Year 5 is when parents’ conversations around preparing children for SATs begin. It can feel like you are entering a minefield; not understanding the process, the purpose or the grading structure of the SATs. Then you think, ‘Well, my child is still going to secondary school so do I really need to be concerned? SATs is only there to test the teachers.’
This view has been adopted by a lot of parents, and we do not blame them for thinking this when there is a lot of mixed communication with the whole SATs process.
So, AE Publications wants to make year 6 SATs simple. Here is our guide as to why SATs are important and how you can benefit from them to make sure your child reaches their full potential.
How strong is your child’s foundation? 
Primary school should provide a strong educational foundation for each child. Your child will find it hard moving onto Key Stage 3 if a strong foundation has not been established. Gaps in education, if not dealt with, may turn into larger gaps, which can lead to poor results, anxiety, and a disinterest in the subject. The longer these gaps are left unaddressed, the harder they will be to fix.
There is only one way to assess your child’s foundation of learning and that is through testing. Exam results can highlight gaps in a child’s education and it is imperative that these gaps are highlighted before starting secondary school. They can then be addressed with your child’s new teachers.
Preparation for SATs exams gets your child ready
A large part of ensuring the best SATs experience for your child is preparation. We encourage parents to prepare for the SATs by working though our workbooks and test books to identify any gaps before the tests. Preparation is a great head start for resolving any problems before the tests. This will also decrease anxiety about the exam, give your child more confidence, and provide a more positive experience for the future exams they will encounter at secondary school.
Some secondary schools have a setting or streaming system
Secondary schools that filter their classes into sets or streams may use the SATs results to determine which set or stream your child will do best in. Setting and streaming are not to everyone’s liking, however, it does mean that the right level of support can be introduced to get your child to reach their full potential. Teachers will give you clear objectives your child needs to reach in order to move up a set or stream.
Give your child a taster
It does not matter if you think the purpose of SATs testing is good or bad. The process has its own advantages; introducing your child to testing in a school that they are used to, with teachers they know, is the perfect way to ease them into exam protocol. Even the brightest of children may feel the pressure of the exam environment and so familiar surroundings will help build their confidence in the testing process.
SATs are more than just exams
As you can see, there is more to the SATs than just sitting an exam. They teach your child about preparation, give them the confidence to start secondary school positively, and give you guidance on your child’s full potential and how this can be achieved.
Never feel that school is your only support to get your child through the SATs process. We publish English and maths workbooks and testbooks for school years 3 to 7 to assist children through Key Stage 2 and the start of Key Stage 3. Our books are easy to follow and are great aids for parents to know what their child should be learning.
To find out more, visit www.aepublications.co.uk