If your child is in Year 6, SATs are on your radar. And if you’re feeling anxious about them, you’re not alone — but you might be worrying more than you need to. This guide gives you the facts about 2026 SATs, what the papers actually test, and the most effective (and least stressful) ways to help your child prepare.
SATs are not pass or fail. Every child in England moves to secondary school regardless of their SATs result. The tests help secondary schools understand your child’s starting point — they do not determine which secondary school your child attends, and a child cannot “fail” them.
2026 SATs Dates
KS2 SATs 2026 take place over four days in the second week of May:
| Day | Tests |
|---|---|
| Monday 11 May | English GPS Papers 1 & 2 (Grammar, Punctuation & Spelling) |
| Tuesday 12 May | English Reading Paper |
| Wednesday 13 May | Mathematics Papers 1 (Arithmetic) & 2 (Reasoning) |
| Thursday 14 May | Mathematics Paper 3 (Reasoning) |
All tests are sat in school during normal school hours. Results are shared with parents in early July, before the end of the summer term.
What Each Paper Tests
English GPS (Grammar, Punctuation & Spelling)
Two papers on Monday morning. Paper 1 tests grammar and punctuation: identifying parts of speech, correct punctuation, clauses, sentence structure. 50 marks, 45 minutes. Paper 2 is a spelling test: 20 words read aloud by the teacher, one mark each. Combined total: 70 marks.
English Reading
One paper, three texts (typically fiction, non-fiction and poetry). Questions test reading comprehension: inference, deduction, vocabulary in context and language analysis. 50 marks, 60 minutes.
Mathematics
Three papers across two days. Paper 1 is arithmetic: pure calculation without reasoning context. Papers 2 and 3 are reasoning: applying maths to word problems, graphs and real-world contexts. Combined total: 110 marks.
What the Scores Mean
Raw marks are converted to scaled scores so that comparisons can be made between years despite variations in paper difficulty. Here’s what each score range means:
- 100+: Working at the expected standard — your child is on track
- 110+: Working at greater depth — above the expected standard
- Below 100: May need some additional support as they move into Year 7
As a reference point, in 2025 approximately 58 marks (out of 110) in maths was needed to reach a scaled score of 100. This will vary in 2026 based on paper difficulty.
The Common Mistakes in Preparation
The biggest preparation mistakes parents make: starting too late (January of Year 6 gives 4 months; starting gently in Year 5 autumn gives 6–9 months); two-hour weekend sessions instead of 15 minutes daily; focusing only on maths while GPS and reading account for more than half the total marks; and — most importantly — transmitting anxiety. Children absorb parental stress. Keep your language calm and proportionate.
The Most Effective Preparation
Based on what the papers actually test, the highest-value preparation activities are:
For Maths
- Daily arithmetic practice — the arithmetic paper rewards procedural fluency that comes from regular short practice
- Times tables to automaticity — underlies much of the reasoning paper
- Fractions, decimals and percentages — consistently the most common weak spots
For English Reading
- Read widely and regularly — comprehension and vocabulary are built over months, not days
- Practise inference: “how do you know?” “what does the author suggest?”
For GPS
- Year 5–6 statutory spelling word list — practise these regularly
- Grammar terminology — active/passive voice, relative clauses, subjunctive (these are the Year 6-specific items most children find hardest)
SATs do not apply in Wales. Welsh children complete personalised online assessments in reading and numeracy as part of the Curriculum for Wales — these are teacher-administered and far less formal than SATs. If your child is in Wales, this post is primarily for reference. The curriculum content is similar but there is no Year 6 test week and no scaled scores.
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