Year 6 Parents’ Information Evening

Tuesday 11th February 2014

What are the End of Key Stage 2 Tests and how are they organised?

How is Maths tested and how can I support my child?

How is English tested and how can I support my child?

How do we help to ensure that the children have a smooth and successful transition to secondary school?

Year 6

At Burley Oaks, our aim is for children to become imaginative, independent and resourceful learners.

Our sole focus in Year 6 is not on ‘the test’ but on creative thinking and using and applying knowledge and skills.

Our curriculum is dynamic and uses exciting starting points.

However, the test does provide information about individual attainment which is clearly important. Children deserve for the ‘level’ achieved to fully reflect their abilities, hence, the need to prepare and support them fully.

What tests will take place and when?

Monday 12th May English reading testLevel 6 English reading testTuesday 13th MayEnglish grammar, punctuation and spelling testLevel 6 English grammar, punctuation and spelling testWednesday 14th MayMental mathematics testMathematics Paper 1Thursday 15th MayMathematics Paper 2Level 6 mathematics Paper 1Level 6 mathematics Paper 2

When will the tests take place?

All papers are sent to be externally marked with the exception of writing.

It is vital that your child attends school on these dates.

What are levels? The tests will assess the children at:Level 3Level 4Level 5

National expectation is for children to achieve Level 4 by the end of Key Stage 2.

More important is the progress that children make from their own individual

starting point.

Last year we achieved:Subject Level 4 Level 5Reading 98% 75%Writing 98% 53%Maths 96% 66%

Can my child achieve a Level 6?

It is not common practice to teach to Level 6 (the Key Stage 3 curriculum) in school. The key focus is on securing children’s ability to use and apply their knowledge and skills independently.

Additional tests will be provided for a small minority of children in the same week as the standard SATs.

How are the English tests organised?

Reading Test

The 60 minutes reading test is externally marked and results are sent back to school.

The test consists of questions about three texts which increase in reading difficulty.

All the questions cover 7 different assessment foci. There is no time limit for reading the texts anymore,

children can begin answering immediately.The questions are presented in a variety of ways:

Multiple choice Short answers Long answers

Sample Question

AF2 – literal questions

Which of these materials were used to make the Earthship? Tick three.

Bricks concrete old wood Tyres cement old bottles

Sample Question

AF 3 – deduce, infer or interpret information

In his second letter (page 7), Norman’s father showed Norman how much money he was missing out on.

Why did he do that?(up to 2 marks)

Sample Question

AF5 – explain and comment on writer’s use of language

The writer could have said that the Earthship is cheap to run, but instead he wrote ‘dirt’ cheap.

Why do you think he chose these words?(up to 2 marks)

Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar Test

It is a set of 50 questions which are presented in different styles: multiple choice; underlining phrases; joining facts and filling in tables.

The second part of the test is a spelling test.

Sample Grammar Questions

Circle all of the adjectives in this sentence:

The old man walked down the rough cobbled street.

Add in a subordinating connective to this sentence:

_______ Jenny was amazing at art, she preferred jazz.

Punctuate the sentence correctly with inverted commas.

Wow, this place is amazing. James said. I can’t believe I have never been here before.

How can I support my child in Literacy?

Reading.Question them:

Why has an author chosen specific words to describe a character or place?

How is the writer hinting that something isn’t quite right or how a character is feeling?

Spellings! Any words to practise their spelling patterns e.g. y and ies rules.

Use the revision guides to keep refreshing areas learnt.

How are the Maths tests organised?

How are the maths tests organised?

Paper 1 and Paper 2Both 45 minutes long

Each paper has a range of ‘Shape, Space and Measures’, ‘Handling Data’ and ‘Number’ questions, many of which are presented as problems to solve.

Questions can be read to the children as long as the meaning of words are not inferred.

We encourage the children to make jottings on their paper and to show their working out.

Both papers are now non calculator.

Children complete a test played via a CDAlthough the exercise tests the children’s

ability to use mental strategies, they are allowed to make jottings

Questions assess the children’s understanding of all aspects of Maths, from number, place value to shape and space

Mental Arithmetic

Answers to the Sample Questions

How can I help my child?

Multiplication tables and their division opposites. Application to decimals for higher levels.

e.g.: 7 x 8 = 56, 56 ÷ 7 = 8, 50 x 70 = 3500, 0.5 x 0.7= 0.35Use the past papers which we will send home to identify,

together, areas which your child can work on. Children to use the revision guide as an ‘active tool’ to

support them, i.e. dip in and out to reinforce aspects that are being taught in school

Encourage your child to work mentally on mathematical problems, e.g.:

Which is the better deal 2 bags of pasta at £1.49 each or a big bag at £2.79?

Real-life measures in action, e.g. guessing the weight of objects, converting between kg and g, km and m using decimal notation

Why is transition successful?

The majority of children transfer to Ilkley Grammar School. Where this

is not the case, other, individual arrangements are made accordingly.

Ilkley Grammar School: Visits from IGS staff and pupils.

Visits to IGS: ICT, Library and Learning Survey Day – Discovery Day 1 Drama and arts day – Discovery Day 2 Transition morning Sports day

Strong communication links between the schools

IGS Parents’ Meeting – Wednesday 9th July 2014

Frequently Asked Questions

Are SATs scores used by IGS?

How are the tutor groups decided?

What if a child needs extra provision in the transition process?

How can I help my child with the transition?

Develop the children’s independencei.e. equipment, following instructions, taking the bus, packing bags etc.

Discuss the transition positively If you have any concerns, contact us or IGS: don’t share them with the children first.