2016 National Tests
For an increasing number of today’s parents and carers, the national curriculum tests are not the entirely unfamiliar concept they once were. However, after many years of familiarity, 2016 sees an overhaul of the tests to match the newly updated national curriculum. This guide helps to explain what you can expect and how you can support your children in the run-up to the tests.
The government has recently published some more information and produced a video about the 2016 National Curriculum Tests at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2 (often referred to as SATS).
These guides will help explain the 2016 National Test content as well as offer advice on how you as parents can help prepare your children for the tests.
The documents can be seen below and can also be downloaded.
Year 6 homework:
In year six, children get four pieces of homework a week:
- A weekly spelling list each Monday
- Weekly reading to be completed on the Bug Club website or in our own reading book; children should read at least three times a week for 15 minutes each time, preferably to an adult
- English homework each Thursday, usually spelling practise or reading comprehension
Our English homework tasks generally focus on key spellings and reading comprehension as these are two important areas of the curriculum that can be supported and strengthened at home.
Children have a large number of challenging spellings that they must understand and use correctly in order to meet their age related expectations.
Reading comprehension forms an integral part of assessments for all pupils and it is important that they have good reading speed and comprehension skills.
- Maths homework each Thursday, usually multiplication tables practise or revision of reasoning questions.
In maths we will regularly set times table practise for homework. Children need to have rapid recall of their tables and the related division facts. With support from parents, this will help pupils to solve trickier problems in class and in their assessments.
- Both English and maths homework should be completed and brought back to school by the following Tuesday.
- Spelling tests usually take place each Friday.
- All of the homework is designed for pupils to be able to complete independently unless stated, however we welcome all support that parents/carers can offer.
To help support children with their learning at home, here is a list of websites we think you may find useful.
Year 6 Curriculum Map
Download the Year 1 Curriculum Map - a guide to what your child in Year Two will be learning this school year - using the link below.
Year 5 and 6 Marking and Shorthand Policy
A: Achieved success criteria
PA: Partially achieved success criteria
NYA: Not yet achieved success criteria
NS/ : Next step
SP: Check spelling, used in margin to indicate that pupil needs to find and correct spelling error on that line. Used above incorrect word if pupil needs closer guidance or word spelt for them.
G: Grammar error, used in margin to indicate that pupil needs to find and correct grammar error on that line. Used above grammar error if pupil needs closer guidance.
P: Check punctuation, used in margin to indicate that pupil needs to find and correct punctuation error on that line. Used above incorrect punctuation if pupil needs closer guidance.
//: Used to show a new line or paragraph should have been started.
?: Used in the margin when a whole line or sentence does not make sense.
R: Used in the margin when a line or words should have been underlined.
HW: Used to indicate that pupil needs to check or amend their handwriting.
VF: Used to show that verbal feedback has been given by class teacher to a pupil regarding one particular aspect of their writing. The pupil will respond to this to show NS where appropriate in their work.
/: Mountain symbol, used to indicate that a word or piece of punctuation has been omitted (summits missing). Used in the margin for pupil to check the line or above place on line with missing word if pupil need closer guidance.
We have agreed to use these symbols across UKS2. They will be used in conjunction with pupil self/peer assessing work with purple ‘polishing’ pens.
During sessions when pupils are writing, class teachers will monitor their progress group by group. When monitoring, the class teacher will mark pupil work, indicating any errors that need to be amended using agreed short-hand symbols, helping pupils with a ‘feed forward’ comment if necessary. This comment may be given verbally (for the children to note NS) or noted in pupil books by the teacher. Pupils will also go through the same process when self or peer assessing.
Pupils should then ensure that any errors are not repeated and that they act on any ‘feed forward’ comments from the class teacher by indicating in the margin in purple pen when they think they have achieved their target (NS). They need to correct any errors using their purple polishing pens and the teacher will assess whether they have achieved their NS during the lesson or whether the target will need to be fed forward to the next lesson.
It may be necessary that one group is left to work independently during lesson time. In this case the class teacher will need to mark their work after the lesson and give more detailed written feedback in pupil books (if self or peer assessment is not already an appropriate means of AFL in the lesson).
It may be necessary at times when pupils have worked independently for class teachers to mark their books after a writing session. In this case class teacher
will use the agreed shorthand and provide pupils with a ‘feed forward’ comment that they need to act on in the next session.
Pupils will regularly peer and self-assess their work during writing sessions, providing ‘feed forward’ comments for themselves and peers. They must show that they have acted on these comments in any work subsequently produced.