.

Encourage your child to sit practice exam papers under timed conditions. This will enable you to identify any areas that might require more work. The SATs exam requires your child to be a good reader, so work on their reading skills by selecting a few pages from a book and reading it for a given time-period. You should also encourage any other form of reading.

Preparing your child for the different SATs sections is crucial. Your child needs to feel good about themselves and believe that they have the necessary skills to do their best in the exam. Remember to always take an interest in their SATs revision and provide them with good quality practice papers to hone their skills.

Related posts

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How to Use KS2 SATs Practice Exam Papers

SATs

Introduction

Using KS2 SATs practice papers is a valuable part of your child’s exam preparation. Not only do they help to keep revision focused on the important subjects, they also allow children to practice SATs exam-style questions.

In this article, we look at how practice SATs papers at KS2 level can help your child succeed in the exam.

Introduce Papers Early

Practice papers will help your child become familiar with the types of questions they may be asked in the KS2 SATs exam. The more your child understands the tests, the more comfortable they’ll be on the day. Similarly, the longer your child has to revise, the more opportunity they’ll have to retain all the information they’ll need. Early learning, little and often, is the best approach to using practice papers.

Track Progress

You can regularly track your child’s progress with our KS2 SATs papers. If your objective is to obtain an overview of how your child might perform in the SATs tests, then have your child take the tests under timed conditions.

However, if you are using the tests to identify any gaps in your child’s subject knowledge, then the time limit could be altered to ensure that your child is given enough flexibility to complete the test.

Practice tests help highlight the topics your child hasn’t mastered yet. To help them improve their knowledge, consider introducing different revision techniques into their study routine. Similarly, practice SATs papers can tell you which topics your child is most comfortable with, allowing you to direct their learning to other areas.

Practice Exam Papers as Mock Exams

A popular way of using KS2 practice exam papers is to do them under timed conditions, as a mock exam in order to give your child a more realistic experience. When using practice papers as mock exams, it’s important that students stick strictly to the time limit. They should also avoid talking to anyone during this time, and shouldn’t refer to study materials.

If, for example, they are stuck on a question, they should learn to move onto the next one and return to it at the end. This way, they are more likely to answer as many questions as possible within the allotted time. Students who sit practice papers under timed conditions tend to perform better than those who simply revise.

It’s better for children to experience the disappointment of underperforming in a timed mock exam, than in the actual exam. Doing practice SATs papers under timed conditions helps focus children’s attention and develops the skills they need to perform under the pressure of exam conditions.

Reduce Anxiety

KS2 SATs will likely be the first time your child has experienced formal exam conditions, and understandably, they may feel anxious about sitting the tests. By using practice papers, children can familiarise themselves with the structure and layout of the exam. The more comfortable they are with the types of questions they may be asked, the less they are likely to be anxious about it.

Reinforce Learning

Practice papers don’t just measure how much your child knows, or how well they are prepared for the KS2 SATs tests, they also help reinforce learning. Practice papers enable students to put their theory into practice by testing their ability to recall information and processes.

Focusing on practice papers throughout a child’s KS2 SATs preparation can also help them get used to receiving feedback, which is an essential skill for them to develop.

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Key Stage 2 SATs: A Parent’s Guide

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SATs Preparation: How to Support Your Child

SATs

Introduction

For many children, the Year 6 SATs will be the first time they experience formal test conditions, and this can cause stress among some pupils. If your child is set to sit their SATs soon, they might be experiencing some anxiety. But don’t worry; as a parent, there is plenty you can do to support your child’s preparation. In this article, we outline some practical, easy-to-follow advice to help parents support their child during the SATs period.

Set a Revision Timetable

Parents should create a study plan that works for your child and your family’s life. Your child is more likely to stick to the plan if it slots easily into their daily routine. Most children respond better to revising little and often; just 20 minutes of SATs preparation every day can do wonders for your child’s knowledge and confidence going into the SATs assessment.

Support your child in the build-up to their SATs exam by preparing a revision timetable that they can easily follow. This timetable should clearly outline the topics that need to be covered and should offer a good mix of your child’s strong and weaker subjects, to maintain their overall motivation.

Maintain a Routine

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Exams are an inevitable and important part of your child’s education, but as their SATs date approaches, it’s vital to prioritise their overall wellbeing too. Keep the family’s routine on track; make sure your child continues to attend their usual sports clubs, or pursues their much-loved hobbies.

While children should be doing regular SATs revision, it shouldn’t be at the cost of their relaxation time. Children are more likely to perform well in their SATs if they have a good diet, get plenty of rest and participate in some physical activity.

Varying Their Learning

Once you have established your child’s preferred learning strategy, it’s a good idea to mix up the types of learning they are using for their SATs. Support your child by running through some practice exam papers; doing so will give your child a better idea of the SATs format.

You can also play some fun revision games with your child, some of which can be done on the move or in the car. Turn everyday activities into SATs preparation, such as going shopping and estimating the cost of the items in your basket or create interesting stories based on an activity that happened during a visit to the park.

Learning shouldn’t be confined to a desk; SATs preparation can take many forms and parents should strive to pick a range of activities to help support their child ahead of the exams.

Use Good Quality Practice Papers

Parents should provide their child with relevant SATs resources during their exam preparation. For your child to succeed in their tests, they should already have good knowledge of the exam layout and format before entering the test room. Practice exam papers cater for this.

Our SATs practice papers are an affordable and comprehensive resource that are designed to help pupils prepare for their exams. They are updated regularly to ensure that they are current and accurate and detailed mark schemes are included, to help you monitor their progress and help them improve.

Work Against the Clock

Your child will be required to answer questions quickly if they stand any chance of completing the tests within the allotted time. So, put them under a little pressure to work under timed conditions. Again, practice exam papers are an excellent way of achieving this.

If your child struggles with time management, encourage them to use their time wisely in order to complete all the questions. Some children struggle to keep an eye on the time passing; if this is the case with your child, show your support by teaching them to assign a similar amount of time to each question. If they cannot complete a question, get them to move on and come back to it towards the end. The more your child works under timed conditions, the more likely they are to be calm during their actual exam.

Track Their Progress

Your child will keep their motivation for longer if they can see that they are making progress. If you’re using our practice papers, detailed answers are included with the test, so you could set-up a bright wall chart in their designated study area to record results. This is a visual way to track progress over time.

Be Positive

Children are more likely to respond well to SATs preparation if their parents are positive and supportive throughout the process. Show your child that rather than being something to be feared, SATs are actually a good opportunity to share what they have learnt.

Keep the exams in perspective; don’t talk about ‘failing’ the SATs, as this can make things worse for a nervous child. Instead, share supportive words after each study session and work closely with your child during their revision periods.

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SATs Advice for Parents

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Key Stage 2 SATs: A Parent’s Guide

SATs

Introduction

Parents with children about to sit their Key Stage 2 SATs are bound to have questions about these government-set assessments. It can be a daunting time for children and parents can often struggle to help them fully prepare.

In this guide, we cover all the essential information you need to know about KS2 SATs and answer those burning questions.

What Are Key Stage 2 SATs?

Key Stage 2 SATs are formal assessments that children sit in Year 6 at primary school. They are national tests that aim to assess pupils’ academic progress in a fair and consistent manner. The tests are both set and marked externally, and the results are used to measure a school’s performance. KS2 SATs were updated by the UK government in 2016 to reflect the new National Curriculum. They are generally considered more challenging than previous iterations of the SATs exams.

Why Are Key Stage 2 SATs Important?

Key Stage 2 SATs exist primarily to provide an overview of a child’s academic attainment and are considered a good way of measuring progress. They provide a means for both parents and teachers to learn about a child’s strengths and weaknesses, ahead of them advancing to secondary school.

Parents should view their child’s KS2 SATs as an opportunity. The assessments give your child the chance to shine and can put them in a stronger position in their next school. Good SATs results can give your child access to better educational opportunities in the future.

What Subjects do Key Stage 2 SATs Cover?

The National Curriculum for KS2 SATs covers the following subjects:

English Reading

For the English reading SAT at Key Stage 2, your child will need to complete an hour-long exam paper that contains questions based on three passages.

Your child will be expected to answer a range of question types during the English reading SAT. The questions will assess some or all of the following:

Short constructed responses – children must pick out relevant pieces of information in order to answer the question
Ranking and ordering – children must rank events according to when they happened in the passage(s)
Open-ended responses – children must explain their answers using the passage(s) as guidance
Find and copy – children must find and copy a word that fits the description laid out in the question

English Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation (SPaG)

The English grammar SAT at KS2 consists of two sections:

A grammar and punctuation paper – this lasts 45 minutes and requires short answers.

This test will include two types of question: identification and constructed response. Identification questions require the student to identify or pick out keywords from a sentence. Children should be comfortable distinguishing between adjectives, nouns, verbs etc. Constructed response questions require students to correct, complete or rewrite sentences, or add a missing apostrophe where necessary.

An aural spelling test – this lasts approximately 15 minutes and covers 20 words

Mathematics

At Key Stage 2, children sit three maths SATs papers:

Paper 1: arithmetic – this lasts 30 minutes
Papers 2 and 3: reasoning – these each last 40 minutes

Paper 1 will test a child’s ability to do fixed calculations, such as long division, whereas papers 2 and 3 will cover a range of questions, such as true or false, multiple choice or drawing shapes and completing diagrams.

Some schools also choose to test Science at Key Stage 2, so parents are advised to check with their child’s school prior to any SATs revision.

How Are Key Stage 2 SATs Marked?

KS2 SATs are no longer scored as ‘levels’. Under the current marking scheme, children receive ‘scaled scores’.

A child’s raw score – that is, the actual number of marks they get – is translated into a scaled score. This helps to allow for fluctuations in the tests year-to-year and allows for more accuracy when comparing results. Parents will receive both their child’s raw and scaled scores, and be told whether they reached the expected standard.

The range of scaled scores available for each test is:

80 (the lowest scaled score that can be awarded)
120 (the highest scaled score)

Children are expected to achieve a scaled score of 100 or more; if they received a scaled score of 99 or less, they will not have attained the expected standard in the test.

How Can Parents Help Their Children to Prepare for Key Stage 2 SATs?

Children set to sit the Key Stage 2 SATs should have access to the best practice resources available to improve their academic ability as well as their performance in the exams. As a parent, you can invest in practice SAT exam papers to ensure that your child has everything they need to achieve high marks in the assessments. Preparation is key, so alongside a revision timetable, children should regularly take practice papers to gain an idea of the types of questions they will face.

The following resources have been created specifically for those sitting the Key Stage 2 SATs exams:

These practice tests come with detailed mark schemes includes so you can see exactly what’s expected of your child. With a good parental understanding of KS2 SATs, and regular practice sessions with your child, these exams shouldn’t be the cause of any unnecessary worry at home.

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KS2 SAT Preparation Tips

SAT Advice for Parents

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SATs Tips for Tutors

SATs

Introduction

Whether you are specifically helping your tutee prepare for SATs or not, it’s important to be aware of the SATs exam, and what it entails. In the first instance, if you are unfamiliar with the exam, find out more about SATs in this post.

Ensure Students Understand the SATs Exam Format

It’s essential that students understand how the SATs exam is structured. In Year 6, children sit exams that cover the following subjects:

Reading – A reading comprehension paper, 60 minutes duration

Spelling Punctuation and Grammar – Paper 1 is a 45 minute grammar and punctuation test and Paper 2 is a spelling test

Maths – Paper 1 (30 minutes) tests arithmetic , Paper 2 (40 minutes) and Paper 3 (40 minutes) test mathematical reasoning

A good way to help students become familiar with the exam layout and the types of questions they may be asked is to work through exam practice papers. SATs exams are relatively short time-wise, but require children to answer questions quickly and confidently.

Arrange for students to sit timed papers. If they run out of time, they’ll likely need to work on their time management skills. If they finish too early, they might have missed a question, or not answered each one in full. Practice exam papers give children vital SATs practice and immediate feedback after completion.

We would recommend the following resources for SATs practice:

Create a Tailored Study Plan

A study plan should be one of the first things you implement in a student’s SATs preparation. The plan should allow adequate time to cover all the required topics, while allowing students some much-needed relaxation in between sessions. A study timetable can be as simple as a spreadsheet, or as vibrant as a wall planner – either way, make sure that there’s a plan in place before you begin your first study session together.

Children are more likely to perform well in the exam if they have a structured plan in place, so tutors should aim to:

Encourage students to study little and often – shorter study sessions make it easier for children to retain information.
Consider which learning strategy is best for your student. Good tutors should assess a child’s ability on a case-by-case basis, to ensure that their study programme is as tailored as possible and contains the right mix of learning techniques. For example, a good SATs tutor will know whether their student is good at note taking, or prefers visual aids to improve their memory.

Make Revision Fun

Motivation is key in preparing children to sit the SATs exam. Tutors should make revision sessions fun in order to maintain students’ interest in studying, particularly on days where their motivation is lacking. Of course, this can be difficult, especially after a tiring school day, but it’s vital to a child’s success that revision sessions don’t become boring.

Try to vary each lesson as much as possible by introducing different teaching methods and revision games.

Reward Good Effort

A large part of SATs exam success is down to confidence. If students believe that they can do well in the exam, they’re far more likely to perform at their best on the day. As a tutor, it’s important to acknowledge when your student has performed well in a certain task. By providing positive, encouraging feedback, your students will be motivated to continue doing well.

Although rewarding good effort is undoubtedly important, be careful not to give undue praise. It’s important that students have realistic expectations and know where their strengths and weaknesses lie.

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SATs Advice for Parents

SATs

Introduction

The build-up to SATs in primary school can cause feelings of anxiety and unease in young children and it can also be a tense time for parents too. In this post, we’ve put together some helpful SAT advice for parents, including how to help your child study and how to help them deal with exam stress.

How to Help Your Child Cope with SATs

The more preparation your child does for the exam, the more confident they’ll feel in answering the different types of questions. One of the best ways of helping your child establish effective learning habits is to plan what they’ll study beforehand. Creating a study schedule with your child can be a great way to ensure that they cover everything they’ll need to know for the exam.

However, coping well with SATs isn’t just about what, or when, your child studies but how. The way that your child approaches their revision is just as important as the time they put in. As a parent, there are several ways you can ensure your child develops good study habits, such as:

Helping them to find a quiet place to study.
Encouraging them to ask for help, either from yourself or a teacher, if they are unsure of something.
Investigating the best learning strategy for your child, to ensure all study time is as effective as possible.
Taking practice exam papers to enable your child to not only familiarise themselves with the test’s layout, structure and format, but to also improve their time management.
Splitting study time into short, 20-minute bursts. For the majority of children, this is a more manageable approach than long study sessions and it’ll keep their motivation levels higher for longer.

Coping with Exam Stress

Everybody reacts differently to exam pressure, including young children. While many cope well with test conditions, others might need more support. During this time, it’s important that parents also learn to cope with SATs stress, in order to keep your child’s anxiety levels low. But how?

Be positive

As an interested parent, you are one of your child’s main support networks – not to mention their biggest cheerleader. Children will have a better response to their SATs preparation if they are surrounded by positive messages during their revision sessions. Don’t talk about ‘failing’ the SATs; keep your child motivated by encouraging them after each study session and if they are struggling with a particular topic, work through it with them.

Think beyond the classroom

As a parent, it is your responsibility to ensure your child is eating well, sleeping properly and keeping active during the SATs revision period. Establish a routine of going to bed at a reasonable time, make sure they are eating a balanced diet and build time into their study plan for them to have some fun and get enough exercise. The key is to avoid SATs exam burnout, so allow your child to lead a balanced life in the run-up to the exam.

If your child is struggling with stress, watch this short video together and have a chat afterwards about their worries or concerns:

Be prepared

Feeling unprepared is one of the biggest causes of exam stress in children. The more your child prepares for their SATs, the more likely they’ll cope easily with the whole process – and therefore, so will you! Work through practice SAT exam papers with your child to ensure they are comfortable with the questions. Once they understand what the examiners are looking for, have them take a few practice papers on their own, under exam conditions. You’ll be amazed at how much a child’s confidence increases once they’re fully prepared for SATs.

Dealing with SATs Results Day

Waiting for SAT results can be a tense time for the whole family. If your child doesn’t get the results they’d hoped for, disappointment is understandable, but it’s not the end of the world.

Keep SATs in perspective on results day by:

Reassuring your child that you’ll be proud of them however they do. Explain to them that their SATs results are only a small part of their time at school, and an even smaller part of their whole life, so as long as they tried their hardest, you’re happy.
Explaining to your child that SATs only focus on specific subjects. If they have a passion for a subject or two that isn’t tested, then the results don’t showcase their overall ability.
Learning from the overall experience. If your child has taken SATs in KS1, is there something different you would do for their SATs preparation in KS2? Or if your child has taken SATs in Year 6, can they learn from their experience? Parents should remain positive on results day; even if your child doesn’t do as well as you’d hoped, it’s important to stay constructive about their future learning. If you’re positive, your child is less likely to be despondent.

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What are SATs in the UK?

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KS2 SATs Preparation Tips

SATs

Introduction

Key Stage 2 (KS2) SATs take place in May and aim to give teachers an indication of the academic progress your child has made so far.

Pupils sit their second set of SATs at KS2 in Year 6 and are tested on:

Reading
Maths
Spelling, punctuation and grammar

KS2 SATs are marked externally, with children receiving their results before they leave primary school in the summer term of Year 6. As a parent, it can be easy to feel unprepared ahead of the SATs exams. But with some organisation and planning, KS2 SATs revision needn’t be a stressful experience.

To get the most from your child’s SATs preparation at KS2, consider the following advice:

Be Organised

This is arguably the most important part of SATs preparation. Success in the exams comes from starting your child’s revision early and establishing an action plan. It’s important to involve your child in establishing a study routine from the very beginning, so that they feel included and more willing to listen to advice later on.

Devise a Study Plan

At KS2 level, SATs are more formal than previous exams your child will have taken, so it’s a good idea to create a study plan early on. Some children prefer a wall planner, so they can actively cross off completed study sessions, while others work better online with a spreadsheet that’s updated regularly with progress.

A KS2 SAT study plan should clearly state the subjects that need to be studied, when, and for how long. You should encourage your child to make time to study every day, even if it’s just for 20 minutes. It may be a good idea to complete SATs study immediately after school, so your child has some valuable relaxation time before they go to bed.

Read Anything – and Everything!

At KS2 SAT level, children need to be good readers, so encourage them to read more. Pick a book from this reading list or suggest they expand their reading into something more meaningful to them, such as sport, travel or appropriate news stories.

At 11 years old, your child might think they are too old for a bedtime story, but reading together will improve both their reading and listening skills very quickly. The KS2 Reading SATs exam focuses on comprehension, so try to ask them questions during the story.

Make SAT Revision More Fun

Asking a child to commit time regularly to KS2 SATs revision is a big ask, but by making it more fun, there’s more chance of them enjoying the process. Revision games are an excellent way of keeping a child focused on the task at hand.

Take some time to make up a quiz, play a round or two of revision snap or help your child to remember key facts with silly mnemonics or ridiculous rhymes. These types of games work particularly well for children who struggle to sit still for fixed periods of time.

Use Practice Papers

Practice papers for KS2 SATs can be used early on in your child’s preparation, as they give a clear idea of how the exam paper will be laid out and what format it will take.

At Exam Papers Plus, our practice tests cover the subjects your child will be tested on in the KS2 SAT exams: Mathematics, Reading and English grammar, punctuation and spelling. They also come with detailed mark schemes, so you can easily identify in which areas your child may need additional preparation.

Our SATs practice tests cover all the required subjects of the real exams and have been updated to ensure they are current and accurate. Download a pack today:

Key Stage 1 SATs Practice Test 1

Key Stage 1 SATs Practice Test 2