The SATs are standardised tests taken across the country in primary schools by children in year 2 and year 6 with the goal of checking their educational progress. The exams are known as End of Key Stage Tests and Assessments, but most people simply refer to them as SAT’s.
The government uses the results of these exams as a marker to help them assess the quality of the education in schools across the UK. The SATs don’t have a pass or fail grade, they simply aim to give parents and teachers an idea of where the children are currently at and what their strengths and weaknesses are.
As mentioned previously, the exam is taken by children at the end stages of KS1 and KS2 so the contents of the tests differ.
For children in year 2, the exam consists of maths (arithmetic) and english (reading, spelling, grammar and punctuation). Furthermore, the tests themselves are assessed by their own teachers with no external marking. The KS1 SATs are fairly informal so as not to create any unnecessary pressure for the students.
A few years later, students will have to sit their second set of SATs at the end of year six. These exams are more formal than the ones in year two, they have set dates and external marking. The subjects that students will be tested on are grammar, reading, spelling, punctuation and maths.
Most skills and knowledge that students will need to do well in the exam will be taught in the classroom. However, you can always help your child prepare at home so they feel more confident and don’t get too nervous when the time comes.
The most important part is to get your child used to the thought of taking an exam. Start preparing ahead of time and they get accustomed to the idea at their own pace. Organise a plan and a schedule and stick to it. It is crucial to remember not to overwhelm your child. At such a young age it’s hard to keep their concentration for a long time, so begin with short practice sessions every day.
Practice papers should be available at school and if not you can find plenty of material online. These papers will be very helpful as they will help your child prepare and get used to the type of questions they will have on the exam itself.
If the SATs are a bit too overwhelming for you or you simply don’t have enough time to help your child prepare, you can always hire a tutor.
At TutorExtra we provide a wide variety of qualified tutors who are ready to prepare your child for their first exams. Browse through our website and find the tutor that seems like the best fit for your child and contact them directly!
✅ Experts available : | 2 |
✅ Average price : | £38/hr |
✅ Session format : | Online |
✅ First lesson free : | Yes |