English SATs Papers
Download English SATs papers for free.
Download KS2 English SATs Papers
English Reading SATs Papers
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Download these English Reading SATs papers to help prepare children for their KS2 SATs. Ensure you download both the Reading Booklet and Reading Answer Booklet.
The KS2 English Reading papers test children's comprehension skills. Texts can be fiction, non-fiction or poetry. Use these, together with the relevant mark scheme to help your child improve their comprehension exam technique.
Download KS2 GaPS SATs Papers
Table of Contents
About KS2 English SATs Papers
KS2 English SATs papers are part of KS2 SATs, the formal national assessment tests that children take in Year 6, the final year of Key Stage 2.
The KS2 English SATs tests are written by the Standards and Testing Agency (STA) and form a major part of the KS2 SATs papers in schools.
English KS2 SATs tests are split into three separate papers.
These three papers are:
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KS2 English Reading
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KS2 Grammar, Punctuation & Spelling (Paper 1, Short Answer Questions)
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KS2 Grammar, Punctuation & Spelling (Paper 2, Spelling)
Writing is still a part of KS2 SATs but it's no longer a formal, externally marked exam. Instead, schools use informal teacher assessments to assess the quality of their writing.
About English Reading KS2 SATs Papers
The KS2 English reading SATs paper is a formal English comprehension test.
Key details for the KS2 English reading test:
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There is only one KS2 English reading test.
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The test lasts 60 minutes.
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The test is out of a total of 50 marks.
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Children are asked an average of 37 questions (found within the Reading Answer Booklet).
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The questions relate to 3 separate texts (found within the Reading Booklet).
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Children's scores will be reported as a scaled score.
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The 2025 KS2 English reading test is scheduled to take place on Tuesday 13th May 2025.
What's the pass mark for the KS2 English Reading Test?
To reach the expected standard in the 2022 Key Stage 2 English reading test, children needed to achieve a raw score of 29 out of 50.
Between 2016 and 2022, the average raw score required to achieve the expected standard in English reading is 26 out of 50.
What do KS2 English Reading Tests look like?
When children sit their 2 English Reading test, they can expect to receive two printed booklets. These are:
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KS2 English Reading - Reading Booklet
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KS2 English Reading - Reading Answer Booklet
What's in the KS2 English Reading Booklet?
The KS2 English reading booklet is a colourful booklet that contains all the texts.
Each reading booklet contains three separate and unrelated texts.
These texts will be either fiction, non-fiction or poetry.
The KS2 English Reading booklet is approximately 12 pages long.
What's in the KS2 English Reading Answer Booklet?
The KS2 English reading answer booklet contains all the questions that children need to answer. Children read these questions and answer them in the spaces provided within the booklet.
The reading answer booklet is split into three sections, each dealing with a specific text within the corresponding reading booklet.
The questions vary between being multiple choice, a tick in a box, a connection between two boxes, a short written answer or a long-form answer (i.e. sentences with appropriate grammar and punctuation).
There are no questions that ask pupils to compare between two different texts.
The reading answer booklet is approximately 20 pages long and contains between 33 and 40 questions.
How can I prepare for the KS2 English Reading test?
The best way to start preparing for the KS2 English reading test is to download and use our past SATs papers.
By using a past SATs paper your child will be able to familiarise themselves with what the papers look like. They will also gain valuable experience in the timings required to finish the paper and the answers they're expected to write.
Download past key stage 2 SATs papers from 2016 onwards as those before 2016 relate to the previous national curriculum. The sample papers made in preparation for 2016 are also suitable.
Ensure you download the mark schemes. The marking scheme contains the answers together with notes to help parents and teachers mark children's work correctly.
The scaled scores document should also be downloaded in order to convert your child's raw score into a scaled score.
About the KS2 Grammar, Punctuation & Spelling (GaPS) Tests
The KS2 grammar, punctuation and spelling (or GaPS) test is split into two: Paper 1 (short-answer questions) and paper 2 (spelling).
Key details for the KS2 Grammar, Punctuation & Spelling SATs Tests:
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Grammar, punctuation and spelling (paper 1) is a short-answer question paper.
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Grammar, punctuation and spelling (paper 2) is a spelling test.
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Paper 1 lasts for 45 minutes and is out of 50 marks.
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Paper 2 lasts for approximately 20 minutes and is out of 20 marks.
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Paper 1 asks children 50 single-mark questions.
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Paper 2 requires children to listen to their teacher read aloud 20 words. Children need to spell these words correctly within their booklets.
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Paper 2 is administered straight after paper 1.
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The scores of both papers are added together to form a raw score out of 70 before being converted into a scaled score.
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The 2025 KS2 grammar, punctuation and spelling papers are scheduled to take place on Monday 12th May 2025.
What's the pass mark for KS2 GaPS?
To reach the expected standard in the 2022 Key Stage 2 grammar, punctuation and spelling tests, pupils needed to achieve a raw score of 35 out of 70. Note, this is the total raw score across paper 1 and 2.
Between 2016 and 2022, the average raw score required to achieve the expected standard in grammar, punctuation and spelling is 38 out of 70.
What do KS2 Grammar, Punctuation & Spelling Tests look like?
When pupils sit their Key Stage 2 English Reading test, they can expect to receive two printed booklets. These are:
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KS2 GaPS Paper 1 (Short-Answer Questions)
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KS2 GaPS Paper 1 (Spelling)
What's in the KS2 GaPS Paper 1 (Short-Answer Questions) Booklet?
The KS2 GaPS paper 1 booklet is typical SATs exam question booklet.
The questions vary between being multiple choice, a tick in a box, a connection between two boxes or a short written answer (e.g. a single word).
The KS2 grammar, punctuation and spelling (paper 1) booklet is approximately 28-32 pages long.
What's in the KS2 GaPS Paper 2 (Spelling) Booklet?
The KS2 GaPS paper 2 booklet contains 20 sentences, each with one word missing. It's the missing word that pupils need to spell correctly.
As their teacher reads through the test, they will read the missing word by itself and then read it again within the sentence. This gives pupils adequate time to identify the missing word and spell it correctly within the booklet.
This booklet is only 4 pages long and contains exactly 20 missing words to spell.
How can I prepare for the Key Stage 2 GaPS tests? Free SATs Papers!
As with the English reading paper, the best preparation for this test is to download and use our past SATs papers and schedule plenty of private study.
Past KS2 SATs papers allow your child to familiarise themselves with what the papers look and feel like. This is especially valuable for paper 2 (spelling) as it's a unique listening test.
Download free SATs papers from previous years and ensure you only use those from 2016 onwards as those before 2016 relate to the previous national curriculum. The sample papers made in preparation for 2016 are also suitable.
Ensure you download the marking scheme, scaled scores and audio recordings for paper 2. The audio recordings will be particularly helpful in preparing your child for the spelling test.
