Every January, parents start messaging us. The most common first sentence is: "I don't really understand what SATs are — and I'm worried I'm not doing enough to help." This guide gives you the honest picture, without the anxiety-inducing language you'll find elsewhere online.

1. What SATs Actually Are (And Aren't)

SATs are national standardised tests taken in May of Year 6. They are externally set and externally marked — your child's school has no influence over the process. The results serve two main purposes: measuring school performance nationally, and informing secondary school Year 7 setting. That's it.

✅ What SATs ARE
  • National standardised tests in May, Year 6
  • Externally set and marked
  • Used to measure school performance nationally
  • Used to inform Year 7 setting at secondary school
❌ What SATs are NOT
  • Secondary school admissions tests
  • A formal qualification
  • A verdict on your child's intelligence or potential
  • Something that follows your child beyond transition
The key thing to hold onto

SATs results do not affect which secondary school your child attends. Admissions are based on catchment area, faith criteria, or — for selective schools — separate admissions tests. SATs play no role in that process whatsoever.

2. The Papers — What Your Child Will Actually Sit

KS2 SATs 2026 take place across three days in May. Here is the full paper schedule, including what each paper tests and how long each one lasts.

KS2 SATs 2026 — Full Paper ScheduleMay 2026
📖English Reading
1 Paper1 hour
Reading booklet containing 3–4 texts (fiction, non-fiction, poetry). Short retrieval questions plus extended inference and analysis questions.
✏️English Grammar, Punctuation & Spelling
Paper 1: GPS45 mins
Grammar, punctuation and vocabulary questions. Multiple-choice, short-answer and extended formats.
Paper 2: Spelling15 mins
20 words dictated aloud by the teacher. No reading required — purely a listening and spelling test.
🔢Mathematics
Paper 1: Arithmetic30 mins
Calculation-focused questions. No calculator. Tests fluency with the four operations, fractions, decimals and percentages.
Paper 2: Reasoning40 mins
Problem-solving and reasoning in context. No calculator. Includes geometry, statistics and multi-step word problems.
Paper 3: Reasoning40 mins
Second reasoning paper. No calculator. Same format as Paper 2 — further problem-solving across the full KS2 curriculum.
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3. The Scaled Score System — Explained Simply

SATs results are not reported as raw marks — they are converted to a scaled score between 80 and 120. This system allows fair year-on-year comparison even when papers differ slightly in difficulty. The raw mark needed to reach a scaled score of 100 changes each year — the Standards and Testing Agency calibrates it based on the national cohort's performance on that year's papers. This is why there is no fixed pass mark in terms of questions answered correctly.

Scaled ScoreWhat It MeansSuggested Action
80–99Working below the expected standardTargeted support in summer before Year 7
100Meeting the expected standardNational benchmark — solid performance
101–109Meeting the expected standard — above averageStrong performance, comfortable transition
110–120Working at the higher standardExcellent performance across all tested areas
Why there is no fixed pass mark

The raw mark needed to reach a scaled score of 100 is recalculated every year after the papers are sat. A harder paper that year means fewer correct answers are needed to reach the benchmark. The system is designed to be fair across different cohorts — not to produce a fixed cut-off score.

4. How SATs Results Are Used

This is the section most parents actually need — and the one most summary guides skip over. Here is exactly what happens to your child's results after the papers are marked.

How results are usedDetails
School accountability dataPublished nationally — shows the percentage of pupils meeting expected standard at each school. Used by Ofsted and the Department for Education.
Secondary school Year 7 settingResults are sent to the receiving secondary school and used as one factor in initial set decisions for Maths and English. Most schools also run their own baseline assessments in September.
Year 7 catch-up supportStudents who score below the expected standard may receive targeted Year 7 literacy and numeracy support. This is government-funded and delivered in school.
NOT used forSecondary school admissions. SATs results have no impact whatsoever on which secondary school your child attends.
What about Year 7 setting — should I be worried?

Initial set placements are one data point, not a life sentence. Most secondary schools review sets after the first term based on classwork and internal assessments. A strong start in Year 7 — regardless of SATs score — goes a long way. Our job is to make sure your child arrives in September with momentum, not anxiety.

5. Frequently Asked Questions

Do SATs affect secondary school admissions?+
No. Secondary school admissions are based on catchment, faith criteria, or — for selective schools — separate admissions tests. SATs play no role in admissions decisions whatsoever. This is one of the most common misconceptions we encounter, and it's worth being very clear about: a SATs score of 99 will not affect which school your child attends.
What does 'below expected standard' actually mean for my child?+
It means specific gaps in KS2 curriculum content in that subject have been identified. It does not predict secondary school performance. Secondary schools receive dedicated funding to support these students in Year 7, and the majority close the gap quickly with the right support in place — particularly in Maths and Reading. The earlier you identify the gap, the more you can do about it before May.
My child is anxious about SATs. What should I do?+
Expert-led preparation that builds genuine confidence — rather than just drilling past papers — is the most effective anxiety management tool we have seen. Children become anxious about exams when they feel underprepared or when they encounter question types they have not seen before. Structured, supportive preparation removes those unknowns. Contact us about our approach before SATs season begins.
When should we start preparing for SATs 2026?+
If your child is in Year 6 and SATs are in May, then earlier is always better. Starting in January or February gives enough time to identify gaps, work through them systematically, and complete timed practice in exam conditions before the real thing. Starting in April leaves very little room to address anything beyond surface-level cramming. The first step is a diagnostic so you know exactly where the time is best spent.
Which subjects do KS2 SATs cover?+
KS2 SATs cover English Reading, English Grammar Punctuation and Spelling (GPS), and Mathematics. There is no longer a Science SATs paper for all pupils — Science is assessed through teacher assessment, with a small sample of schools selected each year for external testing. Writing is also assessed through teacher assessment, not a formal exam paper.
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