The main purpose of the SATs is to measure how much students have mastered the knowledge and skills set out in the national curriculum by the end of KS2.
Benchmarking Academic Achievement: SATs provide a nationwide standardised measure of student performance. This helps to ensure that all students are held to the same academic standards regardless of where they attend school. It also allows parents to make more informed choices when applying to primary schools.
Secondary School Progression: The results of SATs are passed on to secondary schools, offering them valuable insights into the academic levels of incoming students.
Guiding Teacher Assessment: While SATs results are essential, they are used alongside teacher assessments to provide a more comprehensive picture of a child's abilities. Teachers can use this data to identify areas where students might need additional support.
Accountability: SATs results contribute to school performance metrics, which can be used by education authorities to monitor and compare the effectiveness of schools. This data can inform decisions about resource allocation, interventions, and policy-making.
Highlighting Areas for Improvement: For both students and schools, SATs can highlight areas where further improvement is needed. This can lead to targeted support and interventions that help boost educational outcomes.