To PEE or not to PEE, that is the question

Every Autumn Term I share my thoughts about the previous term’s SATs tests with the Primary English network of English Subject Leaders. This Autumn Term was no different, and in my analysis of the Key Stage 2 Reading Test, I found myself asking the question: ‘to PEE or not to PEE’? This article is a quick summary of the conversations I had with English Subject Leaders in those Autumn training sessions.

PEE is an acronym that has been used widely in classrooms for a number of years which means:

P – point

E – evidence

E – explain.

It found its way into Primary classrooms during the last National Curriculum as a way of supporting children to answer the extended questions found in the KS2 Reading SAT. I wrote about it on the Primary English website back in 2013 where I acknowledged its usefulness for answering the extended questions of the time but where I also expressed concern at its extension to children across KS2 who were not always developmentally ready to provide extended written responses to reading questions. Despite the implementation of the current National Curriculum in 2014 and the introduction of the new style SATs in 2016, some of the old ways have persisted. And by old ways, I mean PEE. And with my use of persist, well… I hope you can infer my meaning - it’s outstayed it’s welcome and here’s why…

Below are the two 3 mark questions from the 2022 KS2 Reading Test.

First off, there are just two of them which is well within the expected range of 1 – 4 questions worth 3 marks indicated in The English reading test framework.

Both questions are about the third text in the test booklet ; the most challenging text in the booklet.

Both questions are concerned with reading Content Domain 2d (make inferences from the text / explain and justify inferences with evidence from the text) although there have been 3 mark questions from other domains such as 2e (predict what might happen from details stated and implied) in the past.

Give two impressions with evidence from the text,

Give two ways using evidence from the text to support the answer.

I’ll paraphrase the instructions from the two question above:

Give two points with evidence from the text to support them, or…

P – make a point

E – give evidence from the text

A quick look at the mark scheme for these two questions confirms just this; make a point and give evidence from the text.

2022 Key Stage 2 Reading SAT, mark scheme.

2022 Key Stage 2 Reading SAT, mark scheme.

There is no mention of the need to explain how the evidence supports the point made. Instead, children are assessed on their ability to make a point and find evidence in the text to support it.

And look closely at the mark scheme. While the children might feel it’s unfair that they can’t get 4 marks for two points with two pieces of evidence, the scheme appears to be supportive. Children can make a mistake in their evidence finding but still get the full allocation of marks.

PEE it would seem, is no longer necessary to gain all the available marks in an extended KS2 SAT question. And what a relief that is! From an early stage, we teach children to respond to our questions about texts by giving us their answer (make their point) and to put their finger on the words that tell them this (find evidence in the text). With them no longer required to provide an explanation of the evidence they’ve found, there really is the potential for more children to achieve full marks on 3 mark questions.

So in answer to my opening question, to PEE or not to PPE - PEE is dead; long live PE!

We have a range of small group and whole class guided reading materials on the resources page. You’ll also find our FREE to download KS1 and KS2 Guided Reading question prompts that can be used to support your reading questioning.

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