SATs Day One is over!

SATs Week Has Begun: Here’s What Really Matters Today

Today marks the start of SATs Week 2026 for thousands of Year 6 pupils across the country. After months of revision, practice papers, spelling tests, and maths drills, the big week is finally here.

But before children sharpen their pencils and open their test papers, there’s one important reminder every parent and teacher should hear:

SATs do not measure a child’s worth.

This morning, schools everywhere focused on helping pupils settle their nerves and feel confident ahead of the first assessments. Calm classrooms, encouraging smiles, and reassuring words can make a huge difference.

For parents at home, the best support often comes from the little things:

• A good breakfast

• Plenty of sleep

• A calm start to the morning

• Positive encouragement without pressure

Children perform best when they feel safe, supported, and believed in.

This week is not about perfection. It’s about resilience, effort, and showing what they know.

Teachers know that SATs are only one snapshot of a child’s learning journey. The qualities that truly matter — creativity, kindness, determination, curiosity, and confidence — cannot be measured on a test paper.

Still, SATs can be an important opportunity for children to recognise just how much progress they’ve made throughout primary school. Every revision session, every practice question, and every moment of perseverance has helped prepare them for this week.

To every Year 6 pupil sitting SATs today: take a deep breath, read carefully, and trust yourself. You have already achieved something brilliant by getting this far.

Good luck — you’ve got this.