KS2 SATs explained
All Year 6 children are required to take externally-set assessments in English and maths. The standard papers cover levels 3-5, with level 4 being the
expected national average at the end of primary school. Children sit the following tests:
Year 6 English SATs
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English grammar, punctuation and spelling – Paper 1 comprises 40 to 50 short-answer questions covering grammar, punctuation and vocabulary,
taking 45 minutes; Paper 2 is a spelling test with 20 questions, taking approximately 15 minutes.
English reading – one paper based on reading comprehension of three texts, with a total of 35 to 40 questions of increasing difficulty. Children are
allowed one hour in total, including reading time.
The English grammar, punctuation and spelling test covers sentence grammar, punctuation, vocabulary, handwriting and spelling and was introduced
in 2013. This replaced the old writing paper, with writing now being tested purely through teacher assessment.
Year 6 maths SATs
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Mathematics – Papers 1 and 2, each lasting 45 minutes, and Paper 3, a 20-minute mental maths test. Calculators are not permitted.
In addition, high-achieving children may be entered for Level 6 SATs papers in the same subjects. They must also take the level 3-5 paper first, and
can only be awarded a level 6 if they also achieve level 5 on the standard paper. If they don’t pass the level 6 paper, they are awarded the grade from
their level 3-5 test instead. From 2014, school performance tables will show the number of pupils who were awarded level 6.
KS2 SATs Tests Timetable 2015
Date
th
Monday 11 May
Tuesday 12 May
Wednesday 13th
May
Thursday 14th May
Level 3-5 Tests
English – Reading Test (60 mins)
English – Grammar, Punctuation & Spelling Test
Maths – Mental Mathematics Test (20 mins)
Maths Paper 1 (45 mins: NO calculator)
Maths Paper 2 (45 mins: NO calculator)
Level 6 Tests
English – Reading Test (10 + 50 mins)
English – Grammar, Punctuation & Spelling Test
No Level 6 teats timetabled for this day
Maths Paper 1 (30 mins: NO calculator allowed)
Maths Paper 2 (30 mins: calculator allowed)
Further information
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Other subjects, including English writing, speaking and listening, are assessed by teachers rather than by children taking a formal written test. This
assessment data is then submitted to the Department for Education, and is subject to moderation.
If there is a discrepancy between your child's SATs results and the level their teacher thinks they are working at, the teacher's assessment level will
take precedence.
Children’s progress, as well as their achievement, will be measured and reported on in school performance tables.
You will be told your child's national curriculum levels in July 2015.
Teacher assessments are passed on to secondary schools so they can be used in planning for Year 7 teaching.
Maths and reading tests are marked externally.
There are no formal science SATs for all, ‘science sampling’ was reintroduced in 2014. Science sampling takes place every two years, so there will be
no compulsory science tests in 2015. Children will be awarded a level for science based on their teacher's assessment.
What is the SPAG test?
The KS2 SPaG Test explained
The new English grammar, punctuation and spelling test (informally known as the SPAG test) was introduced in May 2013 as part of the KS2 SATs
programme for Year 6 pupils, replacing the previous English writing test.
‘The Government wants all children to leave primary school with a sound grasp of essential English skills,’ says a Department for Education (DfE)
spokesperson. ‘The test will put an additional focus on writing skills and encourage good teaching.’ The DfE has yet to confirm whether children will
receive a standalone mark for the SPAG test, or whether it will form part of their overall English level.
The SPAG test includes questions that assess the following elements of the English curriculum:
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Sentence grammar through both identifying and writing sentences that are grammatically correct
Punctuation through identifying and writing sentences that are correctly punctuated
Vocabulary through identifying and writing sentences in which a word is used correctly
Spelling
The SPAG test consists of two papers.
Paper 1 requires multiple choice or short sentence answers, covering areas such as using connectives (because, despite, however, etc),
using pronouns (I/me) correctly, capitalising the correct words in a sentence and explaining why, putting the correct punctuation into a given
sentence, writing sentences that illustrate two different meanings of the same word (such as ‘present’), identifying the verb/noun/adjective/clauses
in a sentence, and using plurals correctly. For example:
Q: Which ending would make the word lazy an adverb?
A: laziness/lazily/lazier/laziest
Correct answer: lazily
Paper 2 is a spelling test, where children will have to spell words dictated by the examiner (presented within sentences). For example:
The word is television. Pria turned on the television to watch her favourite cartoon. The word is television
‘The ability to write with purpose, accuracy and clarity, drawing on a wide range of vocabulary, is integral to success,’ says a DfE spokesperson.
But for your child to do well in the SPAG test, they don’t just have to be good at writing; they also need a technical understanding of how the English
language works.
As well as being able to spell words correctly, use a wide range of vocabulary and punctuate well, they need to grasp the meaning of grammatical
terms such as noun, verb, adjective, prefix, pronoun and adverb, know what phrases and clauses are and how to use them, understand what
connectives are and how they work, know how to turn a question into a command, and so on. This terminology can be a stumbling block even for
children who are otherwise good at reading and writing, and make the questions hard to understand.
How you can help your child practise at home:
There are plenty of other ways to help your child revise for the test:
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Copy some sentences from a book and get him to underline either the main or subordinate clause.
Write down some unpunctuated sentences for your child to punctuate correctly.
Call out a word and ask your child to tell you a synonym (a word that means the same) or an antonym (a word that means the opposite).
When writing letters or emails, encourage your child to add an adjective or adverb to a sentence (e.g. ‘Thank you for my wonderful birthday
present’)
If your child asks you a question, ask how he would rephrase it as a command (e.g. ‘Can you make me a drink?’ becomes, ‘Make me a drink!’)
Make spelling part of everyday life!
Encourage your child to read a variety of texts – fiction, information books, comics, newspapers, magazines, etc – to broaden their vocabulary.