The SATs Curriculum in the UK: An Overview
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Table of Contents
Introduction
Parents with children in primary school know they have SATs to contend with in the future. You’ll no doubt hear a lot about SATs, but despite all the information available, these exams can still cause concern and you probably have some outstanding questions. In this article, we give an overview of the subjects covered in the SATs curriculum and how you can prepare your children for success in the exams.
The Role of SATs
The UK SATs curriculum aims to assess the level your child is working at. It’s an opportunity to compare pupils nationally across England to ensure that schools are helping pupils to master the basics in English and Mathematics.
The SATs Curriculum: Key Stage 1 (Year 2)
Your child will sit their first SAT test in Year 2 of primary school. These tests are taken at any time during May and are not strictly timed. In fact, in many classrooms, pupils won’t even know they are taking them, as teachers often incorporate them into normal lessons.
Students are currently tested in the following subjects:
- English reading – two papers: (1) short text and questions (2) longer text with separate questions
- Mathematics – two papers: (1) arithmetic (2) mathematical reasoning
- English grammar, punctuation and spelling – two papers (1) spelling; (2) punctuation and grammar
Our Resources
Key Stage 1 SATs Practice Test 1
Key Stage 1 SATs Practice Test 2
The SAT Curriculum: Key Stage 2 (Year 6)
Children sit their Key Stage 2 (KS2) SATs in Year 6. These tests are 45 minutes long, are taken on set dates, under exam conditions and are externally marked.
Pupils are currently tested in English and Mathematics, with some schools opting to include science too. Papers are split as follows:
- English reading: one paper
- English: grammar, punctuation and spelling two papers: (1) spelling (2) punctuation and grammar (including vocabulary)
- Mathematics: two papers: (1) arithmetic (2) mathematical reasoning
- Mathematics: one paper on mathematical reasoning
Our Resources
Key Stage 2 SATs Practice Test 1
Key Stage 2 SATs Practice Test 2
Parents should receive SATs test results by the end of the summer year of Year 6. Your child will also receive an assessment from other parts of the curriculum, including English Writing and Science, but these will be administered by your child’s teacher.
How Parents Can Help Their Child Prepare
The SATs curriculum requires children to have a good knowledge of a range of subjects, so in order for your child to feel confident heading into their SATs exams, they must feel prepared.
As a parent, there are a number of things you can do to help your child with their SATs preparation, including:
- Setting a revision plan to cover all the subjects required within the SATs curriculum.
- Build their concentration gradually. In order for your child to focus for the entirety of the 45-minute exams, they should start by revising little and often.
- Introduce practice SATs papers into their study early on. These papers are proven to be an effective way of familiarising your child with the types of questions they might come across, leaving them less anxious about the marked exam.
Our practice tests cover all the topics your child will be tested on in the SATs curriculum. All of our papers match the style of the new SATs examinations to ensure they are current and accurate.
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Related posts:
What Are SATs in the UK?
Key Stage 2 SATs: A Parent’s Guide
Bookmark this page? Pop your email into the box below to receive a link to this article so you can easily refer back to it later.