This year's SATs results have just been released and there's been a slight improvement in how well pupils have performed overall.

Nationally, there were higher results in reading, writing and science, while standards in maths and grammar, punctuation and spelling remained the same as last year.

While many parents have already received their child's SATs results, others will get them this week, as they are often sent home in end of term reports.

And, with Year 6 kids heading off to secondary school in September, it's left parents wondering just how important these results are to their high school education.

How do secondary schools use SATs tests?

Former secondary school teacher Ryan Lockett – who now works as director of studies at tutoring company TLC LIVE – said that schools use SATs results to determine pupils' GCSE target grades.

Adding that these tests are 'crucial' for helping secondary schools predict future academic performance, Ryan said they set the 'appropriate target grades across subjects'.

He said: 'Schools use SATs results towards GCSE target grades.

'SATs are crucial for helping secondary schools predict future academic performance and setting appropriate target grades across subjects.

'This process ties directly into secondary school performance measures via Progress 8 scores, which assess schools based on whether students meet, exceed, or underperform against predicted scores derived from their SATs results.

'For instance, students with high SATs scores (108-120) are often expected to achieve GCSE grades of 7 or higher, whereas those in the lower ability range (less than 89) might be working towards a grade 4.

Do SATs affect class sets?

Yes. Pupils' SATs results can also help to set students into appropriate forms or streams, which is especially prevalent in schools that begin streaming in Year 7.

But this is not always the case.

It is common, adds Ryan, for some schools to 'rely on internal assessments rather than SATs for setting streams' instead.

They'll also often postpone any decision making until Year 8 or later.

Ryan adds:

'This flexibility allows schools to better assess each student's capabilities and learning needs over time, ensuring a more tailored and effective education plan that can adapt to the learner's progress and development.'

Can schools predict how well my child will do in their GCSEs?

Yes. Ryan explains that high SATs scores – that's between 108 and 120 – can often indicate that students will get grades of 7 or higher in their GCSEs.

But those who achieve a score of less than 89 are more likely to get a grade 4 in their GCSEs.

Ryan says:

'For instance, students with high SATs scores (108-120) are often expected to achieve GCSE grades of 7 or higher, whereas those in the lower ability range (less than 89) might be working towards a grade 4.'

What are SATs?

SATs (Standard Assessment Tests) are sat by children in Year 6 in May each year, and carried out by all state schools in the UK.

As part of their SATs, pupils are tested on English grammar, punctuation and spelling, English reading and mathematics.

A government spokesperson said: 'The tests help measure the attainment of pupils in relation to the standards set out in the national curriculum, and help teachers and parents identify where pupils may need additional support in a certain subject area.

'The tests are also used to assess schools’ performance, and school-level results data is used to produce national and regional performance statistics.'

What do SATs scores mean?

Pupils will get both a raw score and a scaled score in their results.

Parents can convert their raw score, or the number of marks they receive, to a scaled score through a table on the government's website here.

A scaled score:

• below 100 means that your child may need more support to help them reach the expected standard;
• of 100 or more means that your child is working at, or above, the expected standard for the key stage.

To meet the government's grade expectations, pupils must achieve 100 in their scaled scores.

Pupils must get at least the following raw scores in order to achieve the scaled score of 100.

• Maths – 54 out of 110 (down from 56 in 2023)
• Reading – 27 out of 50 (up from 24 in 2023)
• Grammar, punctuation and spelling – 35 out of 70 (down from 36 in 2023)

When will parents find out how their children have done?

There is no exact date set by the government for when pupils and parents find out the results, but many parents have already been told.

Other pupils will get their results this week.

Typically, parents get them in their child's end of year reports, which are usually sent out during the last week of the school term in July.