National tests
National Tests are assessments that take place at critical points in your child's educational journey. They help identify schools – and pupils – that aren't doing so well and may need some extra help. This helps keep up a good standard of education across the country.
Your child's progress is measured at the end of Key Stages 1, 2 and 3 by a National Test, usually held in May. These are sometimes referred to as SATs (or Standard Assessment Tasks).
There's no pass or fail: these aren't ‘exams' – they are assessments that provide benchmarks for progress by testing your child's understanding of the core parts of the National Curriculum: English, Maths and Science. From 2008, your child will also be tested on ICT.
When will your child sit National Tests?
Key Stage 1 National Tests
(No fixed Test date)
Tests or Tasks for 7 years olds in Year 2 cover:
- Reading
- Writing (including spelling and handwriting)
- Maths
Teacher assessments cover:
- Speaking, listening, reading and writing
- Maths
- Science
Key Stage 2 National Tests
(Tests in mid-May)
Tests or Tasks for 11 year olds in Year 6 cover:
- Reading
- Writing (including handwriting)
- Spelling
- Maths
- Mental Arithmetic
- Science
Teacher assessments cover:
- English
- Maths
- Science
Key Stage 3 National Tests
(Tests in early May)
Tests or Tasks for 14 year olds in Year 9 cover:
- English (including reading, writing and studying at least one Shakespeare play)
- Maths
- Mental Maths
- Science
Teacher assessments cover:
- English
- Maths
- Science
- History
- Geography
- Modern Foreign Language
- Design & Technology
- Information Technology
- Art
- Music
- Physical Education
- Citizenship
How can you understand your child's National Test results?
Your child's school will send you a report, which will tell you what National Curriculum level your child has achieved, based on both their performance in the Tests themselves and their teacher's assessment.
The table below shows what the Government's targets are for the majority of children to achieve by the end of each Key Stage.