SATs simplified: key information for parents

How much do you know about these important assessments? Whether your child is sitting the mandatory year 6 SATs papers or the now-optional year 2 assessments, this guide outlines how you can best support your child in the week of SATS and those all important SATS scores.

What are SATs?

SATs stand for “standard assessment tests” and they are used to assess your child’s ability in the English and maths curriculum. 

These assessments are for English state schools, so do not apply to schools in Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland. 

Independent schools are not legally required to conduct the SATS exams. That being said, around 20% of English independent schools do choose to include SATS as part of their assessment process, in order to better compare the performance of their students to national averages. Some international schools also choose to have their students take part in SATs, however, there is similarly no statutory requirement for them to do so.

SATS scores are primarily used to measure the academic performance of schools in England, according to the percentage of students who meet a baseline standard. The results of your local schools can be viewed and compared in the government's school comparison table.

How is my child assessed?

The year 2 and year 6 SATs will test your children on aspects of the maths and English curricula -which they have already covered in class. Question types can vary across papers, including multiple-choice, short- and long-form answers, sequencing or matching tasks, and true or false questions.

English SAT papers cover reading, grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Typically, this means that your child will answer questions on:

• Sentence structure

• Correct use of punctuation

• Verb tenses

• Reading comprehension

The maths papers will assess your child’s arithmetic skills and their maths reasoning. Expect questions on:

• Basic operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division)

• Geometry and measure

• Fractions, decimals, and percentages

• Multi-step and worded problems

How important are SATs?

SAT scores track how many learners meet the expected standard as their cohort moves through the year groups, which is a key tool in measuring school performance. SATS results are made available to the public, which is a useful tool for parents when comparing local schools. 

SATs scores are released in July, and schools will use learners' results to identify areas where they would benefit from support or additional input. Consequently, your child’s SATs results could determine their maths and English sets at secondary school.

When do the SATs take place? 

Year 6 SATs (KS2)

Year 6 students will typically sit all papers during one week dubbed ‘SATs week’, which is usually mid-May. The week follows a strict timetable of dates and timings for each paper. 

KS2 SATs week 2025 begins on Monday, 11th May and will follow the assessment timetable below:

Date	Paper
Monday 12 May 2025	English grammar, punctuation and spellingpapers 1 and 2
Tuesday 13 May 2025	English reading
Wednesday 14 May 2025	Mathematics papers 1 and 2
Thursday 15 May 2025	Mathematics paper 3

Source: gov.uk 

Year 2 SATs (KS1)

Year 2 students will usually complete their SATs in May. As these tests are now optional, there are no fixed dates on which schools must administer test papers. 

How can I help to support my child’s wellbeing in SATS week?

SATS can feel pressurising even to young children and it’s important to remind your child that it’s normal to feel stressed. 

Encourage a good breakfast including brain-boosting foods like eggs, fish, and blueberries. Physical activity is also key-whether it’s a quick walk or stretching, a little movement goes a long way in improving focus and reducing anxiety.

Rewards are essential- give a small treat after a test day, or perhaps something slightly bigger at the end of the week. This is likely to be your child’s first experience of exams, try to make it as positive as possible. 

And most importantly check-in. It helps to offer emotional support and ask general questions such as “how was your day?”, whilst not making too much of a deal about the exams. 

SAT scoring and results

The SATs are not a pass-or-fail exercise. Your child will receive a scaled score for English and maths, which ranges from 80 to 120. A score of 100 indicates that they have met the expected standard for their age.

SATs scores 2024

Below, you can find the results of the top-performing schools ranked by their performance in the latest year 6 SATs papers.

Top 10 performing schools (England)

Rank	School	County	% of pupils meeting the expected standard by the end of KS2	% of pupils achieving at a higher standard
1	Lowbrook Academy	Berkshire	100%	57%
2	Christ Church Primary School, Hampstead	Camden, Greater London	100%	20%
3	South Farnham School	Surrey	100%	50%
4	St Mary's Primary School, Dilwyn	Herefordshire	100%	50%
5	Hampden Gurney CofE Primary School	Westminster, Greater London	100%	48%
6	Meysey Hampton Church of England Primary School	Gloucestershire	100%	44%
7	Redhill Primary School	Kent	100%	42%
8	Simon Marks Jewish Primary School	Hackney, Greater London	100%	38%
9	Freshford Church School	Somerset	100%	36%
10	Eppleby Forcett Church of England Primary School	North Yorkshire	100%	33%

Figures taken from SATs scores 2024 at gov.uk.

*In these schools, 100% of students met the expected average, so results were ranked on % of students achieving at a higher standard.

Top schools in London (by borough)

Borough	School	% of pupils meeting the expected standard by the end of KS2	% of pupils achieving at a higher standard
Camden	Christ Church Primary School, Hampstead	100%	50%
Greenwich	Holy Family Catholic Primary School	88%	12%
Hackney	Simon Marks Jewish Primary School	100%	38%
Hammersmith and Fulham	John Betts Primary School	96%	28%
Islington	St Mary Magdalene Academy	93%	43%
Kensington and Chelsea	Fox Primary School	93%	48%
Lambeth	Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School	96%	18%
Lewisham	Haberdashers' Hatcham Free School	90%	34%
Southwark	Boutcher Church of England Primary School	96%	41%
Tower Hamlets	Canary Wharf College, Glenworth	93%	33%
Wandsworth	Sheringdale Primary School	93%	38%
Westminster	Hampden Gurney CofE Primary School	100%	48%

Figures taken from gov.uk 2024 SATs results. 

Is private tuition right for my child?

At Birchwood Tutors, we understand how crucial the SATs are in shaping your child’s academic confidence and future progress. That’s why we offer personalised one-to-one tuition focused on SATs success, delivered by qualified teachers and inspiring Oxbridge and Russell Group graduates. 

Whether your child needs to boost their maths and English skills, improve their test-taking strategies, or build confidence ahead of exam day, our expert tutors are here to guide and support them every step of the way. Contact us today to explore how we can assist with setting up tailored tuition.