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Year 6 SATs Results Guide 2026
Year 6 SATs results can leave parents wondering what the scores mean, whether their child has met the expected standard, and how to support their child as they settle into secondary school. This guide explains the 2026 results clearly and gives families a calm next step if extra support is needed.
Raw marks needed to meet the expected standard in 2026
The 2026 key stage 2 SATs scaled score tables have now been published, and the expected-standard raw marks are now confirmed. To meet the expected standard, pupils needed a scaled score of 100, but the raw mark needed to reach 100 was different for each test.
When are Year 6 SATs results released in 2026?
Schools received the 2026 Year 6 SATs results on 16 July 2026. Schools usually share the results with parents through end-of-year reports or direct communication. Parents do not normally receive a national public release time in the same way as GCSE or A-level results.
Note: Results timing can change, so parents should always follow the latest communication from their child’s school.
Why were SATs results delayed in 2026?
The Department for Education delayed the 2026 results to schools from 7 July to 16 July because of problems with test-delivery systems. Read the government review. For parents, the main takeaway is simple. The delay does not change what your child sat, and it does not mean there is a problem with your child’s performance.
- The delay affects the timetable for receiving results, not the content of the tests.
- Schools still receive the outcomes and then share them with families.
- If you need a copy of the results, ask your child’s school how to access the report.
- Focus on what the results mean for your child’s learning now, rather than the earlier wait.
| Quick facts | What parents need to know |
|---|---|
| Who gets results first? | Schools receive KS2 test outcomes first and then share them with parents. |
| What subjects are included? | Reading, mathematics, and English grammar, punctuation and spelling. |
| What score means expected standard? | A scaled score of 100 or more means the expected standard has been met. |
| What is the score range? | KS2 scaled scores run from 80 to 120. |
How Year 6 SATs scaled scores work
SATs results are not just a simple raw mark total. The marks your child gets on each test are converted into a scaled score, which helps make results more comparable from year to year even if one paper is slightly harder than another.
100 means expected standard
A scaled score of 100 means your child has met the expected standard in that test.
80 to 120 scale
The lowest possible scaled score is 80 and the highest possible scaled score is 120.
Raw scores are converted
The number of marks needed to reach 100 can change from year to year because papers vary slightly in difficulty.
Worried about your child’s SATs result?
If the result is lower than expected, the next step is not panic. It is to understand where the gaps are and decide whether your child would benefit from focused support before Year 7.
What 99, 100, 110 and 120 really mean
Parents often want to know whether a score is “good”. The most useful first check is whether your child reached the expected standard. After that, the score gives you a broad idea of how secure they are in the subject.
- 99 or below means the expected standard was not met in that test.
- 100 means the expected standard was met.
- 110 is a strong result and shows performance comfortably above the expected standard.
- 120 is the highest possible scaled score.
| Scaled score | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 80 to 99 | Expected standard not met in that test. |
| 100 | Expected standard achieved. |
| 101 to 109 | Secure performance above the expected standard. |
| 110 to 119 | Strong performance, well above the expected standard. |
| 120 | Highest possible scaled score. |
A practical way to use SATs results
Read the report calmly
Look at each subject separately. One result does not define your child overall.
Spot strengths and gaps
Use the scores to understand where your child feels secure and where they may need a little more support.
Think ahead to Year 7
The most useful question is often not “Was this high enough?” but “What will help my child feel more confident in Year 7?”
Use tutoring if confidence is low
Short, focused support can help children revisit reading, maths or grammar during the transition into secondary school.
Common Year 6 SATs results questions
When are Year 6 SATs results coming?
Schools received the 2026 outcomes on 16 July 2026 and then shared them with parents.
What time do results come out?
There is not usually a parent-facing national release time. Schools receive them and pass them on.
Will my child’s secondary school use them?
They may be one reference point, but transition information and school-based assessment still matter too.
If SATs results knock confidence, support can make Year 7 feel easier
Some children finish Year 6 feeling proud. Others feel unsure about reading, maths or grammar, especially if the result was lower than hoped. National Learning Group offers online tutoring that can help children strengthen core skills and return to school feeling more settled and more capable.
- Online tutoring matched to age, subject and confidence level.
- Support for primary learners and transition into Year 7.
- Tell us where your child needs support and NLG can help identify a suitable online tutor. Standard lesson prices and cancellation terms apply.
Related guides
Continue exploring helpful parent guidance in the Knowledge Hub.
Year 6 SATs results FAQs
For 2026, pupils needed 56 out of 110 in maths, 25 out of 50 in reading, and 34 out of 70 in grammar, punctuation and spelling to reach the expected scaled score of 100.
The 2026 school results release moved from 7 July to 16 July because of delivery-system problems. The delay did not change the tests children sat or imply a problem with any individual child’s performance.
Schools received the 2026 KS2 results on 16 July 2026. Parents should still check updates from their own school because each school may share results in a different way.
A scaled score of 100 means the expected standard has been met. Scores above 100 show stronger performance, while scores below 100 mean the expected standard was not met in that test.
120 is the highest possible scaled score. There is no simple fixed figure that applies every year, and for most parents the most useful focus is understanding whether their child met the expected standard and what support they may need next.
Yes. A score of 110 is a strong result and sits comfortably above the expected standard of 100.
Parents do not usually receive a national public results time. The results are sent to schools, and schools then share them with families, often in end-of-year reports.
Helpful guides to read after SATs results
SATs results usually raise follow-up questions. These related guides help parents move from understanding the score to choosing the right support before the start of Year 7.
SATs scaled scores explained
Understand raw marks, scaled scores, the expected standard and why the score needed for 100 can change each year.
If your child did not meet the expected standard
Learn what a below-100 result means, how to talk to your child about it, and what support may help.
Year 6 to Year 7 transition support
Prepare for secondary school with focused support in maths, English, confidence and learning routines.
Where this SATs results guidance comes from
This guide has been written for parents using official GOV.UK information on KS2 scaled scores, expected standards and national curriculum assessments, with NLG guidance added to help families understand what the results may mean for confidence, transition and next steps.
Worried about SATs results before Year 7?
If your child could use extra reassurance in reading, maths or English as they settle into Year 7, explore the right support. We can help you decide whether one-to-one online support is the right next step.