SATs are a stressful time for both students and parents. What is intended as a measure of school’s progress overall against a national average can easily feel like a test of student achievement and individual knowledge. However, no matter how you feel about SATs, most parents do want to know when they will find out what their children got in the tests. However, with all the confusing information around about SATs it can be hard to know who finds out what, and when. Therefore, in this article we will be breaking down all the information you need to know about SATs and results, to make sure you are well informed about what will happen at this important stage in your child’s educational journey.
Parents in the UK usually receive SATs results just after the school receives them. Schools send a report out before the end of the summer term in the year SATs are taken. This report outlines whether children are performing at, above, or below the expected standard for their year in English, Maths, and sometimes Science.
While this should have given you a short answer to your questions on SATs results, please read on for the full details of this topic, including the differences between Year 2 and Year 6 SATs.
When do SATs results come out?
SATs results come out at a slightly different time each year, but usually around the start of July. This is when the results of Year 6 SATs are released to schools. For more information on when SATs are usually, please see the following Think Student articles:
After the school receives the results of your Year 6 SATs, you should receive a report from your child’s school which tells you the results of their SATs exams. Most schools send this report before the end of the summer term. This tells you whether they have below, at, or above the expected standard for their age group in Maths, English, and sometimes Science.
In contrast, KS1 SATs, usually sat in Year 2, tend to give out results as soon as your class teacher marks the tests. This will often be earlier than Year 6 SATs but will vary depending on the school as it is an internal process rather than a national one.
The UK government has a very useful information booklet on Year 6 SATs, including great breakdowns of the grading system, which can be found here.
How are SATs exams marked?
SATs exams in Year 2 are marked by the class teacher. This teacher oversees the whole process.
In the case of science exams these are only teacher-assessed, but English and maths papers may also be sent to the local education authority, to moderate them. This is to ensure that marking is consistent and fair across all schools in the area, and therefore in the country.
However, Year 6 SATs are marked externally. English (all the papers, including reading, punctuation, spelling, and grammar) and Maths are marked by the local education authority. This again is to ensure that all the papers are moderated and marked the same across the country.
This external moderation is important because Year 6 SATs are used to determine how schools are performing within the country ranking. This helps parents to choose schools, among other factors, and therefore needs to be consistent across the country. The one exception to this is science SATs, which are still marked by teachers at Year 6 level.
For more information about the purpose of SATs and how they work, please visit this helpful Think Student guide.
Are SATs results important?
SATs results allow teachers to measure primary school performance. This means that schools can be assessed by the government to ensure they are performing up to the required standards across the country. They also help to form part of the ranking system for schools (including through OFSTED in some cases) to help parents make choices about where to send their children.
Furthermore, for students, SATs results can be used to pinpoint their strengths, as well as where they may need a little extra help. This is particularly important as students move into secondary school (after Year 6 SATs), as it can show where attention is needed to help them succeed in this transition. Check out this Think Student article discussing the importance of Year 6 SATs.
SATs scores are also used by secondary schools, where teachers are told their incoming pupils scaled SATs scores. They may use these, along with a combination of other tests in some schools such as a cognitive ability (CAT) test, to put students into sets for lessons. This means students will be with others who are learning at the same level as them, so each child can get the right level of support and challenge so they can succeed.
These sets are by no means fixed, and if you are concerned, please speak to your school’s head teacher, or your child’s class teacher. They will be able to assuage your concerns, and help your child as best as possible.
However, this does not mean that a “below expected” or “below national average” score is a cause for panic. It simply reveals that your child may be struggling in an area.
Many students gain these scores and go on to do extremely well in later exams, especially when they get the support they need at this stage. There is no shame in a lower score, and it often reveals more about the school and their teaching skills than you and your child.
You can check out this Think Student article to learn more about SAT scores.