WHAT ARE S.A.T.S?
SATS are tests which are given in Primary Schools in Year 2 and Year 6. SATS is the acronym for STANDARD ASSESSMENT TESTS. They are also sometimes called National Curriculum Tests. SATS are taken at the end of Years 2 and 6. At the end of year 2, children are tested on the Maths and English syllabus for Key Stage One, so these are called KS1 SATS. At the end of year 6, children are tested on the Maths and English syllabus for Key Stage Two, so these are called KS2 SATS.
WHO TAKES S.A.T.S?
SATS are taken at the end of Years 2 and 6. At the end of year 2, children are tested on the Maths and English syllabus for Key Stage One, so these are called KS1 SATS. At the end of year 6, children are tested on the Maths and English syllabus for Key Stage Two, so these are called KS2 SATS.
WHAT SUBJECTS ARE INCLUDED IN SATS TESTS?
SATS tests have previously included Science, but currently just the Maths and English are tested.
WHAT ARE THE ROLES OF THESE SATS TESTS?
SATS tests are designed to establish two things. Firstly, is to see how well the schools
are performing and secondly, to see how well children are learning individually. SATS
tests cannot effectively be failed.
SATS tests do also play a role in defining some of the next educational steps for your
child. If, for instance, in Year 2, they do not do so well and are significantly below the
expected levels, then this may trigger some intervention concerns with parents and with
the school. This may contribute to having additional help for the child as they go into
Year 3. Normally these things would be decided through a normal teacher assessment
but sometimes SATS can help confirm a position or an educational problem.
In KS2 the results are sent to the child’s secondary school and they will normally be
used to help decisions on setting or streaming. Children with higher marks will go into
the top sets for Maths and English where they will be with other high performing
children.
It is worth pointing out that sets in secondary school are NOT set in stone and purely
defined by SATS. Children will move into or out of these sets depending on their
performance at secondary school.
Here at Handsworth Education Academy, we have been using teaching material regularly to help children with the year 2 and year 6 SATS test. These tests take place:
Monday 11th May 2026 – Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling papers
Tuesday 12th May 2026 – English Reading papers
Wednesday 13th May 2026: Mathematics papers 1 (Arithmetic) and 2 (Reasoning)
Some schools track children’s progress in Years 3, 4 and 5 with tests that go by the name of “Optional SATs”. These tests are only for the school, but help teachers to monitor students’ progress in those years and also help children to prepare for future SATs exam environments
SATS in Year 6:
Key Stage 2 SATs take place when children are in Year 6 – teachers will carry out SATS Preparation Year 6 SATS week takes place in May, so children will be aged 10-11, depending on when their birthday is. Year 6 SATs tests are conducted in a more formal environment than Year 2 SATs, with the tests being timed. The papers are marked by external examiners and the results are shared with parents before children leave primary school in July. Children get their results in the form of a scaled score, and are assessed against national standard expectations for their age
Children in Year 6 will sit the following:
At Handsworth Education Academy, we offer full support in a friendly learning environment and our aim is to help your child get through the SATs tests with as much ease as possible, whilst making learning and understanding engaging. Please contact the centre for more information on how we can help your child. We are always happy to help and support both child and parent.
Our lessons run throughout the year and are £15 per two-hour session
