National Curriculum Testing For 10-11 Year Olds: Year 6

1
National Curriculum Testing For 10-11 Year Olds
Year 6

• Testing May 2012

2
Agenda

• Background Information about SAT examinations
• English testing
• Maths testing
• Questions

3
The Purpose of the Tests

• Key Stage 2 tests are designed to test childrens
  knowledge and understanding of the Key Stage 2
  Programmes of Study.
• They provide a snapshot of a childs attainment
  and progress, since the last key stage of their
  learning.

4
Test Dates

• Monday 14th May English Reading test 
• Tuesday 15th May English Writing test (short
  task) and spelling test
• English Writing test (longer task) 
• Wednesday 16th May Mental mathematics test and
  Mathematics test A 
• Thursday 17th May Mathematics test B

5
Change to English Testing for 2012

• This year, the Writing Test for English will be
  internally marked, by your son/daughters English
  Teacher
• There will be moderation to ensure that the tests
  are marked consistently
• The scores from the Writing tests will be added
  to the external mark for the reading Test. This
  will create an overall level for the test.
• In 2013, there will be a new externally marked
  Writing Test. A new test of spelling, grammar,
  punctuation and vocabulary will be developed for
  introduction in 2013, after a trial in 2012

6
Key Stages In Learning
Pupils Age Year Groups
Key Stage 1 5 7 1 2
Key Stage 2 7 11 3 6
Key Stage 3 11 14 7 9
Key Stage 4 14 16 10 11
7
Key Stage Two Testing

• All children in Year 6, which is the end of KS2
  learning, are assessed in
• English and Mathematics

8
Levels

• The tests cover levels 3 to 5
• Level 3 achievement below the nationally
  expected standard.
• Level 4 achievement at the nationally expected
  standard.
• Level 5 achievement above the nationally
  expected standard.

9
Optional Level 6 Test

• In 2012, there will be an additional test
  available Level 6 test papers for both
  Mathematics and English.
• Some of our pupils will be selected to take this
  test. However, as yet, we have not decided which
  pupils will take the test. We are still
  monitoring progress and making decisions as to
  who will take the tests. More information will
  follow regarding this in April this year.
• Government guidelines are that selected pupils
  should already be working confidently at L5

10
English Tests There are 3 separate tests

• Reading Paper ( External Assessment remains)
• Long Writing
• Short Writing Spelling Test
• The Writing and Spelling Tests will be internally
  assessed in 2012

11
The Reading Paper

• Pupils have 15 minutes to read three different
  text types, which will be chosen from fiction and
  non-fiction.
• These can cover the following narrative,
  information, opinion, letters, poetry,
  interviews, instructions, diaries and
  auto/biographies
• There are sample papers in the Hall for you to
  look through after the presentation

12
Question Paper

• Pupils have 45 minutes to answer the questions in
  the Reading Answer Booklet
• Pupils use the Reading Booklet to help them
  answer the questions.
• Marks range from 1 to 3 marks.
• Total marks 50

13
Assessed Reading Skills

• Total 50 Marks
• Retrieval (16 marks)
• Inference and deduction ( 18 marks)
• Text Structure ( 6 marks)
• Explanation with evidence
• (10 marks)

14
1. What did Lucy have to do before the boat left
the dock?Put a ring around your choice.
Focus of question retrieval of detail.
put on a waterproof suit
take a photograph
look out for whales
sit down
15
Toward the end of the trip, Lucy admits that she
has a mixture of feelings about her
experience.Explain her different feelings.
Focus of question Inference.

• Mark Scheme Award 3 marks for developed answers

Lucy felt like a stranger on the whales
property, but was still anxious to see them. As
she approached land she was pleased she didnt
know all the whales secrets.
16
2. Lucys account of whale watching is made of
five main events.Number each stage of the trip
to show the order in which they happen.The first
one has been done for you.
Focus of question identification of structure.

• goes back to the dock
• sees one whale swimming
• sets off on the journey
• sees several whales leaping
• prepares for the journey

5 3 2 4
1
17
In the first paragraph on page 7, the author
describes the whales and makes the event seem
dramatic.Explain how each of these phrases helps
to make the description effective.
Focus of question understanding the effect of
language choices.
18
a) There was nothing to see for a few minutes.
Award 1 mark for references to building suspense
or expectations, e.g.

• its a type of cliff hanger
• it makes you want to carry on reading to find out
  what happens
• it makes you tense and expectant.

19
b) I was speechless
Award 1 mark for responses which describe the
effect of the authors choice of language on the
reader, e.g.

• it shows you how amazing the experience must have
  been
• it makes you think its beyond description
• it makes you feel that you want to go there
  yourself and see exactly why
• the description shows you how shocked she was.

20
Reading At Home and In School

• Reading is the key to understanding and success
  in this paper.
• Reading regularly will
• extend a pupils vocabulary increase their
  understanding of punctuation inspire their
  imagination and develop their ability to
  empathise with others.

21
What can you do at home to prepare for the
Reading Test?

• Encourage your son/daughter to
• practise their reading. How much can they read
  and understand in 15 minutes?
• read a passage out loud. Question your
  son/daughter about what he / she has read Why
  did the character do.? How was the character
  feeling when happened? Why did the author
  use the word / phrase .? etc.

22
The Writing Paper

• There are 2 Writing Papers
• Short Writing( 20 minutes) which includes a
  separate spelling test, where pupils are asked to
  spell 20 spellings
• Long Writing ( 45 minutes), which includes up to
  4 marks for handwriting
• There is no choice of task.

23
Writing Skills for Level 4

• accurate punctuation of the full stop, comma,
  question mark, exclamation mark, speech and
  capital letters
• accurate paragraphing
• connecting words to link paragraphs
• range of complex sentences( sentences with 2
  parts) with a range of different openings
• simple sentences
• Wow words!

24
Writing Skills Level 5

• all features of Level 4 writing, plus the
  following
• an awareness of using sentences to add interest
  and variety to the writing
• a range of vocabulary, including the semi-colon,
  for linking and the colon for explanation,
  brackets and dashes.
• a consistent viewpoint is maintained throughout
  the text

25
Short Writing

• The Short Writing Test is demanding as it
  requires pupils writing to be succinct,
  interesting and demonstrate a variety of sentence
  types, punctuation and word types in a very short
  space of time 20 minutes.
• There are samples of pupils writing at the back
  of the hall for you to see the criteria for Level
  4 and Level 5

26
Long Writing Paper

• This test requires pupils to write for an
  extended amount of time, 45 minutes.
• Pupils are marked on their ability to
• Construct simple and complex sentences
• Punctuate their writing with basic punctuation
  and advanced where able
• To paragraph their writing
• To answer the question correctly (PAFF)
• To use a range of interesting and suitable
  vocabulary
• There are samples of these question papers at the
  back of the hall

27
Spelling Test

• There are 20 spellings
• The spellings will test pupils knowledge of a
  range of spellings patterns/rules
• In 2008, spellings included
• people
• articles
• exclusive
• permission
• precious

28
What you can do at home to prepare for the
Writing Test.

• Encourage your son/daughter to practise
• writing exciting story beginnings. Remember, it
  is important to capture the readers attention.
  Start with an exciting moment.
• writing story endings. How will your the tale
  conclude? Will there be a happy ending or will
  there be a twist in the tale?  
• setting out a letter / formal phrases. Revise the
  features of text types.

29
Continued

• Check your son/daughter is
• clear about how to punctuate speech.
• confident about using exclamation marks (!),
  question marks (?), commas (,), ellipses (),
  brackets ().
• Able to use paragraphs and link them together by
  theme or connectives
• Revision booklets from Rising Stars or CGP are a
  good revision tool for use at home.

30
Useful websites and Resources

• www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/english/
• A revision booklet will be given to every pupil
  in the second half of this term. The intention
  is that this booklet can be used at home to
  assist with revision and practice of Literacy
  skills

31
Finally ...

• Please remember that these tests are only a
  snapshot of your son/daughters progress since
  the end of Year 2.
• Remember children need time to relax and enjoy
  themselves.
• As long as your son/daughter have tried their
  best no-one needs to worry about test results or
  be disappointed by them.

32
Questions