SATs Survival Guide | What to expect and how to prepare

31st July 2025 by Anita Naik

Is your child starting Year 6 in September? If so, it's a big year of secondary school preparation and SATs. As a result, you may begin to notice an increase in homework and pressure from the school regarding targets. While the SATs can feel overwhelming, for both you and your child, with the proper preparation and help, you can reduce stress and boost your child's confidence. Here's what you need to know.

The Year 6 SATs explained

In the summer term of Year 6, children in England take national Standard Assessment Tests (SATs) in Reading, Maths, and Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar (SPAG). These tests are both set and marked externally to the school.

SATs were introduced as a way of monitoring how the national curriculum was working and as a means of comparing the standards of individual schools and the progress of individual pupils.

The results are used to measure a school's performance, and marks are used in conjunction with teacher assessments to show a picture of progress and attainment for a child since Key Stage 1 (which ends at the end of Year 2).

Private schools are not required to use the SATs as set out by the government. However, one in five private schools includes SATs as a means of assessment to support their curriculum.

When are the SATs in 2026?

The 2026 Year 6 SATs will be held at your school from Monday, May 11th, to Thursday, May 14th.

Monday, May 11th - Grammar, Punctuation, and Spelling (Papers 1 & 2).

Tuesday, May 12th - English Reading.

Wednesday, May 13th - Mathematics: Arithmetic (Paper 1) and Reasoning (Paper 2).

Thursday, May 14th - Mathematics Reasoning (Paper 3).

What subjects are covered in the KS2 SATs?

The subjects tested are: Maths, English Reading, Grammar/Punctuation/Spelling (SPAG).

English

1. Reading Paper (60 mins): A 3-section booklet with fiction, non-fiction and poetry texts

Focused on:

Retrieval (finding info).

Inference ("reading between the lines").

Vocabulary understanding.

Author intent/effect.

2. Grammar, Punctuation & Spelling Papers:

Paper 1: Grammar/Punctuation (45 mins) - sentence structure, tenses, commas, apostrophes, clauses.

Paper 2: Spelling (20 mins): 20 words read aloud in sentences

Maths

Paper 1: Arithmetic Paper (30 mins)

All operations, fractions/decimals/percentages and BODMAS.

The BODMAS Breakdown:

Brackets - solve calculations inside brackets first.

Orders>Division & Multiplication> Addition & Subtraction

Pro tip:1 in 4 Year 6 mistakes come from ignoring BODMAS! Practice reasoning papers that rely on multi-step word problems.

Paper 2 & 3: Reasoning Papers (2 x 40 mins each)

Word problems + multi-step questions.

Covers: Algebra, Geometry, Graphs/charts, Ratio/proportion.

How are SATs marked?

Instead of grades or levels, children are given scaled scores and details of whether they've reached the expected standard:

NS means that the expected standard was not achieved.

AS means the expected standard was achieved

The scaled scores range between 80 and 120 (the highest possible scaled score). The expected standard for each test is a scaled score of 100 or more.

Do SAT results matter?

In the UK, SATs (Standard Assessment Tests) serve two key purposes: tracking pupil achievement and evaluating school performance. These assessments measure how well children have grasped core skills in English and maths by the end of primary school, helping teachers tailor future lessons to address any gaps in learning.

At a broader level, the results provide insight into how schools are performing nationally, allowing local authorities and the Department for Education to identify strengths and areas needing development across the education system. While primarily a progress check, the data also helps ensure schools receive the proper support to maintain high standards.

For parents, SATs offer a helpful snapshot of their child's current attainment, but they're just one part of a much bigger learning journey.

Will SATs affect what set my child is in at secondary school?

These tests only measure the performance of your child's primary school progress, and secondary schools are not obliged to use your child's results in any way. Most, if not all, secondary schools retest all their Year 7 students as soon as they start with something known as the CATs (Cognitive Abilities Tests).

These do not need to be revised, and they are not national tests.

They don't play a part in secondary school admission as places are confirmed before the SATs are even taken, and are not used to place children in sets in Year 7.

The CATs assess Year 7 students' reasoning abilities in four main areas: Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Spatial Reasoning. The results help schools understand a student's cognitive strengths and weaknesses and are not national tests like the SATs.

Can I opt my child out of SATs?

The Key Stage 2 SATs are mandatory for all students in state-funded schools. This means you cannot opt your children out of these tests.

However, do not worry about the outcome because these tests do not affect your child's academic future.

SATs survival tips for parents

Different schools administer the SATs in various ways. Some places place a significant emphasis on it through mock tests, revision homework, and pressure on children, while others don't overly focus on it. As a parent, your stress level will be related to the above. It's important to:

1. Create a calm and positive mindset.

2. Avoid putting pressure: Frame SATs as tests that "show what you know", not a high-stakes exam.

3. Practice timings: Use past papers under timed conditions.

4. Normalise nerves: Share how you tackle challenges.

5. Use school resources and practice books/worksheets provided by teachers, and practice SAT papers.

6. Reading daily: Even 10 mins of varied texts.

7. For revision, focus on short sessions of 20-30 minutes daily (e.g., 10 math questions + 1 reading comprehension).

8. Reading daily: Even 10 mins of varied texts will help improve reading levels.

9. Games over drills: Times tables apps, spelling quizzes, or BBC Bitesize interactive tools.

10. Consider a tutor: this can help boost confidence, as well as support in all the subjects mentioned above.