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Helping Children Prepare For Maths Exams

KS2 maths papers are an integral part of the lives of children in Key Stage 2, and particularly in year 6. The build-up to SATs can be stressful for all involved. As teachers get ready in schools, and parents are bombarded with advice and reminders about how important the SATs are, children begin to pick up on the increased tension. Maths past papers are one way in which parents and teachers can reduce the worry for themselves, and in turn for the children. The more children are comfortable with the SATs process, the better they will do during the tests.

Preparing Your Children For Later Life

The main reason why people do not see the point in the KS2 exams is that they don’t really have any impact on the child’s future. However, rather than this being viewed as a negative, it should be seen as a positive. Why? Well, it gives children the chance to get used to real-life exam conditions, yet the outcome does not have such a heavy weighting. Imagine if your child was to go straight into their GCSEs without any prior exam experience; you wouldn’t want them to trip up or crumble under pressure at this moment. By having already answered maths questions KS2 in exam conditions, they will know exactly what to expect. This can help them to feel more confident and relaxed when they take exams later in life. They will also have experience with revising for big exams. They will have already determined what their learning style is, so they will know how to study in a manner that is going to be most efficient for them. They will know what works and what does not, and they will know how much time they need to give themselves to prepare for a big exam. 

Focusing On The Different Maths Past Papers

At Key Stage 2, children are set three different maths papers. Paper one focuses on arithmetic, while the other two are concerned with mathematical reasoning. In all three of the papers, the questions are arranged in order of difficulty. This means that all children should be able to answer those towards the start of each paper. The main difference between paper one and the two papers dealing with reasoning is that there is no context to the mathematical calculations in the first paper. Exploring and attempting KS2 maths practice papers for the first paper ensures that children are comfortable with the layout. It also provides them with an opportunity to practice their mental arithmetic. Being able to recall facts, including multiplication facts and times tables, means that children can answer questions with greater ease, giving them a better chance of reaching the later questions. While good mental arithmetic skills are useful, the paper does provide space for children to do their working out. However, it is important that children place the final answer in the correct answer box. This is a simple skill, but under exam conditions, it is easily forgotten. The other two KS2 maths papers deal with reasoning and place the children’s learning in context. Children are asked to solve problems using a range of skills and methods. In these maths KS2 papers, the ability to show workings or thought processes is important, as it can provide the children with additional marks.

The Types Of Questions Found In KS2 Maths Exam Papers

One of the crucial things that parents and children need to understand with KS2 maths exam papers is that calculators are not allowed in any of the three papers. Children need to be comfortable working with pencil and paper methods and recalling number facts that they have learned and practiced. The context-free calculations of paper one are self-explanatory, but can be overwhelming for children who have not seen past papers. Questions include multiplication, division, addition, subtraction, percentages, and fractions. By having the opportunity to see KS2 maths past papers,  children can become familiar with the layout and the different forms the questions can take. The same is true of using practice papers to experience papers 2 and 3. Here questions can take a number of forms, including multiple-choice, matching, and true or false questions. The questions are designed to test different types of mathematical reasoning and the child’s ability to determine what information is needed, and how this information should be dealt with. Working with past papers at home does not have to always be done under exam conditions. Parents can help children overcome their concerns by taking turns solving the questions with their child. Just seeing an adult struggle with something they find second nature can be of benefit to some children. 

What Subjects Are Assessed?

KS2 past papers maths offer a great way for children to prepare for their SATs. You can also use https://studentreasures.com/teachers-lounge/lesson-plans/ for more assistance. With maths past papers, children can get to grips with the type of questions that they are going to be asked, the wording used, and how long they have for each question. But, what sort of subjects are covered in KS2 maths papers? Read on to find out more.

The first area that will be assessed in maths SATS is number and place value. Under this subject, children will be tested on their ability to count in multiples, work out number problems, work with negative numbers, and place value, i.e. with roman numerals. They will also need to identify, represent and estimate, i.e. round numbers, and they will need to read, write, order and compare numbers. The next subject is addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Children will need to add and subtract, both mentally and using written methods. They also need to estimate, use inverses, add/subtract to solve problems, and multiply and divide, again both mentally and using written methods. They also need to know the properties of numbers, i.e. squares, cubes, primes, factors, and multiples. Aside from this, fractions, decimals, and percentages will be tested, and ratio and proportion. Children will also be evaluated on their algebra skills, measurement, geometry – the properties of shapes, geometry – position and direction, and statistics, which will involve interpreting and representing data, solving problems involving data, and mean average.

KS2 Mental Maths Questions – Common Mistakes To Avoid

KS2 mental maths questions require a lot of studying beforehand so that you can get to grips with the type of questions that are being asked. In this post, we are going to take a look at some of the most common mistakes you need to avoid when it comes to these maths questions KS2. 

One of the biggest mistakes that children make is leaving their revision until the last minute. Not only does this give you a mountain to climb in regards to the theory you need to learn, but it also puts more pressure on your shoulders, and it can leave you feeling stressed and worried. The earlier you revise, the more confident and relaxed you will feel. Another common error with mental maths questions, in particular, is leaving out important steps. A lot of children struggle with multi-step mental math problems. This is because they are overwhelmed by the numerous steps they need to carry out, and so they end up missing off something important. However, if you simply look at the parts of the question individually, you will find that they are often a lot easier than you envisioned. Another common error is failing to make the most of past papers. Past papers are important because they give you a feel for what the real exam is going to be like. They also enable you to perfect your time management skills so that you don’t run out of time during the exam.