The test paper that left children in tears last week because it was so difficult has been revealed, with adults saying even they had to think about the right answers. There have been complaints about the Year 6 reading paper which children aged 10 and 11 had to sit last week.
One question asked children to find a similar word to "eat" in a section of text that contained both the words "consume" and "feeding", reports the BBC.
Parents and teachers have said some children were unable to finish the test because it was so long and complicated. Children had an hour to answer 38 questions about three pieces of text.
One was part of a story about friends who believe they have come across sheep "rustlers". Another was an interview about bats in Texas, on an article from the New York Times.
Simon Kidwell, NAHT vice-president said children had "gone home really struggling because they hadn't finished the reading test".
He said: "Staff had to really think about how they would answer those questions. So clearly it was quite a challenging, complex paper."
Gillian Hillier, chief executive of the Standards and Testing Agency (STA), said this year's papers were "trialled with thousands of pupils" and had been developed over "at least three years".
She said: "We use a range of rigorous and robust processes to ensure the tests are appropriate and fair, including reviews by teachers, curriculum and inclusion experts and other education professionals."
The BBC asked a teacher to identify three tough questions from the SAT paper. One requires not just reading skills but knowledge of US geography, while the two others could have multiple answers.
Question 17
Find and copy one word that is closest in meaning to "eat".
It's actually very appropriate that you call it a "hotspot". The gaps underneath the bridge are a perfect place for mother bats to raise their young. Baby bats are born hairless and have only a few months to develop before travelling south in autumn. They need somewhere warm and safe and the gaps under the bridge are just the right width to trap warmth nicely. These bat pups need to spend their energy on growth, not on keeping themselves warm.
Texas in general is a paradise for bats because of all its tasty insects. A mother bat will go out hunting every evening and consume about two-thirds of her body weight in insects every single night to meet her energy need. The feeding frenzy can last all night.
Question 8
She wriggled back inside the tent...
What does this tell you about how Priya got inside the tent? Tick one.
- She ran quickly inside.
- She jumped through the flap.
- She had to squeeze in.
- She crept in quietly.
Question 13
In which American state is the Congress Avenue Bridge found?
Relevant extract: By day the Congress Avenue Bridge in the city of Austin could hardly look more normal: a grey, dreary city-centre road bridge. By night, it plays host to one of the most amazing shows nature has to offer. The underside of the bridge is home to more than a million bats, and every evening in summer they all come swarming out at once, rising up into the city sky like a tornado before spreading out in all directions like plumes of smoke. Standing on the bridge, you might even feel the wind from their wings as they pass by.
Austin is the capital city of the state of Texas in the USA, but it is also the bat capital of North America. The bats under the bridge attract thousands of visitors every year, and every August lovers celebrate Bat Fest on the bridge in their honour.
