‘The 2023 analysis of Key Stage 2 SATs scores showed a correlation between levels of affluence and success on the tests. Schools in poorer areas did less well – an ongoing trend.This year, teachers and parents voiced concerns regarding the perceived unfairness and difficulty of the KS2 Reading test. These concerns centre on the length of the texts used, but some pointed out that the content reflected middle class experiences and language. 

If the desire is to continue with an end-of-key stage reading test then greater thought needs to be given to the content of the texts used. One option would be to provide Year 6 teachers with a theme at the start of the academic year which will eventually be used in the SAT. This would create a more universal knowledge base, and also mitigate against teaching to the test to some extent. 

Alternatively, topics should be chosen which a greater number of children are likely to have knowledge about. Over a million children in the last year have been supported by food banks. Perhaps texts about visiting food banks might reveal more about children’s actual reading ability than texts about visiting caves in Derbyshire.’

Primary Matters Autumn 2021 (nate.org.uk),Dr Wayne Tennent- Senior Lecturer at Brunel University, London, England.