Welcome to our guide to SATs in the UK – an essential resource for helping your children navigate these exams. We’ll dive into what SATs are, who takes them, and why they matter. We’ll also shed light on their structure, importance and practical preparation tips.
SATs are crucial benchmarks for assessing children’s proficiency in English and Maths. For parents of Year 6 students in particular, understanding SATs plays a vital role in helping your child transition to secondary school.
With plenty of practical strategies and insights, we’ll help you support your child’s SATs preparation. From establishing routines to using past papers, we’ve got actionable tips to ensure confidence and success.
So join us as we unravel the complexities of SATs, empowering parents to navigate this educational milestone with clarity and purpose.
What are SATs in the UK?
SATs, or “Standard Assessment Tests”, are a set of national exams conducted in primary schools in the UK. They serve as a measure of childrens’ academic progress and attainment, following National Curriculum guidelines. They normally consist of English and Maths papers taking around 45-60 minutes each.
SATs are designed as a standardised nationwide snapshot of primary education standards. They’re a key marker of a school’s performance, used by parents and the government – both to help children and assess teaching standards.
SATs evaluate students’ proficiency in key subjects, providing valuable insights into their learning journey.
Who sits the SATs?
SATs are typically taken by students at the end of Key Stage 1 (KS1) and Key Stage 2 (KS2).
- KS1 SATs are taken by pupils coming to the end of Year 2.
- KS2 SATs are taken by pupils coming to the end of Year 6.
The primary focus of this guide is on Year 6 students undergoing Key Stage 2 SATs (although we’ll talk about past papers for KS1 SATs too!). These exams mark a critical phase in childrens’ educational journey, as they prepare for the big transition to secondary school.
Students normally sit SATs in May. Specific dates for all primary assessments (including both KS1 and KS2 SATs) are available from the government website.
At Achieve Learning, we offer tutoring for both KS1 SATs and KS2 SATs. For comprehensive initial assessments, tailored learning plans and an approach inspiring confidence, get in touch today.
What is in the SATs?
SATs papers closely follow the national curriculum. This means your child will face questions similar to the content they’ve covered in class.
Topics included in the Year 6 SATs include:
- Mathematical Arithmetic
- Mathematical Reasoning
- English Reading
- English Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling
Some schools also assess English Speaking, Writing and Science as part of these exams – although this is teacher-led rather than externally assessed.
In more detail, KS2 SATs papers include:
- Mathematical Arithmetic: Assessing students’ mathematical fluency and problem-solving skills. Expect a range of questions covering addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
- Mathematical Reasoning: Evaluating students’ ability to apply mathematical concepts to solve real-life problems. Questions vary in complexity, requiring critical thinking and application of mathematical knowledge. They include topics such as telling the time, money, shapes, angles, fractions, pictograms and number sequences.
- English Reading: Testing reading and comprehension skills, inference, vocabulary, and the ability to interpret texts. Students encounter various text types, including fiction and non-fiction. Expect a mix of multiple-choice and long-form questions.
- English Grammar, Punctuation, and Spelling (SPAG): Two papers assessing students’ grasp of grammar rules, punctuation usage, vocabulary (including synonyms and antonyms), tenses and spelling. One paper is devoted entirely to spelling, while the other focuses more on grammar and punctuation rules (as well as spelling accuracy).
Are Year 6 SATs important?
Well, yes and no.
Overall, most people see SATs as more important for the school than the individual child. But there are advantages for both!
Year 6 SATs help provide a snapshot of a child’s academic progress. This can help parents make decisions on secondary schools as well as identify areas of strength or weakness that may need additional support.
SATs are also used by the government to assess school performance. They also form the basis for many primary league tables. So in this sense, teachers probably care more about SATs than many parents!
SATs serve several purposes. Overall, they are designed to:
- Assess achievement: SATs help measure a student’s academic progress and achievement in key subjects such as English and Maths.
- Inform school performance: SATs results are used to evaluate and compare the performance of schools, providing insights into the effectiveness of their teaching and curriculum.
- Support accountability: SATs contribute to the accountability of schools, ensuring that they meet educational standards and deliver quality education.
- Inform teaching practices: Teachers use SATs results to identify areas where students may need additional support or challenge, aiding in personalised instruction.
- Facilitate transition: SATs results can be used to help determine appropriate academic pathways for students as they transition to secondary school.
What is the pass mark for Year 6 SATs?
There isn’t an official “pass mark” for Year 6 SATs.
SATs results are reported as “scaled scores”, with a score of 100 indicating the expected standard (at a national level). This means if your child has a score of 100, they’re at the appropriate level for their age.
For KS2 SATs, 80 is the lowest and 120 is the highest score your child can achieve. So anything more than 100 means they’ve exceeded expectations, and anything less means they haven’t met “expected standards” in the test.
Of course, you should consider various factors when interpreting these results, including your child’s individual progress, overall school performance and the broader educational context.
What happens if my child fails Year 6 SATs?
In short, nothing!
So you can breathe a sigh of relief there.
Rest assured that absolutely no employer will ever look at your child’s SATs results. They aren’t used for secondary school or university admissions either.
Some secondary schools do use SATs scores (as well as their own tests) to stream students entering Year 7 though. This impacts the group they’ll study with for subjects like English and Maths.
Failing SATs doesn’t imply failure in a child’s academic journey. It just means their school can offer appropriate support systems for any areas of difficulty.
Strategies may include tailored learning plans, extra support in specific subjects, and ongoing communication between teachers and parents to ensure a holistic approach to improvement. That’s it! SATs are just a measure of your child’s current abilities – which is as useful for you, as it is for the school.
How do I prepare my child for SATs? Practical tips for parents
Preparing your child for SATs can feel daunting, but here are practical tips to help you get off to the best start.
- Establish a consistent routine: Ensure your child has a dedicated time for homework and revision each day, without getting too worn-out.
- Encourage reading: Foster a love for reading by exploring a variety of genres and discussing the content.
- Real-life Maths: Integrate mathematics into daily activities, such as shopping or cooking, to reinforce real-life applications.
- Support emotional well-being: Acknowledge the stress that may accompany exam preparation and create a supportive, stress-free environment.
- Communication with teachers: Maintain open communication with teachers to understand specific areas requiring focus and improvement.
- Utilise past papers: Incorporate past papers into your revision routine, exposing your child to the assessment format and time constraints.
SATs Papers Key Stage 1: How to use Past Papers
Key Stage 1 SATs focus on foundational skills. Parents can use past papers (ages 5-6) to familiarise children with the assessment format, available on the government’s practice materials page.
As part of your work with past papers, introduce them gradually to avoid overwhelming your child. Begin with a few questions or sections at a time and gradually increase the workload as they become more comfortable.
Key Stage 1 SATs typically only cover English and Maths, so just focus on past papers in these subjects. As difficult as it is, try to make practice as fun as possible! Keep your revision sessions engaging and enjoyable for your child. Use games, rewards, and positive reinforcement to motivate them during the preparation process.
Encourage your child to review their answers and identify any mistakes after completing each past paper. This helps them learn from their errors and improves their understanding. When you’re doing this, offer support and guidance as needed (with plenty of praise!), but encourage your child to work through the questions independently. This helps build their confidence.
SATs Papers Key Stage 2: How to use Past Papers
For Key Stage 2, past papers are even more invaluable. These materials, also available from the government’s practice materials, offer glimpses into the format and types of questions students face.
Like KS1, begin introducing KS2 past papers well in advance. This gives sufficient time for practice, revision and identifying areas your child needs extra support.
Use a structured approach, incorporating past papers into a study plan. This is a great opportunity to teach your child how to create a homework and revision timetable too! Help them allocate specific time slots for practising past papers and reviewing content.
As part of your past paper strategy, help your child develop techniques such as time management and question prioritisation. Practise past papers under timed conditions to simulate the exam environment. After completing each paper, review and reflect on your child’s answers together. Discuss any mistakes or areas where they struggled and identify strategies for improvement.
Of course, offering plenty of words of encouragement and support throughout is vital. Celebrate your child’s progress and achievements to keep them motivated, and they’ll face SATs with positivity and confidence.
Are you helping your child prepare for SATs?
If your child is facing KS1 SATs in Year 2 or KS2 SATs in Year 6, then get in touch with our expert team of tutors at Achieve Learning. We have over 20 years experience working with children to instil confidence and ensure exam success. Discover how we can help your child perform to the best of their ability.
