Examinations
SATs
If you are a Parent or Carer of a child in Year 6, you will definitely have heard of SATs.
What are SATs?
Year 6 SATs (Standard Assessment Tests) are tests that your child will carry out in May. These tests, alongside teacher assessments of English writing and Science are used to measure school performance and to make sure individual pupils have the support they need as they move into secondary school. They also compare how your child achieves against other children of their age. SATs exams are set and marked outside the school. Children in primary schools are used to taking tests at the end of units of work, and in year 6, they become more formal and they have a set time limit.
At Three Peaks Primary School we make the experience as relaxed and as enjoyable as possible. We want your child to do their best and be able to show their knowledge to the best of their abilities.
We provide a breakfast club each morning of the tests so that the children are fully energised for the day ahead. The Year 6 children choose their favourite breakfasts and they chat socially with their friends whilst tucking into their cereals, toast, pancakes and other favourites
At Parents Evening we share information with the Parents and Carers of our pupils and show how we can help you to support your child. In January we show examples of what the assessments could look like and share additional resources that can be used for your child to prepare for the assessments. Please read the following for more support and guidance – if you would like further information, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
When do the SATs take place?
Throughout Year 6 we practise papers in the same conditions as if it were the real test so that the children are used to the seating arrangements, they feel comfortable with the member of staff that is with them, and they get to feel as secure as possible with the process. The practise papers this year are during the weeks beginning
16th September
18th November
20th January
10th March
All schools throughout the country do the tests at the same time and this year, they take place on:
Monday 12th May 2025 | English grammar, punctuation and spelling papers 1 and 2 |
Tuesday 13th May 2025 | English reading |
Wednesday 14th May 2025 | Mathematics Paper 1 - Arithmetic |
Mathematics Paper 2 - Reasoning | |
Thursday 15th May 2025 | Mathematics Paper 3 - Reasoning |
Mathematics
The test consists of three papers – one arithmetic paper and two reasoning papers.
- The arithmetic paper tests your child’s understanding of number along with mental and written calculation skills. Your child will need to know a range of number facts including times tables and they will also be tested on their knowledge of written methods of calculations (such as short division)
- The reasoning papers test your child’s ability to apply their mathematical knowledge to solve problems. Other areas of maths including geometry, data analysis and statistics are included as well as number knowledge and arithmetic.
English
There are two papers – one reading test and a grammar, punctuation and spelling test (SPaG).
- Reading – usually there are three different texts to read (a mixture of fiction and non-fiction) and your child will answer a range of questions to assess their recall, inference and comprehension skills. The questions range from multiple choice questions to longer written responses
- SPaG – the style of questions in this paper range from choices, one-word answers, writing a sentence and writing a short explanation. Some questions ask for the correct punctuation to be included and others ask for an area of grammar to be identified. The spelling test consists of a member of staff reading out 20 words, and your child will write them into a sentence. After each sentence has been read aloud, they will have time to write the word before the next sentence is read out.
Your child’s teacher will assess their ability in writing.
What should you do if your child is feeling worried or stressed about these tests?
We do all we can to make sure your child feels fully ready for the tests. The assessments only include questions on things that the children have been taught as part of the National Curriculum. We support your child to learn relaxation techniques and we ‘check-in’ on your children regularly to check they feel confident and ready to do their best. If your child does need some additional advice, please let us know.