SATs help teachers – and you – learn more about your child’s strengths and weaknesses. Teachers can compare how well each child is doing with their peers, both in their school and across the country. They can also measure how much each child improves from one Key Stage to another.

In addition, headteachers, governors, local authorities and the government use the results to help identify how the school is performing.  

In England, the tests are compulsory for all 7 and 11 year olds.  Children are tested on what they have been learning at school. At Key Stage 1 (Year 2), your child will be assessed by their teacher (known as teacher assessment) on speaking and listening, reading and writing, maths, and science. At Key Stage 2 (Year 6), teacher assessment will cover English reading and writing, science and maths. Your child will also sit written tests in reading, writing, GPS (Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation,) and maths.  Each year a sample of schools is also requested to administer a Science test.

The results of teacher assessment are equally as important as the externally marked papers, as a teacher may feel your child is doing better in a subject as a whole than that which has been covered by a test on a given day.

Please do not worry about these tests.  Your child will be well prepared.  The teachers are very good at ensuring they are just another part of the child's day, with no added pressure.