SATs: Building Confidence for Test Week

What SATs Week Actually Feels Like

For children, SATs week often feels like the whole school holds its breath. The hall looks different — desks in rows, silence instead of chatter, adults walking quietly between tables. Even if no one says "this matters," children sense the shift in energy around them.

As someone who's guided hundreds of children through SATs over 15 years of teaching, I want to tell you something important: the feelings you and your child have about SATs are completely normal. SATs are real assessments, but they're a snapshot — one week in May — not a verdict on who your child is or who they'll become.

The children who feel steady walking into that hall aren't necessarily the ones who've practised most. They're the ones who've built genuine understanding, who trust their own thinking, and who know that one test doesn't define them.

What SATs Actually Test

SATs can feel mysterious until you understand what's really being assessed. Here's the straightforward truth:

English Reading tests whether your child can:

Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling (GPS) tests whether your child can:

Maths tests whether your child can:

Worth noting: Writing is assessed by teachers throughout the year, not in a timed test. Science is teacher-assessed too, with occasional sampling.

SATs assess the National Curriculum — the same content your child has been learning throughout primary school. The questions aren't trying to catch children out. They're checking whether children can apply what they've learned.

Why Understanding Builds Confidence

Here's what a strong body of research suggests: children who feel ready tend to perform closer to their true ability. Anxiety narrows thinking; calm allows knowledge to flow.

But here's the important part: confidence comes from genuine competence. It's the feeling of "I know how to approach this" — built through understanding concepts deeply, not memorising tricks. When children have practised applying their knowledge in varied situations, they develop the kind of quiet self-trust that serves them well.

Intensive last-minute revision often backfires. It can create a particular kind of anxiety: "I've done so much and I still don't feel ready — what's wrong with me?" Steady practice over time tends to work better — and feel better.

How Kidfriendly Supports Your Child

This is where I get genuinely excited about what Kidfriendly offers.

Practice that feels achievable

The system aims to keep practice in a sweet spot — mostly successful with gentle stretch. When your child is finding things hard, the next questions can ease where possible. When they're flying, challenge increases. Sessions are designed to start and end with confidence-building questions where possible, and after two questions they get wrong first time, the system prioritises a gentler next step when one is available.

Curriculum-aligned, SATs-style practice

Kidfriendly's core KS1 and KS2 practice is mapped to the National Curriculum, aligned with Standards and Testing Agency frameworks. This covers the broad range of question types commonly seen in SATs papers.

Gap-filling that's systematic

Rather than throwing everything at your child, the system identifies where foundations need strengthening and focuses there. The result is steady progress rather than random coverage — and it's kinder than stacks of worksheets.

Sessions built for young attention spans

Around 5 minutes of focused puzzle time builds genuine stamina without exhaustion. Little and often beats weekend marathons.

Tips for SATs Season

Consistency matters more than intensity

Regular short practice sessions work better than occasional long ones. But if you're starting later than you'd hoped — don't worry. Steady work starting now still makes a real difference. There's no magic window that closes.

Protect sleep fiercely

Tired children don't think clearly. In the weeks before SATs, sleep matters more than extra revision. Full stop.

Check your own feelings first

Children are remarkably good at reading adult emotions. Before talking about SATs, notice what you're feeling. It's okay to say, "I know it feels like a big deal, but we can handle it together" — that's more helpful than pretending it doesn't matter or transmitting hidden anxiety.

Talk about tests honestly

Children know SATs exist. Acknowledge the reality: "Yes, you'll do some tests. They help teachers understand what you've learned. We'll prepare sensibly, and you'll be ready." Then move on to something fun.

Celebrate effort and approach

When your child works through a practice session thoughtfully, that's worth noticing — regardless of the score. "I saw you really think about that one" matters more than "You got 9 out of 10."

Know when to stop

The week before SATs isn't for intensive revision. It's for early nights, favourite dinners, and quiet reassurance. The learning is already done.

The Bigger Picture

SATs measure a narrow slice of what your child knows, in a particular way, on particular days in May. They don't measure creativity, kindness, resilience, curiosity, or the qualities that will actually shape your child's life.

Prepare thoughtfully. Take SATs seriously enough to build real readiness. But hold them lightly enough to remember what matters: a child who believes in their capacity to learn, who sees challenge as interesting rather than threatening, and who finishes primary school with their love of learning intact.

That's what Kidfriendly is built for. Not just test performance — though that matters — but the deeper confidence that comes from genuinely understanding things and knowing you can face a challenge.

Your child can do this. With steady preparation and your support, they'll walk into that hall feeling ready.

Kidfriendly's adaptive learning covers SATs-style question types for KS2, mapped to current DfE guidance. Ready to see it in action?