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Primary school maths tests explained

Your child will meet a handful of formal maths assessments between Reception and Year 6. None of them is a test you can pass or fail in the way an exam is, and most are designed so that children barely notice them. This guide covers what happens in each year, what the results mean, and how to help without adding pressure. It describes schools in England; Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own systems.

Reception Baseline Assessment

The Reception Baseline Assessment (RBA) takes place in the first six weeks of Reception. It's a short, one-to-one activity with a teacher or teaching assistant, using practical tasks and pictures, and covers early maths as well as language, communication and literacy. Most children see it as a chat and a game.

It is not a test of your child. No score is given to you or to the school. The results are used later, alongside Year 6 results, to measure how much progress a school's pupils make over their time there. There is nothing to prepare for.

End of Reception: the EYFS Profile

At the end of Reception, the class teacher completes the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile. It isn't a test. The teacher uses what they have seen over the year to judge whether your child has reached the expected level in each early learning goal, including two for maths: number (understanding numbers to 10, number bonds to 5 and some to 10) and numerical patterns (counting beyond 20, comparing quantities, odd and even patterns). You'll usually hear the outcome in your child's end-of-year report.

Key Stage 1 SATs (Year 2)

Children in Year 2 used to take national maths tests at the end of Key Stage 1. They stopped being compulsory from the 2023/24 school year. Some schools still use the papers to help with their own assessment, often without children knowing it's anything special, but the results are no longer collected nationally.

If your child's school does use them, there are two maths papers: one on arithmetic (calculations) and one on reasoning (problems and explaining). Ask the class teacher if you'd like to know how they are used.

The Year 4 Multiplication Tables Check

The Multiplication Tables Check (MTC) takes place in June of Year 4. It's done on a computer or tablet and takes only a few minutes:

• 25 questions on the times tables up to 12 × 12;
• 6 seconds to answer each one;
• there is no pass mark.

Because of the time limit, the check is about instant recall: knowing that 7 × 8 = 56 rather than working it out. Schools use the results to see which children need more help with their tables. Our guide to fun ways to practise times tables explains which tables are learnt in which year and how to practise them.

Key Stage 2 SATs (Year 6)

The Key Stage 2 SATs take place in May of Year 6, all on set days across England. There are three maths papers:

• Paper 1: arithmetic. Calculations, such as long multiplication, division, fractions and decimals.
• Paper 2: reasoning. Word problems and questions that ask children to explain or show their thinking.
• Paper 3: reasoning. A second reasoning paper, the same style as Paper 2.

Calculators are not allowed. Children who need it can get support such as extra time; the school applies for this, so talk to them if you think your child might need it. There are also tests in reading and in grammar, punctuation and spelling that week.

What the scores mean

Each child's raw mark (the number of marks they scored) is turned into a scaled score. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120. A score of 100 or more means your child has reached the expected standard. The raw mark needed for 100 changes a little each year, depending on how hard the papers are, which is why scaled scores are used.

Results come back to schools in July, and the school will share your child's scores with you before the end of the summer term. Results are also passed on to your child's secondary school.

What SATs are for

SATs are mainly a way of checking how schools are doing. They don't decide which secondary school your child goes to, and a score below 100 doesn't mean your child has "failed". It tells their next teachers where they might need some extra help.

Teacher assessment

Most of what your child's teacher knows about their maths comes from everyday teaching, not formal tests: questions in lessons, work in books, short quizzes and end-of-topic tasks. Many schools also use their own tests once a term to check progress. You'll hear about all of this at parents' evenings and in your child's written report, which schools send home at least once a year.

If you'd like to know how your child is getting on, the class teacher is the best person to ask. Our year group guides show what children are expected to learn each year.

How to support your child without stress

• Keep it low-key. Children take their cue from you. If you treat a test as an ordinary part of school, they will too.
• Practise little and often all year, rather than cramming before a test. Number bonds, times tables and mental maths help with everything.
• Talk about effort, not scores. "I'm proud of how hard you've worked" helps more than talking about a target.
• Look after the basics. Sleep, breakfast and some downtime matter more than one more practice paper.
• Watch for worry. Stomach aches, trouble sleeping or "I'm going to fail" are signs to talk to your child, and their teacher. Our guide to maths anxiety has ideas.

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