SATs vs 11 Plus: Know the Difference between SATs and 11+

SATs and the 11 plus are completely different exams. SATs are national tests taken by all Year 6 children in state schools in May. They measure school performance and do not affect which secondary school your child attends. The 11 plus(11+) is an optional exam taken in September or October of Year 6 by children applying to grammar schools. It does directly determine grammar school entry. If you are not applying to a grammar school, you only need to think about SATs. If you are, the 11 plus is by far the more important exam. 

Your child is in Year 5 or Year 6. You keep hearing about SATs and the 11 plus. Both involve tests. Both happen around the same time of year. But they are not the same thing at all. This guide clears up every piece of confusion once and for all.

The key differences between SATs and 11 plus at a glance

Here is the simplest possible side-by-side comparison. Everything else in this guide builds on this table.

What are SATs and what do they test?

SATs stands for Standard Assessment Tests (sometimes called Statutory Assessment Tests). They are national tests set by the government and taken by every child in Year 6 at state primary schools in England, in the second week of May each year.

The purpose of SATs is to measure how well primary schools are teaching the national curriculum and to give secondary schools a snapshot of each incoming pupil's academic level. They are not designed to be competitive. Every child who attends a state school takes them.

What subjects do SATs cover?

English Reading

One paper of 60 minutes. Children read fiction, non-fiction and poetry texts and answer comprehension questions testing vocabulary, inference, retrieval and analysis. 

Maths (3 papers)

Paper 1 tests arithmetic (30 minutes). Papers 2 and 3 test reasoning and problem-solving (40 minutes each). All three are taken in the same week.

Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling

Paper 1 tests grammar and punctuation knowledge (45 minutes). Paper 2 is a spelling test of 20 words (20 minutes), dictated in sentences.

Writing (teacher assessed)

Writing is not tested by a SATs paper. Teachers assess pupils throughout the year and submit a judgement. There is no formal written paper for writing.

How are SATs scored?

Raw marks are converted into scaled scores on a scale of 80 to 120. A score of 100 means your child has met the expected standard for a Year 6 pupil. A score of 110 or above indicates greater depth. The 2025 national average across all subjects was around 105 to 106.

What do SATs results NOT do?

• They do not determine which secondary school your child attends. School places are offered in March, and SATs do not happen until May.

• They are not used for grammar school admissions. Grammar schools use the 11 plus only.

• They do not follow your child beyond Year 7. No employer or university ever asks about Year 6 SATs results.

• They do not rank children against each other competitively. They measure attainment against a national standard, not a cohort.

What subjects does the 11 plus cover?

English

Reading comprehension at a more demanding level than SATs. Some regions also include creative writing. Questions test inference, language analysis and vocabulary at a higher level than the national curriculum.

Maths

Based on the Key Stage 2 curriculum but with more demanding problem-solving and multi-step questions. Often includes topics beyond standard Year 6 school content.

Verbal Reasoning

Word connections, letter sequences, analogies, code words and logic problems using language. Not taught in school. Requires specific preparation. A major component of most 11 plus exams.

Non-Verbal Reasoning

Pattern recognition, shape sequences, rotations and spatial logic. Uses visual information only. Not taught in school. Requires dedicated practice to develop.

Is the 11 plus the same everywhere?

No. The 11 plus format varies depending on where you live. Some regions use GL Assessment papers. Others use CEM (Durham University) papers. A few schools set their own bespoke tests. The subjects tested, the number of papers and the scoring system all differ between regions. Always check the specific exam format used by your target grammar schools before planning preparation.

Which comes first: SATs or the 11 plus?

This surprises many parents: the 11 plus comes first, by several months.

The 11 plus is sat in September or October of Year 6. Grammar school offers are made on National Offer Day in March. SATs happen in the second week of May, months after grammar school places have already been decided and accepted.

For families applying to grammar schools, this means the 11 plus is the priority preparation task from the start of Year 6. SATs preparation can follow later, from January onwards, once the 11 plus is done and dusted.

1. Spring and Summer, Year 5 - Begin 11 plus preparation

Research grammar schools, attend open days, begin tuition. The most prepared children start in Year 4.

2. April to July, Year 6 - Register for the 11 plus

Registration windows vary by region. Most open between April and June and close before the summer. Never miss this window.

3. September to October, Year 6 - The 11 plus exam takes place

This is the exam that determines grammar school eligibility. Results arrive in October. School choices must be submitted by 31st October via the Common Application Form.

4. January to April, Year 6 - SATs preparation begins

With the 11 plus complete, children can now shift focus to SATs familiarisation. Three to four months is plenty for most children.

5. Second week of May, Year 6 - SATs take place

Reading, Maths and GPS papers are sat across four days. Grammar school places were decided back in March and are entirely unaffected by SATs results.

6. July, Year 6 - SATs results released to schools

Schools receive results in early July and share them with parents in end-of-year reports. Results inform Year 7 setting but have no bearing on school admission.

SATs vs 11 plus: what each exam actually covers

Beyond the subject lists, there are some important differences in how each exam approaches the content it tests.

Difficulty level

SATs are aligned to the Year 6 national curriculum. They are designed to be achievable for a typical Year 6 pupil. The 11 plus is significantly harder by design. It aims to identify the top 25 to 30% of academic performers, which means it has to stretch well beyond what school teaches.

Time pressure

SATs give most children enough time to work through the papers comfortably. The 11 plus operates under much tighter time constraints, designed so that many children will not finish every section. Time management is a critical skill in the 11 plus in a way that it simply is not in SATs.

What is and is not taught in school

Every subject in SATs is covered by the national curriculum. Teachers spend the whole of primary school building the knowledge tested in May. Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning, which make up a significant portion of most 11 plus exams, are not taught in state primary schools at all. A child who has never seen a Verbal Reasoning question before will find it genuinely confusing even if they are academically very able.

Which exam actually affects your child's future?

This is the question that matters most, and the answer is clear.

The 11 plus determines grammar school admission

If your child is applying to a grammar school, passing the 11 plus is the gate they must pass through. There is no other route. SATs results have absolutely no influence on grammar school admissions, not even as a supplementary consideration. Grammar schools see 11 plus scores, not SATs scores.

SATs do not determine any secondary school admission

SATs results are released in July. Secondary school places have already been allocated in March, months earlier. The secondary school your child attends is decided before SATs happen, based on catchment area, siblings, faith criteria and (for grammar schools) 11 plus results. SATs are simply not part of this process.

SATs do have some limited uses

Secondary schools use SATs results to understand incoming pupils' starting points when they join Year 7. Some schools use them for initial setting or to identify pupils who might benefit from additional support. But this happens within the school your child has already been allocated to. SATs results never affect which school they attend.

How to prepare for each exam

The amount and type of preparation each exam needs is very different. Here is an honest guide to what each one actually requires.

Preparing for SATs

For most children, three to four months of regular SATs practice from January to April is sufficient. SATs test content that school already teaches, so preparation is mainly about familiarising your child with the exam format and practising under light time pressure.

• Read every day throughout primary school. This single habit helps more than any specific SATs preparation.

• Learn times tables to instant recall (up to 12 x 12) as early as possible.

• Work through two to three practice sessions per week from January, each of 30 to 45 minutes.

• Use official past papers and practice books to build familiarity with question formats.

• Tutoring is not usually necessary for SATs unless your child has significant gaps or severe exam anxiety.

Preparing for the 11 plus

The 11 plus requires significantly more preparation, typically six to twelve months of structured work. This is partly because the exam is much more demanding, but mainly because two of its core subjects (Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning) are not taught in school at all.

• Start preparation in Year 4 or Year 5 to give your child enough time to build skills gradually.

• Cover all four subjects, including Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning from early on.

• Work through timed practice papers regularly under exam conditions.

• Work with an expert tutor who knows the specific format used by your target grammar schools.

• Sit at least one full mock exam before the real thing to build familiarity and reduce anxiety.

Our 11 plus tutors at Pass 11 Plus Grammar cover all four subjects in structured, progressive sessions designed to build both skill and confidence over time. Our free 11+ practice papers are available to download right now across all subjects. For children heading into the final summer before the September exam, our 11 plus intensive courses and 11 plus mocks give them everything they need to walk into the exam room feeling genuinely ready.

Which exam should your family focus on?

If you are not applying to grammar schools

Focus on SATs only. There is no need to register for the 11 plus or prepare for Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning. Keep SATs preparation moderate and proportionate; three to four months of regular practice is more than enough for most children.

If you are applying to grammar schools

The 11 plus is your priority. It happens first, it affects admissions, and it requires far more preparation. Focus intensively on the 11 plus from late Year 5 through to October of Year 6. Once the 11 plus is done, begin SATs preparation in January. The good news is that 11 plus preparation in English and Maths significantly helps with SATs, so you will not be starting from scratch.

If you are undecided about grammar schools

Ask yourself three honest questions. Is there a grammar school within reasonable travel distance? Is your child working at or above Year 6 level in most subjects? Can your family commit to six to twelve months of structured preparation in terms of time and cost? If yes to all three, grammar school is worth pursuing. If the answer to any of these is no, focusing on SATs and finding the right comprehensive school is a perfectly good path.

Common myths about SATs and the 11 plus

Myth 1. Good SATs results help with grammar school admission

False. Grammar schools do not see SATs results when making admissions decisions. They use 11 plus scores only. SATs results come out in July, long after grammar school offers have been made and accepted. 

Myth 2. SATs and the 11 plus test the same things

False. SATs test the national curriculum across Reading, Maths and GPS. The 11 plus adds Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning, two subjects that are not taught in school and require specific preparation. The exams have different formats, different purposes and different levels of difficulty. 

Myth 3. Preparing for the 11 plus means you do not need to prepare for SATs

Mostly false. 11 plus preparation does build relevant skills for SATs, particularly in English and Maths. But SATs include GPS content that the 11 plus does not cover, and children still benefit from a period of format familiarisation before SATs. A few months of targeted SATs practice from January is still worthwhile even after thorough 11 plus preparation.

Myth 4. Grammar schools are automatically better than comprehensives

False. Grammar schools are academically selective and fast-paced. They suit some children enormously and others not at all. Many excellent comprehensive schools produce outstanding GCSE and A level results, strong university outcomes and happy, confident learners. What matters is finding the right fit for your individual child, not chasing a selective label.

Myth 5. You should take the 11 plus just in case, even if unsure about grammar school

Questionable. The 11 plus requires six to twelve months of significant preparation, real parental time investment and often professional tuition. Adding that to your child's Year 5 and Year 6 without a genuine intention to apply to grammar school creates unnecessary stress for both child and family. Only pursue it if you are seriously considering the grammar school route. 

Final thoughts

SATs and the 11 plus are not the same exam. They are not even similar exams. They test different things, happen at different times, and have completely different consequences for your child's education. SATs measure what school has taught. The 11 plus measures academic potential in a competitive, selective context that includes subjects school does not teach.

If your child is aiming for a grammar school, the 11 plus is where all your preparation energy should go, and it should start much earlier than most parents expect. SATs will look after themselves after a few months of focused preparation once the 11 plus is behind you.

At Pass 11 Plus Grammar, we have been helping children navigate exactly this process for over 30 years. Our expert tutors cover every part of the 11 plus journey so that your child is thoroughly prepared for the exam that actually determines grammar school entry. Get in touch today and let us help your child get there.