The 11+ and SATs can both involve English and maths, but they do different jobs. Understanding the difference helps you practise the right skills without doing two huge piles of extra work.
What are KS2 SATs for?
In England, end-of-Key-Stage-2 national curriculum tests help measure attainment in Year 6. The tests cover English reading, grammar, punctuation and spelling, and mathematics. Writing is assessed by teachers. The official KS2 assessment guidance explains the arrangements.
What is the 11+ for?
Grammar schools use entrance assessments as part of selecting pupils for admission. There is no single national 11+ paper. A school may test English, maths, verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning or another combination. Check the named test rather than assuming that every grammar school asks the same questions.
When are they taken?
KS2 tests usually take place in May of Year 6. Many grammar-school entrance tests happen earlier, around the start of Year 6, but local dates vary. Test registration may be needed well before that. Parents should check the school or local authority calendar and keep test registration separate from the school-place application.
Which skills overlap?
- Reading carefully and finding evidence in a passage.
- Understanding vocabulary, punctuation and grammar.
- Using number facts, fractions and written calculations.
- Solving problems and checking whether an answer makes sense.
Reasoning codes, shape patterns or a particular multiple-choice answer sheet may need separate familiarisation for an entrance test. Equally, practising reasoning puzzles does not replace your normal Year 6 learning.
Do the scores mean the same thing?
No. KS2 test scaled scores report attainment against national standards; 100 is the expected-standard threshold. An entrance test may use age-standardised scores, rankings and school-specific qualifying rules. A number on one scale cannot be converted directly into a number on the other. Strong SATs work is encouraging, but it does not promise an 11+ place.
Make one sensible learning plan
- Keep up with class learning and ask for help with gaps.
- Read regularly and practise core maths.
- Add short sessions for entrance-test skills your chosen school actually uses.
- Review mistakes before adding more questions.
For children: tell an adult if the workload feels too much. You need time for friends, rest and play too. Both assessments show only part of what you can do.