Maths SATs – Common errors to address
Getting ready for maths assessments can feel like eating soup with a fork, but starting small with these common errors will make a huge impact…
- by Sarah Farrell
- UKS2 teacher, phase lead, author and founder of PrimaryMathsHub Visit website
While lessons often focus on methods like long multiplication, real success in the maths SATs in Year 6 depends on broader skills. This includes things such as interpreting problems, spotting patterns and working efficiently. These help children apply their knowledge confidently.
Here are some of the key skills that we often overlook in the classroom, but are essential for children to be confident and successful when they face their maths SATs…
Efficient mental strategies for maths SATs
A solid grasp of facts such as number bonds and times tables helps children to solve questions quickly. For example, we can see 70 x 60 as 7 x 6 = 42, then 42 x 100 = 4,200.
Without this fluency, pupils may waste time attempting to use long multiplication. Similarly, being able to spot patterns and shortcuts (for example, 899 + 73 being the same as 900 + 72) reduces unnecessary working out and allows children to work faster.
What can you do?
Display a question on the board (for example, 898 + 43) and ask children to share the different ways that they would mentally calculate the answer. Share strategies and discuss which ones are the most efficient.
Checking Maths SATs answers
When children finish tests, we often prompt them to go back and check their answers. But do they know how to do that? Providing children with strategies for this is essential:
- Re-read the question (if it says ‘tick two’, have you ticked two?)
- Redo the calculations (and if you reach a different answer, complete the calculation a further time)
- Use the inverse operation to check the answer (including knowing when this is useful)
- Check that you haven’t made a transcription error when writing out the calculation or when writing the answer in the answer box
What can you do?
Provide children with a set of test questions that you have completed with deliberate mistakes. Model different checking strategies, then ask your class to check your work.
Interpreting the question
When presented with a word problem, children often panic and add together the first two numbers that they see.
While some children can see the steps they need and know what to do, others will struggle to untangle what the test is asking them.
By modelling the process of reading and interpreting word problems, we can provide pupils with a structure for tackling complex problems.
With techniques such as underlining key numbers, circling operation words, planning out the steps and drawing bar models, children will be able to slow down and think about what it is that they need to do.
What can you do?
Model reading word problems and talk through your thinking out loud to help children see the process that you are using.
Try showing questions with numbers hidden while discussing the process, so children focus on understanding the context before calculating.
Estimation
Being able to check the reasonableness of a potential answer is an important skill in a test. For example, if there is a multi-step word problem that involves calculating someone’s change after they have bought several items with a £5 note, we know that the answer must be less than £5.
If we are calculating the number of coaches needed to take 355 children on a trip, we know that the answer has to be substantially less than 355.
If children can estimate approximately what an answer should be, they are then more likely to spot where an answer is obviously too big or too small.
What can you do?
Provide children with word problems where an estimated answer is given. Ask children to discuss whether the estimation is accurate or not and to justify their thinking.
Alternative representations
Sometimes, the most confident mathematicians can be thrown by something as simple as questions being presented in different formats. For instance, solving 450 – 30 is a reasonably simple question, but if it is presented in a way that children are not as familiar with (for example, ___ = 450 – 30, 450 – ___ = 30 or ___ + 30 = 450), they may struggle to find the answer.
What can you do?
Ensure that you use expose your class to a range of different representations and that they are given an opportunity to become familiar with them.
You may show them a selection of different calculations and ask them to find the ones that have the same answer, or to discuss which one may be the odd one out.
Vocabulary in context
Introduce and use key vocabulary that children are likely to encounter (such as sum, difference and product) and use it in context to show what it may look like.
For instance, if a class is told that sum means that they need to add,they may struggle with a question like this: The sum of two numbers is 47. One of the numbers is 20. What is the other number?
What can you do?
Ensure that children know what key vocabulary means and how it might be used in the different contexts by showing different examples.
Maths SATs test technique
Encourage children to complete the easier questions first and to come back to any that they may be struggling with.
This will both help to keep their confidence up and will avoid them spending too long on a question that they may just not know how to answer.
What can you do?
Try completing a ‘walking-talking mock’ and modelling your thinking aloud as you complete a section of a test paper.
You could also encourage children to flick through the test paper before they start and see which questions they feel confident with.
Working backwards
There are often questions in the reasoning paper that involve being presented with an answer and having to work backwards to find the starting number. This can catch children out if they are unfamiliar with the process.
What can you do?
Model a structure for solving this question type, such as writing out the operations in order and then reversing them underneath.
Sarah Farrell is a KS2 teacher in Bristol who makes and shares resources online.
