KS1 SATs in Year 2: what's still assessed, and what's optional

KS1 SATs became non-statutory from the 2023–24 academic year, but many primary schools still administer them as internal assessments. They cover reading, English grammar/punctuation/spelling, and maths.

What they cover

Reading: two booklets, building from simple to longer texts. Maths: one arithmetic paper, one reasoning paper. Some schools also run a SPaG (spelling, punctuation, grammar) paper. Writing is teacher-assessed across the year.

How seriously to take them

If your school is using KS1 SATs internally, they help inform Year 3 teaching but they don't 'go on a record' that follows your child. Treat them as a useful diagnostic, not a high-stakes exam — and don't let pressure leak into your child's experience.

Helpful preparation

Reading aloud daily is the highest-leverage thing parents can do — it builds vocabulary, comprehension and confidence. For maths, focus on number bond fluency to 20 and times tables for 2s, 5s, and 10s. Stop there for Year 2.