SATs
2025/26 Academic Year
Early Years, Reception Baseline
Schools must complete the reception baseline assessment for each child in the first 6 weeks after they enter reception. These assessments will help to measure pupil progress during primary school.
Early years foundation stage profile assessment
Schools must complete the early years foundation stage profile assessment between April and June of the academic year in which children turn 5, which is usually the reception year.
Key Stage 1- Phonics screening check
Schools must administer the phonics screening check within the 1-week period from Monday 9 June 2025.
Key Stage 1 (Year 2)
There will be no formalised end of Key Stage 1 SATs in Year 2. However, we will continue to report teacher assessment levels, using a combination of our own assessments and optional tests during May 2026.
Key stage 2 tests
The statutory key stage 2 tests are timetabled from Monday 11 May to Thursday 14 May 2026:
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| Monday 11 May 2026 | English grammar, punctuation and spelling Papers 1 and 2 |
| Tuesday 12 May 2026 | English reading |
| Wednesday 13 May 2026 | Mathematics Papers 1 and 2 |
| Thursday 14 May 2026 | Mathematics Paper 3 |
Multiplication tables check (Year 4)
Schools must administer the phonics screening check within the 1-week period from Monday 8 June 2026.
2026/27 academic year
Reception baseline assessment
Schools must complete the reception baseline assessment for each child in the first 6 weeks after they enter reception.
Early years foundation stage profile assessment
Schools must complete the early years foundation stage profile assessment between April and June of the academic year in which children turn 5, which is usually the reception year.
Optional key stage 1 tests
The recommended administration period for the optional key stage 1 tests is during May 2027.
Key stage 2 tests
The statutory key stage 2 tests are timetabled from Monday 10 May to Thursday 13 May 2027.
Multiplication tables check
Schools must administer the multiplication tables check within the 2-week period from Monday 7 June 2027.
Phonics screening check
Schools must administer the phonics screening check within the 1-week period from Monday 14 June 2027.
Key Stage 2 Year 6 SATs
The statutory key stage 2 tests are timetabled from Monday 11 May to Thursday 14 May 2026.
