SATs Jargon Buster
Every SATs-related term explained in plain English
SATs come with a lot of jargon. Scaled scores, greater depth, moderation, thresholds — it can feel like a foreign language when you’re just trying to support your child. This glossary cuts through the confusion and explains every term you’re likely to encounter, in plain English.
Terms are listed alphabetically. Bookmark this page and come back whenever you hit a word you’re not sure about.
A–Z Glossary
Access arrangements
Adjustments made for children with special educational needs or disabilities so they can take the tests fairly. Examples include extra time, a reader, or a scribe.
Arithmetic paper
Paper 1 of the KS2 maths SATs. It tests pure calculation skills — addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, decimals, and percentages — with no word problems. Children have 30 minutes.
Assessment
The process of measuring what a child knows and can do. SATs are one form of assessment; teacher assessment is another. Together they build a picture of a child's attainment.
Attainment
The level a child has reached in a subject at a given point in time. SATs measure attainment at the end of Key Stage 2.
Benchmark
A reference point used to compare performance. In SATs, a scaled score of 100 is the benchmark for meeting the expected standard.
Combined score
When national statistics report the percentage of children reaching the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths combined. In 2025, 61% of children achieved this.
Disapplied
When a child is formally exempted from taking SATs, usually because of significant special educational needs. The headteacher must apply to the Standards and Testing Agency for this.
Expected standard
The level the government expects most children to reach by the end of Year 6. In SATs, this means achieving a scaled score of 100 or above. It does not mean "average" — it is the minimum target.
External marking
SATs papers are sent away to be marked by trained external markers, not by the child's own teacher. This ensures consistency and fairness across all schools.
GPS (Grammar, Punctuation & Spelling)
One of the three SATs subjects. It consists of two papers: Paper 1 tests grammar and punctuation knowledge (45 minutes), and Paper 2 is a spelling test (approximately 15 minutes). Also known as SPaG.
Greater depth
A higher level of attainment beyond the expected standard, sometimes called "higher standard". Generally indicated by a scaled score of 110 or above. In 2025, around 24-29% of children achieved greater depth depending on the subject.
Internal assessment
Assessments carried out by the child's own school and teachers, as opposed to the externally marked SATs papers. Teacher assessment in writing and science are examples of internal assessments.
Key Stage 2
The phase of primary education covering Years 3 to 6 (ages 7 to 11). KS2 SATs are taken at the end of this phase, in Year 6.
Mark scheme
The official document that tells markers exactly how to award marks for each question. Mark schemes are published by the STA after SATs week and can be useful for parents doing practice papers at home.
Moderation
A process where local authority staff visit schools to check that teacher assessments (especially in writing) are accurate and consistent. Not every school is moderated every year — it is done on a sample basis.
National curriculum
The programme of study that all state schools in England must follow. SATs test children on the Key Stage 2 national curriculum content in English and maths.
Percentile
A way of showing where a child sits compared to all other children nationally. If your child is in the 75th percentile, they scored higher than 75% of children who took the test.
Progress measure
A score showing how much progress a child has made between KS1 (end of Year 2) and KS2 (end of Year 6). Schools are judged on progress as well as attainment. A positive progress score means the child did better than expected based on their KS1 results.
Raw score
The actual number of marks a child gets on a SATs paper before any conversion. For example, getting 28 out of 40 on the arithmetic paper gives a raw score of 28.
Reading booklet
A separate booklet containing the three reading passages (typically fiction, non-fiction, and poetry) that children refer to while answering the reading comprehension questions. Children can annotate and highlight this booklet during the test.
Reasoning paper
Papers 2 and 3 of the KS2 maths SATs. Unlike the arithmetic paper, reasoning papers present maths in context through word problems, diagrams, and multi-step questions. Children have 40 minutes for each paper.
SATs (Standard Assessment Tests)
National tests taken by children at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6) in England. They assess reading, maths, and grammar, punctuation and spelling. The results are used to measure school performance and track national standards.
Scaled score
The final score reported to parents after raw marks are converted using a table published by the STA. Scaled scores range from 80 to 120. A score of 100 means the child has met the expected standard. The conversion changes each year based on paper difficulty.
Spelling test
Paper 2 of the GPS SATs. A teacher reads 20 sentences aloud, each with a missing word, and children write the correct spelling. It lasts approximately 15 minutes and is worth 20 marks.
STA (Standards and Testing Agency)
The government agency responsible for developing and administering SATs. The STA sets the papers, manages external marking, publishes results, and sets the scaled score thresholds each year.
Teacher assessment
A judgement made by the child's teacher about their attainment, separate from the SATs test scores. Teacher assessments are reported for writing (which has no formal test) and science. They are based on classroom work throughout the year.
Threshold
The minimum raw score needed to achieve a particular scaled score. The threshold for "expected standard" (scaled score 100) changes each year. For example, in one year 55 out of 110 on the maths papers might be enough, while in another year it might be 57.
Working towards expected standard
The category for children who score below 100 on the scaled score. It means the child has not yet fully met the Year 6 curriculum expectations in that subject, though they may be close.
Writing assessment
Unlike reading, maths, and GPS, writing is not tested through a formal SATs paper. Instead, teachers assess children's writing throughout the year and submit a judgement of "working towards", "expected", or "greater depth".
Year 6
The final year of primary school in England, when children are aged 10-11. SATs are taken during SATs week in May of Year 6.
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