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KS2 SATs past papers, free with mark schemes
Every Year 6 SATs paper from 2016 to 2026: maths (arithmetic and reasoning), grammar, punctuation and spelling, and reading. Each comes with its official mark scheme and the marks children needed that year. Free to download, with no sign-up and no email address.
On this page
All the SATs past papers, by year
| Year | Maths | Grammar and spelling | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3 papers | 2 papers | On GOV.UK |
| 2025 | 3 papers | 2 papers | On GOV.UK |
| 2024 | 3 papers | 2 papers | On GOV.UK |
| 2023 | 3 papers | 2 papers | On GOV.UK |
| 2022 | 3 papers | 2 papers | On GOV.UK |
| 2019 | 3 papers | 2 papers | On GOV.UK |
| 2018 | 3 papers | 2 papers | On GOV.UK |
| 2017 | 3 papers | 2 papers | On GOV.UK |
| 2016 | 3 papers | 2 papers | On GOV.UK |
No papers for 2020 or 2021: the tests were cancelled. Each set comes with its mark scheme.
Or one subject, every year: maths papers · grammar and spelling papers · reading papers
Maths and grammar papers download straight from here. English reading opens on GOV.UK instead: its booklets include stories and articles that are still in copyright, which only schools may copy.
What is in the Year 6 SATs papers
Children in Year 6 sit six papers over four days in May. The format has been the same every year since 2016, so any year's papers are good practice.
| Paper | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Maths Paper 1: arithmetic | 40 | 30 minutes |
| Maths Paper 2: reasoning | 35 | 40 minutes |
| Maths Paper 3: reasoning | 35 | 40 minutes |
| Grammar and punctuation (Paper 1) | 50 | 45 minutes |
| Spelling (Paper 2) | 20 | About 15 minutes |
| English reading | 50 | 60 minutes |
No calculators are allowed in any paper. The spelling test is read aloud by the teacher; each year's grammar page explains how to give it at home.
The Year 6 arithmetic test
Maths Paper 1 is the arithmetic test: straight calculations with no words, worth 40 marks in 30 minutes. It covers written methods such as long multiplication and long division, fractions, decimals, percentages and the order of operations. It is the paper where practice makes the biggest difference, because every question is a method that can be learnt.
Start with the 2026 maths papers, then practise the trickier methods one at a time, with the working shown after every answer: long multiplication, division, multiplying and dividing fractions and order of operations.
SATs pass marks for every year
The raw mark needed to reach the expected standard (a scaled score of 100) changes each year, because some papers turn out a little harder than others. These are the marks from each year's official conversion table.
| Year | Maths out of 110 | Grammar and spelling out of 70 | Reading out of 50 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 56 | 34 | 25 |
| 2025 | 58 | 35 | 28 |
| 2024 | 54 | 35 | 27 |
| 2023 | 56 | 36 | 24 |
| 2022 | 58 | 35 | 29 |
| 2019 | 58 | 36 | 28 |
| 2018 | 61 | 38 | 28 |
| 2017 | 57 | 36 | 26 |
| 2016 | 60 | 43 | 21 |
2026 figures are from the 2026 conversion table; national results for 2026 are provisional. Each year's page has the marks for the higher standard too, and how children across England did. The KS2 SATs guide explains scaled scores in full.
How to use a past paper at home
- Print it. Papers are A4 and print well in black and white. Print the mark scheme separately and keep it out of sight.
- Time it. Use the time on the paper's front cover, at a table, with a pencil and a ruler. Treat it like the real thing, once.
- Mark it together. The mark scheme shows exactly what earns each mark. Add up the total: that is the raw score.
- Check that year's pass mark. Compare the total with the table above, then go back over the questions that lost marks.
A simple Year 6 SATs revision plan
- Autumn term. Little and often on the basics: times tables, written methods and the Year 5 and 6 spelling words. No full papers yet.
- Spring term. One paper every week or two, untimed at first. Mark it together and practise whatever lost marks.
- After Easter. Full sets under test conditions, timed, ending with the most recent year.
- The week of the tests. Nothing new. Early nights and a calm breakfast do more than one more paper.
Questions parents ask
Are these the real SATs papers?
Yes. They are the papers the Standards and Testing Agency set for Year 6 in England each May, with the official mark schemes, published under the Open Government Licence. Nothing has been retyped or changed.
Why does English reading open on GOV.UK?
The reading booklets include stories, articles and photographs that are still in copyright. Schools may copy them, but a website may not, so we link to the official copy instead. Maths and grammar papers have no such material and download straight from here.
Why are there no papers for 2020 or 2021?
The tests were cancelled in both years because of the pandemic. The papers start again in 2022.
What score does my child need to pass?
There is no pass or fail. The raw mark is turned into a scaled score from 80 to 120, and 100 or more means the child has met the expected standard. The raw mark needed changes each year: in 2026 it was 56 out of 110 in maths and 34 out of 70 in grammar, punctuation and spelling.
Which year's paper should we start with?
Any year works, because every paper since 2016 tests the same curriculum in the same format. Many parents save the most recent year for last, as a final run-through closest to the real thing.
Are there 11+ past papers here too?
The 11+ test boards do not release their papers, so nobody can lawfully offer real ones. We write our own free 11+ practice papers instead, each with answers and the working.
Looking for the 11+ instead? See our free 11+ practice papers to print, with answers and working.