Although it only seems like yesterday that our children fledged the summer holiday nest and settled into the new school year, preparations for the infamous SATs examinations are starting to commence in schools. With KS1 and KS2 exams taking place in May, it is advised that preparations are made early to ensure that the exam period is void of stress and your child is feeling confident.
- Speak to your child’s teacher
It is wise to ask your child’s teacher about the areas in which your child’s strengths and weaknesses lie. Teachers can inform you of any hurdles your child may be trying to get over and guide you in creating a suitable plan for home-study and support.
- Private tuition
Private tuition can be a great way of helping to support your child in a one-to-one environment. Now is a great time to create a study-plan with a private tutor to ensure your child is up-to-scratch and feeling confident prior to the start of the exams. Tutors will work at your child’s pace and can help work on specific obstacles to learning – many parents of children who have dyslexia, dyspraxia, sight impairment or hearing loss find that tutoring can be extremely helpful.
- Plan
Working out a revision plan is a great way of ensuring your child is doing their fair share of SATs preparation, even whilst juggling a busy schedule. A good way of implementing a plan is by creating a timetable – this will help put everything into perspective and ease stress. Your child’s teacher will be able to guide you as to how much time should be dedicated to study at home.
- Practice
Encourage your child to complete practice papers within the time limit and record their results. Having your child beside you whilst marking can put their strengths and weaknesses into perspective. Completing past papers within the allocated time limit also helps refine time-management skills necessary during the examinations.
It is also wise to invest in a high-quality revision guide.
- Downtime
Encourage your child to continue with extra-curricular activities and hobbies. Although SATs are important, your child should not be feeling anxious or stressed. Keep everything in perspective to help ensure that your child performs to the best of their abilities.
