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KS2 SATs Dates 2027: The Test Week, the Times Tables Check and Results Day

The KS2 SATs dates for 2027 are Monday 10 May to Thursday 13 May. Year 6 pupils in England sit English grammar, punctuation and spelling on the Monday, reading on the Tuesday and maths across the Wednesday and Thursday, and schools receive the results on Tuesday 6 July 2027. The Standards and Testing Agency confirmed the timetable on 12 October 2026, along with the dates for the Year 4 multiplication tables check and the Year 1 phonics screening check. This page sets out each day, what the papers involve, what happens if your child is absent, and when you will hear the results.

The 2027 KS2 SATs timetable, day by day

The Department for Education's primary assessments future dates page fixes the order of the papers. Every school in England that teaches Year 6 sits the same paper on the same morning, so you can plan around the week now.

Writing is not a test. Teachers assess each pupil's writing from work across the year, and the school submits that judgement separately. Science is also teacher-assessed, with a sample of schools taking part in separate science sampling in some years.

What if my child is absent during SATs week?

If a pupil cannot sit a test on the scheduled day, the school can apply to the Standards and Testing Agency for a timetable variation. According to the 2027 assessment and reporting arrangements, an approved variation lets an individual pupil, a group or a whole year group take the test up to 5 school days after the scheduled day. The agency must approve the application before the pupil sits the paper, so tell the school as early as you can.

Some children qualify for access arrangements, such as extra time, a reader, a scribe or rest breaks, based on how they normally work in class. Schools apply for additional time on the NCA Portal; the deadline for 2027 is Thursday 20 May. If your child has an education, health and care plan or regular classroom support, ask the school now what will be in place for the tests.

Other primary assessment dates for 2026 to 2027

For how the Year 4 check works and what the score means, see our guide to the multiplication tables check. Year 1 parents can read our explainer on the phonics screening check.

SATs results day 2027

Results go to schools, not to parents directly. From 7:30am on Tuesday 6 July 2027, schools can download each pupil's results from the NCA Portal. On the same day the Standards and Testing Agency publishes the tables that convert raw marks into scaled scores.

Each pupil receives a raw score (the number of marks), a scaled score and confirmation of whether they met the expected standard. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120, and 100 or more means the pupil met the expected standard. Your child's school has to send you a written report before the end of the summer term, and most include the SATs results in it. Our page on SATs results explained covers what the scores mean and how secondary schools use them.

If a school believes a paper has been marked wrongly, it can ask for a marking review. The deadline for 2027 is 11:59pm on Friday 16 July, so speak to the school quickly if you have concerns.

Do SATs affect secondary school places?

No. Secondary school places for September 2027 are decided long before the results arrive, and applications close on 31 October 2026. Secondary schools receive Year 6 results through the portal and may use them for setting or to plan support in Year 7. Grammar school entry is decided by the 11-plus, which is a separate test taken in Year 6 autumn. For the application deadlines, see our page on school application deadlines.

How to help without adding pressure

• Reading every day helps more than practice papers. The reading paper rewards stamina and understanding across a full booklet.
• Times tables and number facts make the arithmetic paper quicker and leave more time for reasoning.
• Use the official past papers sparingly. The Standards and Testing Agency publishes them free on GOV.UK, and schools will usually run mock tests in the spring.
• Keep test week normal: sleep, breakfast and an ordinary routine. Many schools run a breakfast club during the week.

One caveat for later years: the government's response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review means arrangements beyond 2026 to 2027 are under review. The provisional KS2 test weeks are 8 to 11 May 2028 and 14 to 17 May 2029, but those could change.

Sources: GOV.UK, Primary assessments: future dates (updated 12 October 2026); Standards and Testing Agency, 2027 key stage 2 assessment and reporting arrangements. Back to the Schools Insight homepage.