What are SATs?

Most children will be eleven when they sit these tests, but some summer-born children may still be ten years old when they sit their SATs. 

These tests are designed to assess students' educational progress near the end of Key Stage 2 (KS2). 

The subjects tested typically include Maths, English Reading, English Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling (GPS). 

The results of these tests provide a snapshot of a child's academic performance and understanding of the KS2 curriculum.

A personal note from Jen: I have two summer-born boys, so the fact that they were only 10 during SATs week worried me a lot. I've included a section later on on the effect of birth month on standardised testing results.

The main purpose of the SATs is to measure how much students have mastered the knowledge and skills set out in the national curriculum by the end of KS2.

Benchmarking Academic Achievement: SATs provide a nationwide standardised measure of student performance. This helps to ensure that all students are held to the same academic standards regardless of where they attend school. It also allows parents to make more informed choices when applying to primary schools.

Secondary School Progression: The results of SATs are passed on to secondary schools, offering them valuable insights into the academic levels of incoming students.

Guiding Teacher Assessment: While SATs results are essential, they are used alongside teacher assessments to provide a more comprehensive picture of a child's abilities. Teachers can use this data to identify areas where students might need additional support.

Accountability: SATs results contribute to school performance metrics, which can be used by education authorities to monitor and compare the effectiveness of schools. This data can inform decisions about resource allocation, interventions, and policy-making.

Highlighting Areas for Improvement: For both students and schools, SATs can highlight areas where further improvement is needed. This can lead to targeted support and interventions that help boost educational outcomes.

While it may feel like the main purpose of SATs is to benefit the school and provide the government with data, for your child, SATs represent an important milestone in their educational journey.

Recognition of Achievement: Performing well in SATs can give your child a sense of accomplishment and boost their confidence. It acknowledges the hard work and effort they have put in over the years.

Preparation for Future Tests: SATs are often one of your child's first formal exams. This experience can help them develop test-taking skills and strategies that will be valuable in secondary school and beyond.

Olivia, Year 6 Pupil

Transition to Secondary School: SATs results provide secondary schools with a baseline understanding of each student's academic level. This can help ensure that your child receives appropriate support and challenge as they move to their next education stage.

By analysing patterns and correlations between KS2 SATs scores and subsequent GCSE outcomes, educators can set realistic academic targets and tailor their teaching strategies to support individual learning needs.

This predictive approach helps in planning interventions and allocating resources effectively, aiming to enhance overall student achievement and ensuring a smoother educational progression from primary to secondary education. This may lead to some schools giving out predicted GCSE grades in year 7.

A personal note from Jen: Some schools will give out GCSE results solely based on KS2 SATs data, and some don't. The approach will differ between schools. Please remember that if they give you predicted GCSE grades in year 7 and you're not happy with them, there is lots of time to work on these and many resources out there to help. Please don't let the prediction cause you or your child any stress.