Year 6 SATS: expectations vs reality

Pupils at a primary school in Bristol have shared their experiences of sitting SATs.

The Year 6 cohort at Willow Park Primary School in Kingsdown have also given advice to those following in their footsteps when sitting their Key Stage 2 tests.

In their own words, this is how the pupils found their SATS experience, how it measured up to their expectations and their top tips for next year.

Some of the Year 6 class at Willow Park Primary School with their teacher Linnea Strandh – photo: Willow Park

Arez
“I thought that it was going to be very scary and hard. I was really nervous and thought that I would get a bad score. The reading paper was actually really easy. I had a big smile on my face! My advice is to work hard, do your homework and listen to your teacher. Don’t worry about it. SATs is a piece of cake!”

Eshal
“I was nervous and really worried. I had sleepless nights because of how worried I was. I couldn’t stop thinking about SATs. In reality, it was really calm and peaceful, and it was actually quite enjoyable. My advice for next year’s Year 6 would be to not be afraid to sit the exam. It is very easy if you try your best and work hard. Stay calm and take your time. You even get special treatment from the teachers to help calm you down!”

Fabio
“I was expecting the SATs to have a lot of questions which I couldn’t answer and to run out of time before I could finish. Also, I was terrified I would get a bad score. It was extremely nerve-racking and scary while I was doing it but I knew I just had to give it my best. My advice for the next Year 6 is to enjoy your freedom and carefreeness while you can.”

Hillary
“I know I had a lot to learn. I know I had to catch up on my times tables. I would tell the next Year 6 pupils to make sure they learn their times tables and their spellings so they can feel confident. I felt happy because I was ale to answer most of the questions. It was hard but not as hard as I was expecting.”

Rinad
“I felt nervous because I thought I couldn’t answer the questions. I would tell the next Year 6 pupils to make sure they learn their times tables and their spellings so they can feel confident. I felt happy afterwards because I was able to answer most of the questions. It was hard but not as hard as I had expected.”

Xu-Hui
“I was expecting SATs to be a bit scary and nerve-racking but in reality it was pretty calm and relaxing. My advice for next year’s Year 6 would be to stay calm and take your time. If you cannot answer a question or you think you are taking too long, skip that question. You can always come back to it.”

Zain
“I thought I would run out of time and not be able to check my answers. I thought it would be hard and there would be lots of questions. I didn’t feel confident. In reality, I had so much spare time I was able to quadruple check my answers. It was very easy, and the questions were fast and quick to do. I was very confident with my answers. My advice? Don’t worry about it. It’s just the government wanting to see how smart you are.”

Main photo: Willow Park Primary School

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