Full list of dates for primary school SAT exams - and when parents will get results (2025)

Primary school children will soon be sitting a set of half a dozen maths and English tests ✍

This year’s primary school leavers will soon be tested on just how well they’ve mastered some key school skills.

Secondary school students are sitting some of the most important exams of their school careers over the coming weeks, with the 2024/25 summer GCSE and A Level exam season now well underway. But primary school pupils are also being tested this May, as compulsory SATs - or Standard Assessment Tests - begin.

The first formal exam of many young children’s lives, SATs are sat at the end of the National Curriculum’s Key Stage 2. This stage covers pupils in Years 3, 4, 5 and 6, spanning ages 7 to 11, and they will usually take the tests towards the end of Year 6 - before heading off to secondary school.

SATS are used to measure a few key things. The overall percentage of a school’s pupils that are found to meet the Government’s expected standards in their key literacy and numeracy skills is often used as a measure of primary school performance. On an individual level, a pupil’s results can help identify whether they will need extra help at their new secondary school. It may also be a contributing factor into what stream (or set) they are sorted into for classes.

So when exactly are SATs, and when will you find out the results? And what exactly do these results mean? Here’s what parents need to know:

What dates will each of the SAT tests be held this year?

The compulsory SAT exam series will begin in schools across the country next week, on Monday, May 12. Pupils will sit a total of six tests.

Children will start by sitting two different English grammar, punctuation and spelling papers Monday. On Tuesday, May 13, they will take their English reading assessments. Then on Wednesday, May 14 and Thursday, May 15, they’ll move onto their mathematics tests.

There are a total of three maths papers they will take. The first two on the Wednesday will cover arithmetic and mathematical reasoning, and the one on Thursday will also be a reasoning paper.

When will I find out the results - and what do they mean?

Before children move on to secondary school, parents will be sent a special report card detailing how they did on these exams - as well as in writing and science as judged by their teacher. The date schools receive these test results will be Tuesday, July 8 this year - meaning you should receive your child’s report card not long after.

In each subject assessed, children will be given a numerical grade based on how many marks they received in each test. A score of above 100 means that your child is working at or above the Government’s expected level for their age in that subject.

A score below 100 means that your child may need a little more support to reach this standard - especially as they prepare for secondary school.

It is worth noting that the Department for Education says if your child is working well below the overall standard for their age group, or has special educational needs or disabilities (SEND), reporting will be different. You should speak to your child’s school or teacher for more information, in this case.

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