What are the KS2 SATs papers?

Year 6 SATs include English Reading (1 paper, 60 minutes), English Grammar Punctuation & Spelling (2 papers), Maths Arithmetic (1 paper) and Maths Reasoning (2 papers). Writing is teacher-assessed against the Teacher Assessment Framework.

What's a good SATs score?

The KS2 scaled score runs from 80 to 120. A scaled score of 100 or above indicates the pupil has met the expected standard for their age. Scores below 100 indicate working towards the expected standard. Schools may separately use the 'working at greater depth' judgement based on wider evidence — a scaled score alone does not determine greater depth.

How can parents help with SATs revision?

Read aloud daily and discuss what's read, drill times tables to instant recall, and do short timed arithmetic bursts (10 minutes is plenty). Avoid cramming — little and often beats long sessions.

When might my child need a SATs tutor?

Tutoring can help if your child is described as 'working towards' the expected standard, finds reading inference or reasoning questions hard, has slow times-table recall, or is becoming anxious about tests. A short, regular session with a qualified primary teacher usually works better than last-minute cramming.

Do KS2 SATs results matter?

Secondary schools may use them as one data point when planning KS3 provision, but they don't appear on a child's record long-term. The most important thing is that children feel calm and prepared.

KS2 SATs Revision: Year 6 Reading, Maths & SPaG

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What pupils sit in May

Monday: English Grammar, Punctuation & Spelling (Paper 1: questions; Paper 2: spelling).
Tuesday: English Reading (60 minutes, three texts).
Wednesday: Maths Paper 1 (Arithmetic, 30 minutes).
Thursday: Maths Papers 2 & 3 (Reasoning, 40 minutes each).

Reading: the highest-stakes paper

Reading is the paper most pupils find hardest because it requires inference under time pressure. The best preparation is reading widely all year — fiction, non-fiction and poetry — followed by short, targeted comprehension practice.

Practise retrieval, inference and word-meaning questions in equal measure.
Teach the "PEE" structure for longer-mark answers (Point, Evidence, Explain).
Time pupils with one passage at a time before doing full papers.

Arithmetic: the easiest marks to claim

The arithmetic paper is 36 questions in 30 minutes. Speed and accuracy matter more than method. Daily 5-minute drills with LoftMath build the fluency pupils need to clear easy marks before tackling the trickier reasoning papers.

Reasoning: where the higher scores are won

Reasoning rewards pupils who can read a problem carefully, spot what's being asked, and choose an efficient method. Common pitfalls: missing a unit conversion, forgetting to use both pieces of information in a problem, or rushing the final step.

SPaG: don't underestimate it

The grammar paper rewards pupils who know the formal terms — subordinate clause, fronted adverbial, modal verb, subjunctive form. Pair short knowledge quizzes (LoftTest) with daily editing tasks for the strongest gains.

A 4-week SATs revision plan

Week 1: Diagnostic past paper in each subject. Identify the bottom three topics.
Week 2: Daily 10-minute arithmetic + 1 reading text + 1 grammar quiz.
Week 3: Reasoning focus + writing TAF strands the teacher has flagged.
Week 4: Two timed papers + light revision + early bedtime.

How parents can help with Year 6 SATs revision

Reading: read together most days and ask "why" and "how do you know" questions, not just "what happened".
Maths: keep times tables and number bonds ticking over with a few minutes of quick recall each day.
SPaG: spot grammar features in books you read together, and ask your child to name them.
Timing: try one short timed section at a time before attempting a full paper.

Common difficulties in KS2 English and maths

Most SATs worries come back to a few skills: reading fluently enough to finish the reading paper, explaining an inference with evidence, instant times-table recall, and reading reasoning questions carefully. If one of these is holding your child back, it is worth fixing the skill itself rather than doing more and more past papers.

When SATs tutoring may help

If home revision is not closing a gap, or your child's confidence is dropping, 1-to-1 support can help. Our online SATs tutoring focuses on Year 6 maths, reading and SPaG, and our KS2 tutoring supports children across Years 3 to 6 who need steady help with KS2 English or KS2 maths. Lessons are taught live by qualified UK primary teachers, and the first discovery call is free.

Wellbeing matters more than marks

SATs week is stressful for some children. Reassure them. A confident, well-rested child outperforms a stressed, over-prepared one. Use our LoftBites nutrition resources to keep breakfasts steady through SATs week.

KS2 SATs revision: a parent and teacher guide