Official Exams Information 

The following information is from Assessment and testing in primary education in England research briefing published 11^th May 2022 

SATs, or national curriculum assessments 

SATs, or national curriculum assessments, are assessments of primary pupils’ progress and attainment. They are currently completed at the end of key stage one (infant phase) and key stage two (end of primary/ junior phase). 

At key stage two, the tests are more formal and school-level results are normally published in national performance tables allowing for comparison with other schools. These are often known as league tables. 

SATs cover core academic subjects – English, maths, and science. 

SATs during the coronavirus pandemic 

There were no national curriculum assessments at either key stage one or key stage two in the 2019/20 or 2020/21 academic years, because of the pandemic. 

The assessments – for both key stage one and key stage two pupils – are planned to take place as normal in the 2021/22 academic year, although school-level performance data won’t be published for this year. 

Phonics screening check 

Children in year one, which is usually the second year of primary education, also take a phonics screen to check their ability to decode words. They complete the screen again in year two if they don’t reach the expected standard in year one. 

New times table check in year four 

In the 2021/22 academic year, all qualifying schools will administer an online multiplication tables check for children in year four (normally aged eight or nine). This will test recall of times tables up to 12. 

A new statutory baseline assessment in reception class: September 2021 

Children in state-funded primary and infant schools now take a new baseline assessment within the first six weeks of entering reception class. This focuses on maths, language, communication and literacy. The results will be used as the starting point to assess how much progress schools are making with their pupils. Results for individual children or schools will not be published.