Key Stage 2 SATs in 2026

The National Curriculum assessments, or SATs, can seem daunting, but understanding them can ease concerns. SATs are national and standardised tests taken by children in Year 6 in England. SATs assess the knowledge and skills in Mathematics, English Reading, and Grammar, Punctuation, and Spelling (GPS). Please avoid booking any holidays during these times. 

Key stage 2 tests

The statutory key stage 2 tests are timetabled from Monday 11 May to Thursday 14 May 2026:

The purpose of Key Stage 2 SATs is to measure your child's academic progress and the school's performance. SATs results are passed on to your child's secondary school to help their new school set a baseline for progress measurement and often place them into suitable sets or streams in Year 7.

SATs Subjects

• English Reading: Tests comprehension skills through questions based on various texts. There is one English Reading Paper
• Mathematics: This course includes arithmetic and reasoning papers. It focuses on number operations, fractions, decimals, percentages, and problem-solving. There are three Mathematics Papers
• English Grammar, Punctuation, and Spelling (GPS): This assesses grammar rules, punctuation, and spelling knowledge. There are two GPS papers

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-curriculum-assessments-information-for-parents

Multiplication tables check

Schools must administer the multiplication tables check within the 2-week period from Monday 1 June 2026.

Phonics screening check

Schools must administer the phonics screening check within the 1-week period from Monday 8 June 2026.