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KS2 SATs reading past papers
Every reading SATs paper that Year 6 children in England have sat since 2016, each with its official mark scheme and the marks needed that year. The reading booklets include stories and articles still in copyright, so they open on GOV.UK rather than here.
On this page
Every year, with its pass mark
The marks needed for the expected standard (a scaled score of 100) and the higher standard (110), read from each year's conversion table. Pick a year for its papers and what was different that year.
| Year | Sat on | Expected marks out of 50 | Higher marks out of 50 | Reached expected pupils in England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 12 May | 25 | 39 | 75% (provisional) |
| 2025 | 13 May | 28 | 40 | 75% |
| 2024 | 14 May | 27 | 40 | 74% |
| 2023 | 10 May | 24 | 38 | 73% |
| 2022 | 10 May | 29 | 41 | 75% |
| 2019 | 14 May | 28 | 41 | 73% |
| 2018 | 15 May | 28 | 40 | 75% |
| 2017 | 8 May | 26 | 39 | 72% |
| 2016 | 9 May | 21 | 34 | 66% |
There were no tests in 2020 or 2021: both were cancelled because of the pandemic.
Which years were harder
The pass mark moves because some papers turn out harder than others. For reading it has ranged from 21 marks in 2016, when fewer marks were needed and children seem to have found the paper harder, to 29 marks in 2022. The average is 26 out of 50.
Every paper since 2016 tests the same curriculum in the same format, so any year is good practice. Many parents save the most recent, 2026, for last.
What is in the reading papers
One reading booklet and one answer booklet, sat together. 50 marks, sat on the Tuesday of the test week.
| Paper | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Reading booklet and answer booklet | 50 | 60 minutes |
Children read the texts in the reading booklet and write their answers in a separate answer booklet, all in one hour. The mark scheme shows which answers earn each mark.
Practise what the papers test
Our comprehension practice uses passages written for this site, each with questions in the style of the reading paper and the working for every answer.