2026 SATs Raw to Scaled Score Tables
Check the 2026 thresholds for maths, reading and GPS, including the raw marks that convert to 100 and 110.
When I first compared one of my children’s raw marks with a results sheet, the awkward part was the year: the same raw mark can convert differently after a different test. These are the published 2026 figures, so there is no mixing of years.
Need to convert a particular mark?
Enter the raw mark in our free calculator for an immediate estimate. Stay here if you want to compare the threshold tables and understand how they work.
Open the score calculator →How the Conversion System Works
When your child sits a SATs paper, they earn a raw score — simply the total number of marks they achieved out of the maximum available. This raw score is then converted to a scaled score between 80 and 120.
The purpose of scaled scores is to make results comparable across different years. Since some papers are slightly harder or easier than others, the conversion adjusts for this. A scaled score of 100 always means the same thing — the child has met the expected standard — regardless of whether the paper was particularly hard or easy that year.
The Standards and Testing Agency published the official 2026 conversion tables on 16 July 2026. The selected values below come directly from those tables.
Maths: 2026 Thresholds
The maths scaled score combines all three papers (arithmetic + reasoning papers 2 and 3) into a single total raw score out of 110.
| Scaled Score | 2026 Raw Score (out of 110) | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| 80 | 3–6 | Minimum scaled score |
| 90 | 22–24 | Below expected standard |
| 100 | 56–59 | Met expected standard |
| 110 | 94–95 | Higher standard |
| 120 | 109–110 | Maximum scaled score |
Source: Standards and Testing Agency, 2026 KS2 scaled score conversion tables.
Reading: 2026 Thresholds
The reading paper is a single test worth 50 marks total:
| Scaled Score | 2026 Raw Score (out of 50) | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| 81 | 3 | Lowest reading score awarded |
| 90 | 11 | Below expected standard |
| 100 | 25 | Met expected standard |
| 110 | 39 | Higher standard |
| 120 | 47–50 | Maximum scaled score |
Source: Standards and Testing Agency, 2026 KS2 scaled score conversion tables.
GPS: 2026 Thresholds
The GPS scaled score combines Paper 1 (grammar and punctuation, 50 marks) and Paper 2 (spelling, 20 marks) for a total of 70 marks:
| Scaled Score | 2026 Raw Score (out of 70) | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| 80 | 3 | Minimum scaled score |
| 90 | 14–15 | Below expected standard |
| 100 | 34–36 | Met expected standard |
| 110 | 55 | Higher standard |
| 120 | 66–70 | Maximum scaled score |
Source: Standards and Testing Agency, 2026 KS2 scaled score conversion tables.
What Each Score Band Means
Understanding the score bands helps you interpret your child’s results in context:
80–99: Below Expected Standard
The result is recorded as “expected standard not achieved” in this subject. Your child’s teacher can explain it alongside their classwork and identify any support that would be useful.
100–109: Expected Standard
Your child has met the national expected standard. This is the benchmark that the government uses for the end of Key Stage 2 in that test.
110–120: Higher Standard
A score of 110 or above reaches the higher standard in the reading, maths or GPS test. “Greater depth” is the separate term used for teacher-assessed writing.
Convert Your Child’s Raw Mark
The tables show useful benchmarks. For a particular result, use the free calculator to enter your child’s raw mark and get an estimated scaled score for maths, reading or GPS.
Open Score Calculator →Important Things to Remember
- ✓Thresholds change every year. The raw score needed for a scaled score of 100 shifts between test years. The figures above are the published 2026 values.
- ✓Official tables are published in July. The STA releases the definitive conversion tables each year after external marking is complete. Until then, any conversion is an estimate.
- ✓One mark can make a big difference. Near the 100 threshold, a single raw mark can sometimes change the scaled score by 1 or 2 points. This is why attention to detail — showing working, reading questions carefully — matters. See our mark schemes guide for tips on picking up every available mark.
- ✓Scaled scores use an 80–120 scale. A raw score records marks awarded; a scaled score reports the result against the national standard.
Choose the Next Subject to Practise
SATs Arcade provides curriculum-aligned questions and a parent dashboard showing completed practice by subject.
Start Practising Free →