Many children preparing to leave primary school this year have just received the results of their mock KS2 SATs that they’ll be sitting in just a couple of months. While mocks are just a trial run for the actual exam day, what should you do if your child doesn’t receive the grades you expected them to achieve?
The first thing to do is not panic. Mock exams are designed to give your child a practice at getting to grips with formal exams and highlight any potential areas where further revision is needed. While you might be disappointed in their mock results, you have plenty of opportunity to provide support to give them an extra boost for when the exam comes around.
It’s also important to remember that while the results of KS2 SATs do influence some areas as your child goes into secondary school, things such as sets can be changed. So, what can you do if your child didn’t quite reach their full potential? We’ve got five ways you help them bring up their marks.
- Talk to your child – Your first step should be to talk to your child about why they feel they didn’t achieve the grades expected. It could be that they found the exam conditions difficult, they struggled with time management, or there was a particular area they weren’t confident in. Talking with them can help you identify the best ways to provide support and help put them at ease.
- Speak with the teachers – Teachers can provide you with the information you need to provide targeted revision. They’ll be able to tell you which topics your child lost the most marks on during the exam and give you an indication of how they’re doing in the classroom too.
- Practice exams – For a lot children, KS2 SATs are the first formal exam they’ll sit and getting used to the way things work can take some time. Practice exam papers can help them get them get used to the speed they need to work at, sitting still throughout the time period, and how they need to answer questions.
- Create a revision schedule – With all the information you need on where you child is losing vital marks during their exam, you can create a revision schedule that’s targeted to their needs. Setting out a routine and making revision part of your daily schedule can provide the structure they need to stick to it.
- Vary learning activities – Children learn in different ways and revising through the same method can quickly get dull. Make revision sessions more engaging by using different mediums, from online videos and games to reading and presenting.