Important update from TheSchoolRun
For the past 13 years, TheSchoolRun has been run by a small team of mums working from home, dedicated to providing quality educational resources to primary school parents. Unfortunately, rising supplier costs and falling revenue have made it impossible for us to continue operating, and we’ve had to make the difficult decision to close. The good news: We’ve arranged for another educational provider to take over many of our resources. These will be hosted on a new portal, where the content will be updated and expanded to support your child’s learning.
What this means for subscribers:
- Your subscription is still active, and for now, you can keep using the website as normal — just log in with your usual details to access all our articles and resources*.
- In a few months, all resources will move to the new portal. You’ll continue to have access there until your subscription ends. We’ll send you full details nearer the time.
- As a thank you for your support, we’ll also be sending you 16 primary school eBooks (worth £108.84) to download and keep.
A few changes to be aware of:
- The Learning Journey weekly email has ended, but your child’s plan will still be updated on your dashboard each Monday. Just log in to see the recommended worksheets.
- The 11+ weekly emails have now ended. We sent you all the remaining emails in the series at the end of March — please check your inbox (and spam folder) if you haven’t seen them. You can also follow the full programme here: 11+ Learning Journey.
If you have any questions, please contact us at [email protected]. Thank you for being part of our journey it’s been a privilege to support your family’s learning.
*If you need to reset your password, it will still work as usual. Please check your spam folder if the reset email doesn’t appear in your inbox.
Is your child's school going ahead with KS1 SATs?
As May begins, there's a buzz in primary school staff-rooms about one word: SATs. But this year brings a significant change. Key Stage 1 SATs in England have undergone a notable transformation for the 2024 academic year, as they are no longer mandatory.
What to expect now that KS1 SATs are optional
So, what does this 'optional' label mean?
Here's the breakdown:
- Schools decide: the decision to administer the tests now lies entirely with individual schools and/or trusts. Some schools might choose to use them as one tool among many to assess student progress, while others might opt for alternative methods.
- Flexibility reigns: schools have the freedom to choose when to administer the tests within a designated timeframe. This allows them to integrate testing seamlessly into the school year.
- Focus on progress: the core purpose remains the same – to gauge a child's progress at the end of Year 2. However, the emphasis is shifting towards supporting teachers' ongoing assessments and providing valuable data to inform future learning.
More than half of surveyed primary schools will still go ahead with KS1 SATs
Whilst these tests are optional, the general feeling is that most schools will continue to undertake them in order to help provide key information on how children are progressing.
Schools Week reported that only 7% of schools opted out of KS1 SATs this year.
This doesn't mean that those that didn't opt out will definitely be administering the tests, but Tes claims that over half of primary schools that responded to their survey will run them – but they may choose to run them at different points in the year.
Has anything really changed?
Even if schools are going ahead with KS1 SATs, there will still be an impact on assessment because some of the pressure will be taken away from schools (and children!).
In my opinion, this can only be a positive thing as the tests can be used more effectively and flexibly to help better support children. Schools being able to select the best time to undertake these assessments is also a positive – these can be woven into the school’s normal assessment timetable, making it better for everyone.
How can you find out if your child's school is continuing with KS1 SATs?
You can contact your school directly to find out if your child's school will be going ahead with KS1 SATs and when they plan to administer them in the academic year.
Schools may also choose to report the outcomes of these tests to parents at the end of Year 2 but many are probably opting to use this information to create an overall teacher judgement of performance. This will be more accurate as it will help to give a more rounded assessment of a child’s strengths and areas for development rather than just being a cold test score.
Supporting your child at home
Whether your child's school participates in the optional KS1 SATs or not, there are ways to support their development:
- Open communication
Talk to your child's teacher about classroom assessments and how they're measuring progress. - Nurturing a love of learning
Foster a love for reading, writing, and numbers at home through engaging activities and everyday conversations. - Focus on the whole child
Remember, academic success is just one aspect. Celebrate your child's social, emotional, and physical growth as well!
A new era in assessments
The move towards optional Key Stage 1 SATS signifies a shift in assessment practices. While the tests might not be mandatory anymore, their role in supporting student progress remains. By working collaboratively with schools and focusing on holistic development, we can ensure a positive learning experience for all Year 2 children.
Matt Revill is a primary school headteacher with over 20 years experience of working in schools. He has worked in a range of settings and currently works within a multi-academy trust of 14 schools. In his free time, he enjoys reading, computing, holidaying and spending time with his family and friends. Matt has a son who is currently working his way through A-levels at college.
