What’s it all about?

If your child is in year 6, chances are the hot topic at this time of year is the impending KS2 SATS Tests, which take place in the Summer term. For many children, this will be their first experience of public examinations and they will naturally be feeling nervous and maybe even scared at the prospect of facing the tests. As parents, you’re probably just as nervous, wondering what it’s all about and how you can help.

Why do we have KS2 SATS Tests?

The true purpose of KS2 SATS Tests is to help you and your child, as well as the teachers, to establish the strengths and weaknesses which will make sure your child is placed in the correct sets to gain the support they need to achieve future success.

Your child’s main target is to do as well as he/she can. The results from the SATs will provide secondary schools with information which will be used to establish which sets your child will go into when they start in year 7.

Preparing for SATS exams

Schools follow the National Curriculum, and teachers will provide children practice with past exam papers and sample activities to familiarise them with the exam procedures, but supposing your child needs a little more help?

Many parents don’t feel able to help as much as they’d like to. Perhaps you don’t feel qualified, or confident enough, or maybe, like most of us, you don’t have the time or inclination to encroach on family time by insisting your child spends his / her spare time working at home.

You can help most by talking with your children and making sure that they don’t feel unduly pressured. There are some excellent websites like www.educationquizzes.com,  where pupils can practise multiple choice questions online in all the relevant topics.

Let us ease the pressure

Have you considered the benefits of tuition? At Genie Tutors, we offer support which focusses directly on your child’s needs and concerns. They have the opportunity to mix with other like-minded children and to have their questions answered promptly, with immediate feedback on their work, including help with homework and exam practice, leaving you free to spend your family time on the ‘fun stuff’, because we all know they need plenty of that too.

Click here to see how The Boost Method can prepare your child for SATS exams.

When are the SATS?

The KS2 SATS Tests begin on 8th May 2017, which, at the time of writing, is a mere 110 days from now.