The results of the KS2 SATs for 2018 have been released, and if your child didn’t hit their expected targets, it can be tough on them and you. Their expected grades are made by their teachers based on their classwork, class contribution, and knowing them on a personal level – giving a far more accurate picture of your child’s actual abilities.

So, if your child hasn’t met their expectations is probably down to how they performed in the exam. The good news is that it’s not something you need to panic about. For the majority of children, KS2 SATs are the first formal exams they sit in their education, as a result, it can be overwhelming. Getting to grips with excellent exam techniques and approaches now, rather than waiting until GCSE mocks roll around, will give them a head start when it comes to making real improvements.

While the KS2 SATs have passed and your child is preparing for secondary school, these five tips can help them improve their exam technique for the future.

  1. Practice makes perfect – As with anything, practice makes perfect when it comes to sitting exams. Completing and reviewing practice papers under exam conditions at regular intervals means that you’ll both be able to see the progress they’re making, and by the time their next exam rolls around, it’ll be second nature.
  2. Calming techniques – If nerves played a role in your child’s performance when it comes to exams, practicing techniques that will help them calm down and focus can have a really positive impact – and it’ll be a useful technique to help with other areas of their life.
  3. Look at timings – Asking your child how they found the exam in terms of timings can help you pinpoint where they might be going wrong. Maybe they’re allocating too much time to certain questions or racing through to get the paper done and making basic mistakes that could be avoided.
  4. Assess where they went wrong – Looking through completed papers can give you plenty of information on where they should be focusing their efforts to make improvements. Try speaking to their teacher to figure out which topics they dropped marks on.
  5. Build confidence – Finding out you’ve not performed as well as expected is disheartening and building confidence back up is essential for future success. Letting them know you’re proud of what they’ve achieved and highlight the progress they’ve made is a positive step for the next set of exams.