What Are SATs?
A complete guide for parents covering everything you need to know about the Key Stage 2 national tests.
What Are SATs?
SATs (Standard Assessment Tests) are national tests taken by children in Year 6 at the end of Key Stage 2. They are set and administered by the Standards and Testing Agency (STA), which is part of the Department for Education.
Every state primary school in England is required to administer SATs. The tests assess how well children have grasped the national curriculum in three core areas: reading, maths, and grammar, punctuation and spelling (GPS). Teacher assessments in writing and science are also submitted, but these are not tested through formal examinations.
SATs have been part of the English education system since 1991, although the format has changed over the years. The current format was introduced in 2016 following curriculum reforms, and the tests are now considered more challenging than in previous years.
What Do SATs Test?
The KS2 SATs assess three subjects through six test papers. Here is what each one covers:
Maths (3 papers)
Arithmetic (Paper 1) tests calculation skills across addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, decimals, and percentages. Reasoning (Papers 2 & 3) tests problem-solving, logic, and the ability to apply mathematical knowledge to real-world situations. Children have 30 minutes for arithmetic and 40 minutes for each reasoning paper.
Reading (1 paper)
The reading paper presents three passages — typically fiction, non-fiction, and poetry — followed by comprehension questions. Children have 60 minutes to read the texts and answer approximately 38 questions testing retrieval, inference, vocabulary, and summarising skills. See our reading practice page for more.
Grammar, Punctuation & Spelling (2 papers)
Paper 1 (45 minutes) covers grammar and punctuation with short-answer and multiple-choice questions. Paper 2 is a separate spelling test lasting around 15 minutes, where children write 20 words read aloud in context sentences. Together these are often called the “GPS” or “SPaG” paper. Explore our GPS practice area.
When Do SATs Take Place?
KS2 SATs take place during a single week in May each year. The exact dates are set nationally by the Department for Education and are usually confirmed during the preceding autumn term. All schools must administer the tests on the same days.
For 2026, SATs week is the week commencing 11 May 2026 (confirmed by the DfE). The tests run from Monday to Thursday, with each paper scheduled at a specific time. For the full timetable and key dates, see our SATs Dates 2026 guide.
How Are SATs Scored?
Each SATs paper produces a raw score — simply the number of marks your child achieved. This raw score is then converted into a scaled score between 80 and 120 using a conversion table published after marking is complete.
A scaled score of 100 or above means a child has met the “expected standard” for their age. A score of 110 or above is considered “greater depth” or “higher standard”, although this is not a formal category reported separately in all schools.
The conversion from raw to scaled score changes slightly each year depending on the difficulty of the papers. This means a child might need a different raw score to reach 100 from one year to the next. For more detail, read our SATs scoring explained guide.
Do SATs Affect Secondary School?
For the vast majority of children, SATs results do not determine which secondary school they attend. School admissions in England are based on criteria like catchment area, sibling priority, and distance — not SATs scores.
However, some grammar schools in selective areas use the 11+ entrance exam (which is a separate test, not SATs) for admissions. A small number of secondary schools may also use SATs data for initial setting or streaming into ability groups.
The primary purpose of SATs is to measure school performance and track national standards. They help the government and Ofsted evaluate how well schools are teaching the curriculum. For your child, they provide a useful snapshot of their attainment, but they are just one part of a much bigger picture.
How Can I Help My Child Prepare?
The good news is that consistent, low-pressure practice makes a real difference. Here are the most effective strategies:
- ✓Start early, little and often. Short daily sessions (15–20 minutes) are far more effective than long weekend cramming sessions. Begin in the autumn term of Year 6.
- ✓Use practice questions. Familiarity with question formats builds confidence. SATs Arcade provides hundreds of curriculum-aligned questions across maths, reading, and GPS.
- ✓Focus on weak areas. Identify which topics need the most work and spend more time there. Our progress tracking highlights exactly where to focus.
- ✓Don’t add pressure. SATs can feel stressful for children. Keep the tone positive, celebrate effort over results, and make revision feel like a normal part of learning rather than a high-stakes event.
- ✓Read together regularly. Reading widely — fiction, non-fiction, newspapers, comics — builds comprehension and vocabulary more than any single revision technique.
For a detailed step-by-step plan, read our how to prepare for SATs guide. If your child is feeling anxious, our tips for dealing with SATs anxiety may also help.
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