maths problem solving year 6 sats

Year 6 Maths SATs Past Papers and Solutions

On this page you will find all the past papers and solutions for the maths SATs papers that students in the UK sit in Year 6 (age 10 and 11). I hope they are useful to anyone revising for or teaching this exam. 

Even if you are not a primary school teacher/student, these are incredibly useful for those in secondary education. They give a great insight into the level of work students have covered at primary school, and are a great source for extra questions

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SATs (Year-6) Maths Questions By Topics

SATs (Year 6) Maths Questions By Topics

Ultimate Year 6 SATs preparation plan from MathShed

We hope to help you and your classes in your journey to Year 6 SATs success by providing:

• Why it’s key to prepare pupils to score marks based on their learning from prior KS2 year groups
• The importance of arithmetic for meeting National Standard in the KS2 SATs
• Where to prioritise revision by blocks / areas of learning in mathematics for SATs success and how MathShed’s digital Lessons can support this
• Arithmetic practice as part of your class’s daily routine and how MathShed’s Quick Maths is perfect for that
• Downloadable worksheet or online self-marking practice papers from MathShed
• Using MathShed’s digital fluency games to consolidate key procedures
• A takeaway CPD presentation download to share all this information with your colleagues!

The Imporance of Prior Learning for KS2 SATs Success

As the chart above shows, in some years (2016 and 2017), children can meet the National Standard for age-related expectations (ARE) in their KS2 SATs without answering a single question from the Year 6 curriculum correctly.

In 2018 and 2019 where Year 6 content factors into meeting the National Standard, it is a matter of a few marks. 

So, it is really important to identify and plug any gaps in children’s mathematical learning from Years 3 to 5. 

Importance of arithmetic fluency for Year 6 SATs

To meet the National Standard in Mathematics, children need between 56 and 60 marks out of 110 in total across all three papers, which is 51-54% .

Paper 1, Arithmetic by itself is 40 marks .

Also, these skills with conceptual variation are covered heavily in the reasoning papers, Paper 2 and Paper 3.

As the bar chart shows, a good score of 90+% of marks from Paper 1 alone will get children over halfway towards meeting the National Standard.

Marks by Block or Unit of Learning within Previous KS2 SATs Papers

Four Operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division) tend to make up a mean of about 33% of all marks across the three papers each year. Combined with Number and Place Value, the total for number and operations is closer to 45% of marks as a mean. 

Fractions, Decimals and Percentages on average make up a further ~20% of marks.

Followed by Measurement, Ratio & Proportion, Geometry which make up between 5% and 10% of marks each.

Then, Algebra, Statistics and Position & Direction with each of these areas of maths make up less than 5% of total marks. 

Although it is worth focusing on areas like Algebra to encourage algebraic thinking to help in other areas of mathematics or Statistics to help where tables and charts have been used to test other aspects of the curriculum, the data does show that focusing on properties of number and the four operations should offer the greatest benefit in delivering SATs success for your pupils.

Example MathShed Lessons sequence based on prioritising scoring for SATs success

• Problem solving using addition and subtraction ( shed.ly/LYSDWZI )
• Number & place value up to 10 million ( shed.ly/LNYNPHT – a FREE sample Lesson!)
• Problem solving involving Money – mixed domain involving decimals, +/- and place value ( shed.ly/LYKQHTZ )
• If you still have any children who are struggling with any of their times tables knowledge, that is a key fix.  MathShed provides a free times tables game as part of our individual teacher and whole school subscriptions.

Using MathShed’s Quick Maths to support the learning of key skills for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division

Quick Maths, is our daily arithmetic fluency scheme, for all years from Year 1 to 6. 

All of the Year 6 Quick Maths weeks in the Spring and Summer terms, in the run-up to the SATs, are based on past papers.

MathShed’s Quick Maths provides spaced repetition for rapid recall .

From our experience, it is best to do this when children are settling into the school day in the morning or after break or lunchtime. Try to have the questions up on the board and give each child scrap paper or jotters to do their arithmetic practice. 

If you do so, children will benefit from covering similar questions each week, providing retrieval practice for key procedures and known facts.

Self-marking past paper-inspired Question Sets , for in-class or at home use

We also have practice Paper 1 question sets based on each of the sample and past papers that can be either produced as PDFs and completed on paper or completed online, that way it is self-marking and the data feeds into our curriculum competency reporting dashboard.

Using MathShed’s arithmetic fluency games for effective and engaging KS2 SATs preparation

If you identify weakness with times tables, number bond recall or mental addition and subtraction, you could use our abstract fluency games.

If you find that there are particular questions children struggle with you could then set them the corresponding Lesson or question set on MathShed.

If there are many gaps, refer back to prioritised list of objectives to cover based on the historical allocation of marks in SATs papers.

How can you use MathShed to support problem solving and reasoning for Papers 2 and 3 ?

As with Paper 1, we also have practice Paper 2 and Paper 3 question sets modelled on each of the sample and past papers that can be either produced as PDFs and completed on paper or completed online, that way it is self-marking and the data feeds into EdShed’s curriculum competency reporting dashboard.

Thanks for reading and don’t hesitate to reach out if you need any further advice or support from any of the EdShed team in helping your pupils’ journey to SATs success!

If you would like to share these insights with your colleagues, please download our Engaging and Effective Year 6 SATs Preparation presentation!

Bonus: Video Webinar recording for all of the above

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SATs Maths Reasoning Questions Year 6

Subject: Mathematics

Age range: 7-11

Resource type: Assessment and revision

Last updated

14 April 2023

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The slides in this Smart Notebook contain SATs-style reasoning questions that the children will encounter in their Y6 tests. Although children could work independently, discussion with a partner would be encouraged so that they can share problem-solving skills. Although aimed directly for those teaching Years 5/6, it is also relevant for any KS2 or Y7 teacher.

Any reviews or feedback on the content of the lesson and any improvements that could be made would be greatly appreciated.

If you like of the free resources, please check out the premium ones, including Bundle options such as the SATs Revision Collection with 44 slides of Reading resources, 67 slides to support teaching and learning in SPaG and 114 slides of Maths resources. https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12830891

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The power of the bar model part 1: Year 6 SATs 2024 reasoning paper 2 – questions and answers

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Bar modelling as a powerful maths tool

Bar modelling is an often-misunderstood tool in mathematics. Rather than a strategy to solve problems, it is more a tool to expose ‘the maths’. This is explored by Charlie Harber in her 2018 blog,  KS2 Maths SATs Papers: the power of the bar model . 

The bar model, when used consistently, can support children in tackling complex problems by enabling them to identify the knowns, unknowns and calculations.

Bar models are pictorial representations used to draw out parts and wholes to support with visualisation of a maths problem or scenario. Once the structures of additive and multiplicative models are understood, they can make something that seems complicated feel simple!

Developing a secure understanding of bar models starts in the Early Years and throughout Key Stage 1 where the foundations of part-whole relationships are explored.

In Key Stage 1 and Lower Key Stage 2, children should be given opportunities to explore both additive and multiplicative models.

Additive models will include structures of:

• aggregation – where two parts are combined
• augmentation – where one quantity is increased by an amount
• take away – where one quantity is decreased by an amount
• comparison – finding the difference between amounts

Key multiplicative models will include: 

• multiplication – where the group size and group number are known
• sharing – where the product and number of groups is known
• grouping – where the product and group size is known

If these key models are explored and understood, children can combine structures when tackling more complex worded scenarios as exemplified in the following questions from reasoning paper 2 from the 2024 Year 6 SATs.

Of the Year 6 maths SATs papers, children often find the reasoning papers the most challenging, as their ability to unpick the maths and find a starting point is challenged, as well as their maths subject knowledge.

Exploring Year 6 maths questions – structuring thinking and building confidence

Below, I have explored bar modelling with three Year 6 maths questions from the 2024 Reasoning Paper 2, and the dialogue I would use with children to support them.

Note that the language of part and whole is used in all the questions and is a concept built upon from the Early Years. 

Question 11 – bar modelling to expose the need for multiplication and division: 

The missing ‘number of children’ = 24

The missing ‘number of adults’ = 5

Question 17 – bar modelling to expose the need for addition and subtraction: 

The price of the butter is £2.50

In this case, the bar model also helps to identify that the weights provided are distractors and are not needed to solve the problem.

Question 19 – bar modelling to expose the need for addition and subtraction: 

330 seats were filled between 7pm and 8pm.

If you enjoyed this blog, keep an eye out for part 2, where my colleague will explore questions from reasoning paper 3 from the Year 6 SATs 2024.

Further professional development

Our popular training is back this year in a new format.

Across four half-day sessions, we unpick tools for supporting children in meeting age-related expectations in maths using a range of different strategies, including the bar model!

Statutory assessment outcomes from schools who participated in this training in 2023/24 show that children made, on average, 6 months more progress than their 2022/23 cohorts.

This course is also available as part of the  Year 6 teacher ticket package 2024/25 .

Resources you may be interested in

Bar modelling in maths progression

• Download sample pages  
• A combination of photos of concrete resources, pictorial bar models and abstract calculations brought together to exemplify how to solve problems from across the maths curriculum.

Year 6 maths gap finder: SATS preparation toolkit

• Diagnostic summative assessment papers for early identification of gaps
• Resources to support teaching and rehearsal of arithmetic and reasoning

Year 6 SATS analysis toolkit

• a suite of resources and analysis tools to identify specific areas of learning strength and development for pupils and classes when using any past SATs papers as practice (2016-2024).

Contains material developed by the Standards and Testing Agency for 2024 national curriculum assessments and licensed under Open Government Licence v3.0.

Charley McKay

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Help your child succeed in their SATs

The sats paper guide - free advice and help for the sats.

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Maths Reasoning Worksheet and Explanation

We’ve structured this information to help children with their education. It is targeted at children in years 5 and 6 and the questions for the worksheet have been stripped from past papers. Having an understanding of maths reasoning is part of the primary school curriculum and children will deal with maths reasoning in both KS1 and KS2.

The Information below will give an overview of the topic and we have included a detailed worksheet with full answers. The worksheet includes 30 maths reasoning questions and is relevant for KS2 pupils approaching their SATS test.

Download Free Maths Reasoning Worksheet – Questions

Download free maths reasoning worksheet – answers.

If you are not ready to download the worksheets yet, then read on for some information about maths reasoning. This has provided to introduce the topics covered in the worksheet for those that might be unfamiliar but also as a quick revision tool for those that would like a quick refresher before accessing the worksheet.

Maths Reasoning Explained

The purpose of maths reasoning.

Reasoning allows us to make sense of the world around is and problems we might face on a day-to-day basis. Maths reasoning is part of this ability and helps us to use maths in meaningful ways and in applied settings. The question sheet uses examples that we might come across in everyday life where we need to use our maths skills to make an informed decision, such as the correct train to catch or how much money I will have remaining after I have been to the shops.

How do I Develop my Maths Reasoning?

Maths reasoning is dependent on the core skills learnt in the primary curriculum and is essentially utilising these in applied scenarios. In order to improve your maths reasoning skills, it is therefore important that you continue to develop your core skills. It is also important that students are able to explain their maths reasoning using the correct terminology wherever possible.

Where Maths Reasoning is Used?

As mentioned above reasoning is something we use every day, usually without thinking. These groups describe most of the situations where we will most likely be using our maths reasoning skills:

• The first encounter of a new challenge
• When a range of starting locations are possible
• When there is missing information
• When selecting a problem-solving skill
• When evaluating a solution in context
• When there is more than one solution
• When logical and critical thinking are required
• When there are multiple ways of solving a problem
• The basis for mathematical proof

Please feel free to download the maths reasoning worksheet and answers. No registration is necessary.

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25 Year 6 Algebra Questions And Answers: KS2 Assessment Preparation

Emma Johnson

Here are 25 Year 6 SATs algebra questions designed to cover the algebraic concepts pupils are likely to encounter in the Key Stage 2 SATs.

In addition to these questions, we look in depth at the key algebraic vocabulary children should be familiar with when tackling algebraic questions ahead of the maths SATs.  

Generally, algebra appears in the KS2 reasoning papers and not the Year 6 arithmetic questions . Usually appears less frequently in KS2 maths SATs papers than other national curriculum strands such as the four operations, place value and percentages, decimals and fractions questions . 

But, it is still essential that Year 6 pupils are confident in addressing algebraic questions for their KS2 assessments so they can develop their understanding of algebra in KS3 and at GCSE. 

Why are Year 6 algebra questions important in Key Stage 2?

Understanding basic algebraic concepts and formulas in Key Stage 2 helps to lay the foundations for more complex algebra in KS3, at GCSE and beyond. It also helps to develop children’s problem solving, critical thinking and logic. 

Often, algebra may evoke anxiety in children before they even enter year 6 — they aren’t aware that they have been engaging with basic algebraic concepts since Key Stage 1. 

For example, missing number calculations in Year 1, such as 3 + \_ = 10 are the starting blocks for algebraic expressions in Year 6, such as  x + 3 = 10 . 

As educators, it is important to make pupils aware of this relationship, helping to reduce the anxiety associated with algebra. 

Similarly to ratio questions , it helps to link algebraic concepts to real-life situations when teaching algebra in KS2 . This helps to enhance pupils’ understanding. 

Demonstrating how to apply algebra in Year 6 can help pupils independently solve problems in everyday scenarios and grasp its practical relevance. 

For instance, solving the equation 3x = 24 may initially seem quite abstract. But when asked to calculate the cost of one apple, when the cost of 3 apples is 24p, pupils can contextualise the question and make connections to this algebraic concept. 

Providing children with concrete resources, visual representations and real-life situations is vital in the teaching of algebra. This approach helps pupils break down the abstract nature of algebra and develop a conceptual understanding.

Key terminology for Year 6 SATs algebra 

Children need to have an understanding of algebra terminology in order to secure their knowledge of algebraic concepts. 

Year 6 pupils will need to have an understanding of the following key terms:

• Algebra: The use of letters and symbols to represent numbers, when we don’t know the value in an equation. For example, y + 5 = 10
• Variable : A symbol (usually a letter), used to represent an unknown or changing quantity.  For example, in the number sentence 2x + 5 = 19, \; x is the variable
• Term : A single mathematical expression separated by addition or subtraction in an algebraic expression.  For example, in 4x + 6, \; 4x and 6 are terms
• Unknown: The value you are trying to work out is shown as a letter. For example, in the number sentence 3x + 4 = 13, \; x is the unknown
• Expression: A mathematical sentence using numbers and/or variables.  For example, 3x + 7 is an expression.
• Equation: a mathematical statement or expression that contains two equal sides separated by an equals sign. For example, 2y + 4 = 12 or 2y + 4 = 3x + 3 
• Formula: Algebra uses formulas, which refer to a mathematical rule or relationship that uses letters to represent amounts which can be changed. For example, 7 + x = 10 
• One- step equation : An equation which can be solved in only one step.  For example, x + 7 = 15
• Two- step equation : An algebraic equation that takes you two steps to solve.  For example, 3x + 5 = 11
• Substitution: Replacing variables in an algebraic expression with their numerical values. For example, x + 3  = 13 is equal to 10 + 3 =13 
• Pair of unknowns: A number sentence where there are two unknown values.  For example, x + y = 12 and x is 3 times greater than y . Both x and y are unknowns. 
• Enumerate: Finding all possible answers to an algebraic problem and making a complete list of answers. For example, x + y = 5 

• Balancing equations: Performing operations on both sides of a number sentence to find the missing value. For example, where 3x +12 = 24 start by subtracting 12 from both sides of the equation. 24 - 12 = 3x = 12 12 ÷ 3 = 4 x = 4

200 arithmetic and reasoning questions for Year 6

Download 100 free arithmetic questions and 100 free reasoning questions for Year 6. Includes answers and mark scheme.

How do these Year 6 algebra questions help pupils prepare for the KS2 SATs?

These Year 6 algebra questions cover the breadth of the national curriculum. They have been designed by a math expert to cover the array of algebra SATs questions pupils may encounter in the KS2 SATs. 

All problems, including algebra word problems, are contextualised to represent real-life scenarios. This helps pupils take the abstract concept and relate it to a familiar situation. 

Practising a variety of algebra questions helps familiarise pupils with the question formats they will encounter in the KS2 SATs and develop confidence in their strategies for solving them.

Each question in the sequence becomes progressively harder, providing children with the opportunity to deepen their understanding of algebra. This also means questions will challenge those pupils who are working at greater depth. 

25 Year 6 algebra questions and answers

Year 6 algebra questions: using simple formulae.

According to the national curriculum, pupils must be able to use and apply basic mathematical formulas to solve problems. To do this, they must be familiar with simple formulas and recognise the relationship between variables. 

For example, the formula to find the area of a rectangle: Area = length x width

Question 1: using simple formulae

Calculate the value of each letter below: 4a = 12 7b = 63 9c = 27

Answer: a = 3, \; b = 9, \; c = 3

a. 12 ÷ 4 = 3

b.  63 ÷ 7 = 9

c. 27 ÷ 9 = 3

Question 2: using simple formulae

Calculate the value of the letter in the equation below:

Answer: x = 4

Question 3: using simple formulae

The formula for calculating the area of a rectangle is A = ab ( A is the area and ab are adjacent sides).

A rectangle has sides with a length of 7.2cm and a width of 3.8cm. What is the area?

Answer: 27.36 \, cm^2

Question 4: using simple formulae

The formula for converting kilometres (k) to miles (m) is: k = m \times 8÷5

Use this formula to convert 20 miles into kilometres.

Answer: 32 \, km

Question 5: using simple formulae

The formula for calculating the area of a triangle is \cfrac{1}{2} \, (b \times h)

What would be the height of a triangle with an area of 300 \, cm^2 and a base of 15 \, cm ?

Answer: 4 \, cm

 More Year 6 algebra questions: Year 6 Forming Expressions Worksheets

Year 6 algebra questions: generate and describe linear number sequences

By the end of Year 6, pupils should be able to create and articulate linear number sequences where there is a constant difference between consecutive terms. 

Pupils should also be able to create sequences where they are given the first term and a constant difference to continue expanding the sequence.

Question 6: linear number sequences

What are the next two terms in this sequence?

37, 44, 51, 58, ,

Answer: 65, 72 (+ 7)

Question 7: linear number sequences

Fill in the missing numbers in this sequence:

Answer: 98, 89, 80, 71

Question 8: linear number sequences

The formula 4n + 3 is used to generate a sequence,

Give the first 5 numbers of the sequence.

Answer: 7, 11, 15, 19, 23

Question 9: linear number sequences

Here is a linear sequence:

4, 11, 18, 25

• What is the n th term? 
• What is the 15th term?

Question 10: linear number sequences

Ben has £28 at the start of the month. He spends 30p everyday day in January. How much does he have at the end of the month?

Answer: £18.70

30 x 31 = 930 (£9.30)

£28 – £9.30 = £18.70

Year 6 algebra questions: express missing number problems algebraically 

A requirement of the national curriculum is for Year 6 pupils to be able to solve problems involving unknown values using algebraic expressions or algebraic equations. 

Children first encounter missing number problems in KS1. For example: 3 +  \_ = 10 . By the end of KS2, pupils progress to writing missing expressions and solving equations for a range of real-life problem solving scenarios.

Question 11: express missing number problems 

12 more than a number is 33. Write an expression for this, using n to represent the number:

Answer: n + 12 = 33

Question 12: linear number sequences

What needs to be added to 27 to make 59?

Show the expression and the value of n.

Answer: 27 + n = 59 \quad \;

Question 13: linear number sequences

A function machine multiplies by 4 and then adds 5. What would be the expression if x was put into the function machine?

Answer: 4x + 5

Question 14: linear number sequences

An electrician charges £15 per hour and £25 for a call out. 

What is the formula to express this calculation? (Use c for the cost and h for hour)

Answer: C = 15h + 25

Question 15: linear number sequences

A painter charges £14 per hour, but in December offers a discount of £8.

• Write a formula to express this calculation (use c for cost and h for hour)
• How much would it cost to hire the painter for 8 hours in December?

Answer: a.   C = 14h - 8

Answer: b. £104

(14 x 8)-8 = 104

Year 6 algebra questions: find pairs of numbers that satisfy an equation with two unknowns

Equations with two unknowns involve two variables which are usually represented by letters such as x and y.

Each equation expresses the relationship between the variables. Pupils should be able to identify and apply pairs of numbers to the two variables in order to solve the equation.  

Question 16: pairs of numbers for two unknown values 

Find a possible solution for the following equation:

Answer: x = 6 , \; y = 3 (other possible solutions can be given)

Question 17: pairs of numbers for two unknown values 

Find a possible solution for this equation:

Answer: a = 3, \; b = 7 (other possible solutions can be given).

Question 18: pairs of numbers for two unknown values 

x is 3 times the value of y . What are the values of x and y?

Answer: x = 27, \; y = 9

Question 19: pairs of numbers for two unknown values 

If z = 25 give one possible value of x and y?

Answer: x = 6, \; y = 3.5 (other possible answers may be given)

Question 20: pairs of numbers for two unknown values 

Mason has some 50p and 20p coins. Altogether he has £2.40.

How many of each coin could he have?

Can you find the 2 possible solutions?

Answer: 2 x 50p and 7 x 20p

Or 4 x 50p and 2 x 20p

More questions: Year 6 Finding Pairs of Values Worksheet 

Year 6 algebra questions: Enumerate possibilities of combinations of 2 variables

Enumerate possibility questions involve systematically listing and exploring various combinations of values for two variables. 

By the end of KS2, pupils should be able to methodically consider various combinations of values for two variables.

Question 21: enumerate possibilities of combinations  

The total of two numbers is 15. Both numbers are between 3 and 12.

Find all possible combinations that the two numbers could be:

Answer: 4 + 11, 5 + 10, 6 + 9, 7 + 8

Question 22: enumerate possibilities of combinations 

The difference between two numbers is 7. Both numbers are between 18 and 30.

What could the numbers be? 

Find all the possible combinations.

Answer: 30 – 23, 29 – 22, 28 – 21, 27 – 20, 26 – 19

Question 21: enumerate possibilities of combinations 

Year 6 has a maths test every week and there are 15 questions on each test.

Mason worked out he scored double in the last week of term compared to the first week of term. 

How many correct answers might Mason have scored in the first week? 

Give all the possibilities.

Answer: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7

Find all the possible combinations, where x and y are whole numbers:

x < 17 and y < 27

Answer: 26 + 15, 25 + 16

Question 23: enumerate possibilities of combinations 

d is an odd number < 16 and e is a multiple of 3 < 13

What could the values of d and e be?

List all the possibilities. 

Answers: 3 x 15 + 2 x 3, 3 x 13 + 2 x 6, 3 x 11 + 2 x 9, 3 x 9 + 2 x 12

More Year 6 algebra worksheets and algebra resources 

• Year 6 Algebra and Measures Worksheet 
• Year 6 Forming and Solving One Step Equations Worksheet
• Year 6 Forming and Solving Two Step Equations Worksheet  
• Year 6 Algebra Recap  
• 15 Algebra Questions And Practice Problems (KS3 & KS4): Harder GCSE Exam Style Questions Included

While algebra does appear in Year 6 SATs questions, there are a lower percentage of algebra questions in the KS2 exams than some of the other content domains from the maths national curriculum.  Over the last 5 years, algebra questions have made up between 4\% and 9\% of the Key Stage 2 maths assessments.

Algebra is explicitly taught to children from Year 6 (age 10 and 11 ) onwards. But children are introduced to basic algebra concepts, such as missing number questions, in primary school at a much younger age.

Pupils are introduced to the concept of algebra in Year 6. According to the national curriculum, by the end of Key Stage 2, pupils should be able to:  • Use simple formulae • Generate and describe linear number sequences • Express missing number problems algebraically • Find pairs of numbers that satisfy an equation with two unknowns • Find enumerate possibilities of combinations of two variables

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How to Prepare for the Year 6 SATs

• June 17, 2021
• Alan Hepworth

For nearly all Year 6 children, SATs preparation takes centre stage in their lives: at school during classes, when working on homework assignments, and even at home. While naturally, schoolwork plays the most prominent role in preparation, parents still have an important contribution to make to their children’s study in the months leading up to the English and Maths SATs exams in May.

Preparing for the tests at home will boost your child’s confidence and help them to feel more relaxed. So, as a first-time SATs parent, how can you support your child in their SAT prep and complement what they are learning at school?

Have a look at our helpful and reassuring advice and study the practical tips that will put you and your child ahead of the SATs preparation game before they take off to secondary school.

1. Practise Mental Maths

It’s essential that your child has excellent mental maths skills when taking their Year 6 SATs. As a skill, mental maths can be improved with practise, so the more your child practises, the easier it will be for them to make calculations at lightning speed during the SATs tests.

As parents, we know that getting your child to practise maths is easier said than done.  For that reason, encourage them to integrate practise into everyday situations.

For example, ask your child to be the scorekeeper in a Scrabble game, to count the change when you’re out shopping for groceries, or even to double-check receipts. Without a calculator your child will be compelled to use their mental maths skills.

The more often they’re exposed to these types of situations, the sharper their mental maths skills will become and the faster they’ll progress!

2. Do a Lot of Reading

A big chunk of your child’s Year 6 SATs English exam will test their ability to demonstrate comprehension skills. In essence, reading comprehension is all about processing text, understanding its message, or meaning, and integrating it with prior knowledge.

Since the text for this section of the exam is not known until the exam itself, there is no material to memorise; the best preparation method is for your child to read as much as they can.

Do your best to encourage and guide them through texts and books of different styles, tones, and subjects. The most important part is to allocate time after each reading period for discussion. Discuss characters, text structure, vocabulary, and any other aspect of the text your child is interested in.

Ideally, your child will make reading a habit and find it enjoyable rather than equate it with ‘study’.  They will also enjoy discussing their thoughts with you so make it feel like quality knowledge time. These sessions will be more helpful than you think because your child is

simultaneously revising, preparing, and improving their comprehension skills for their Year 6 SATs. Over time, their decoding of words will significantly improve, and the SATs will be a piece of cake!

3. Be Your Child’s Teacher: Teach Them Fractions

Based on past maths SATs results, Year 6 children tend to face difficulties with multi-step maths questions, especially fractions. Integrating addition, subtraction, division, or multiplication and times tables almost always acts as a stumbling block for children.

Unfortunately, though, fractions are an inevitable part of the SATs maths tests. So, as part of their preparation, you and your child should practise questions that involve multiple steps. But before that, we recommend going back to the basics.

Some children can work their way through fractions without any understanding of the concept behind them, so put on your teacher’s hat during this phase and ensure that your child has a solid foundation when it comes to fractions.

Once you’re sure that they’ve fully grasped the concept, start introducing the advanced questions. Solve as many SATs questions as possible – it’s much better for your child to become surprised or confused at home than during the exam!

4. Focus on Problem-Solving

To put things into perspective, at Year 6 SATs level, pupils must sit three maths papers: one arithmetic SATs paper and two reasoning SATs papers.

Your child will be presented with both straightforward and more complex problems, including multi-step problems on the arithmetic SATs paper. In contrast, the SATs reasoning papers test children’s ability to apply their understanding of different areas of mathematics and to select relevant information to present answers in a correct context.

When tackling reasoning questions, an inability to pinpoint the key information may result in your child providing incorrect solutions. Yet, problem-solving is always an integral part of both arithmetic and reasoning questions.

Because of that it would be helpful during your child’s SATs revision to focus on problem-solving tricks and guidance related to the main mathematical concepts and operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

Get your child to solve as many problems as possible, and touch on fraction calculations, decimals, and percentages.

Another key element of SATs revisions is to make sure your child knows how to show their workings.

5. Solve Inference and Deduction Worksheets and SATs Papers

Preparing for the comprehension skill tests in the Year 6 SATs, means focusing on inference and deduction questions. To clarify, inference questions are those that require students to “read between the lines” of a text, and deduction questions are those that require them to read “beyond the text”.

Once your child masters these skills, consider them a master of the Year 6 SATs, too!

So, what do these questions look like within the SATs tests, and how are these skills tested? Here are a couple of examples:

Inference :

…like a toy sitting on a glass table.

What does this description suggest about the boat?

Here, kids are expected to understand and explain how the meaning is enhanced through word choices. For example, the correct answer could be either that the boat was small or insignificant or that it was still or unmoving, creating no ripples.

Gaby thinks she made two mistakes while trying to rescue the cat.

What is the first mistake that Gaby made while trying to rescue the cat?

Here, teachers will look for students’ abilities to retrieve and record information and identify key details from both fiction and nonfiction text. The correct answer would be that Gaby looking down is the first mistake she makes.

So that your child can build confidence in inference and deduction of knowledge questions, it’s highly recommended they read a considerable amount to build a wide vocabulary. Secondly, Year 6 SATs workbooks are available – your child can work through questions and assessments. Some are in the form of games and will help your child progress effectively.

Plus, of course, there are always SATs practice papers to indicate which types of question should be expected.

6. Work Through as Many SATs Practice Papers as Possible

One of the best ways parents can help their children prepare for their Year 6 SATs exams is through SATs practice papers – still the best among all SATs resources for revision.

SATs practice tests cover everything included in the exam, such as English and Maths and their related branches: reading, English grammar, punctuation, and spelling, and fractions, algebra, division, and multiplication etc.

To help your child prepare effectively for the Year 6 SATs exams, encourage them to focus on working through as many practice papers as possible. They are an excellent way for students to get acquainted with the SATs exam format, layout, and question styles.

Plus, the answers and marks are included which helps the learning process.

It’s best to introduce practice papers early on into your child’s preparation process to ensure that they have sufficient experience in answering questions under time constraints.

Speaking of time constraints, it’s common for students to score significantly less in the questions at the end of the SATs tests, although they aren’t necessarily more difficult. This phenomenon has been attributed to children struggling with time management so, work with your child to improve that skill, perhaps by running timed exam sessions at home.

As a parent, the best preparation you can give your child for their Year 6 SATs is to provide them with your experience of effective time management, advise them how much time they have to answer each question type, how to eliminate incorrect answers, and what to do when they’re stuck on a question during their SATs test.

And of course, exercise what they’ve learnt by putting it to the test!

Tip: Students should be able to complete each of the SATs papers with ten minutes to spare for revision or to go back to any unanswered questions: that should be your target.

Your Child Is Ready to Ace Their Year 6 SATs!

The tips we’ve presented and discussed in this guide are all quite simple. There is no necessity to use all of the techniques, just use the combination that you know will work for your child.

Remember, the whole idea behind these tips is to improve your child’s confidence and reduce stress on the day of the SATs, and the key is to make good progress with practice. So, make sure your child gets plenty of it and focuses on the key skills before SATs week!

At the same time, try to make your child’s final primary school year an exciting one and encourage them to make memories along the way before they ace their SATs and head off to secondary school!

If you need help from one of our maths tutors in Jersey , then please get in touch.

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