SATs KS1 / KS2 Guide

Three subjects across six papers: English Reading (1 paper, 60 minutes), English Grammar Punctuation & Spelling (2 papers — GPS and a spelling test), Maths (3 papers — arithmetic plus two reasoning).

Science is sampled — only some schools sit it each year. Writing is teacher-assessed, not externally tested.

Raw scores are converted to a 'scaled score' between 80 and 120. A scaled score of 100 is the 'expected standard'. 110+ is the 'higher standard'.

Roughly 60% of pupils meet the expected standard in all three subjects. Schools (not individual children) are judged on how many reach 100+ in reading, writing and maths combined.

The reading paper has three texts of increasing difficulty. Children often run out of time on the third text — practise pacing so the easier texts don't eat the clock.

Underline key words in each question, then scan the text for evidence. 'Find and copy' questions need an exact word or phrase from the text — paraphrasing loses the mark.

Paper 1 (arithmetic) is 30 minutes of pure calculation — speed matters. Practise mental arithmetic and column methods until they're automatic.

Papers 2 and 3 (reasoning) include word problems where the maths is hidden inside a story. Teach children to underline the question and the numbers, then plan before calculating.

Read with your child every day, even in Year 6. Ten minutes of shared reading does more for SATs than an hour of worksheets. Discuss the text — what happened, what might happen next, what does this word mean.

For maths, focus on times tables (up to 12×12 by Year 4) and confident column methods. Free resources from BBC Bitesize, White Rose Maths and the official gov.uk past papers cover everything you need.

The Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling paper has 50 short questions in 45 minutes. Topics include word classes (noun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, conjunction, determiner, pronoun), subordinate clauses, modal verbs, the subjunctive ('if I were'), expanded noun phrases, fronted adverbials, parenthesis (using brackets, dashes or commas), apostrophes for possession and contraction, and direct vs reported speech.

The 20-question spelling test is read aloud by the teacher — children fill the missing word into a sentence on the answer sheet. Common spelling rules tested: 'i before e except after c', double-consonant before -ing, silent letters, and prefix/suffix changes (happy → happiness).

Beyond SATs, two other statutory checks happen in primary school. The Phonics Screening Check is in Year 1 (June): 40 words including 20 'pseudo-words' (alien words like 'voo' or 'glimp') to test pure phonic decoding. The pass mark is usually 32/40.

The Multiplication Tables Check is in Year 4 (June): 25 questions on times tables up to 12×12, six seconds per question, on a laptop or tablet. There's no formal pass mark but the school's average score is reported. Daily Times Tables Rock Stars practice from Year 3 makes a big difference.

SATs week can feel pressured even when your child is well-prepared. Schools usually provide a breakfast club, calm classrooms and limited 'normal' lessons that week. At home, keep evenings normal: regular bedtime, no late-night cramming, the same TV and screen-time rules. Anxious children sleep poorly and underperform.

Remember: SATs are mainly about school accountability. They don't appear on any future CV, university application or job. Your child's report card and teacher assessments matter far more for secondary school than any SATs scaled score.