7 tips for success with the KS2 SATs reading paper

Since the first ‘new’ SATs paper arrived in 2016, there has been a range of recommended tips and strategies to help children with the SATs Reading Paper. Texts are longer and trickier than ever before making reading fluency vital for children to do well. Not to mention applying the variety of skills we know that they will also need to unlock questions by finding evidence and making inferences.

If you’re new to year 6, hopefully these SATs reading paper tips will help you find new techniques that you can use to help your class to develop skills, but also, and more importantly, confidence. If you’re an old hand, I still hope there are some hints or tips for the SATs reading paper that you might not have thought of, or that you can reframe something that you already do in a new or fresh way.

1. Expose to SATs-style questions

One thing I’ve learned is not to be worried about showing children SATs-style questions throughout the year. Normalise these by giving them access throughout the year – the more they become familiar with the questions, and apply the skills you teach them, the better. This isn’t teaching to the test, but more giving children the confidence to allow them to access the skills they need rather than feel that they are grasping for a memory in a high-pressure situation.

2. Practise skimming, scanning and annotation

To help children manage longer texts in reading tests, combine skimming and scanning with annotation techniques. These skills together build speed, focus and understanding. A fun and accessible way to introduce this is through a Where’s Wally? activity:

• Start with timed searches to find Wally and his friends, which builds scanning speed.

• Follow up with questions that require literal understanding (for example, "What does the sign on the red building say?") or deeper interpretation (for example, "What pun is mentioned on the page?").

• Although the activity is visual, it mirrors the process of finding and understanding information quickly, just like in a reading paper.

Once children grasp this visually, transfer the skill to text-based reading:

• Teach them to skim a paragraph for the gist.

• Encourage them to scan for specific information.

• Have them underline or circle key facts such as dates or names, and write a short summary for each paragraph.

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3. Practise 3-mark reading questions

To achieve all three marks in these questions, children often have to give two answers, at least one of which is supported by evidence. A common 3-mark question is, “What impression do you get of [character]?” - this could be asked using any text you’re currently reading in the classroom. Encourage children to always give two separate answers for these questions and to find a quote for each.

4. Emphasise importance of vocabulary

Often, it is understanding of vocabulary that can really hinder children’s understanding of the test. I say test, because it is not just the text they can find tricky to access without an understanding of words; the language of the questions is important to consider, too. We saw how important it was in the 2025 SATs that children have a secure knowledge and wide range of vocabulary.

What does it mean to ‘find and copy one word’ or ‘a group of words’? How do we ‘identify’ or ‘explain’? By allowing children to develop a clear understanding of what they are being asked to do, we are halving the brain power needed to answer the question!

5. Make revision engaging

Make revision engaging by using creative and relatable activities. For example, use character inference from pop songs, rhymes, video clips, or short snippets to make the practice more enjoyable. These activities can help bring the concepts to life in a fun way that children can relate to.

Another great method is peer teaching. Encourage pupils to create posters or presentations to explain key reading concepts. This not only reinforces their understanding but also builds confidence in their knowledge.

6. Build reading for pleasure

I’ve no doubt that this is something that every teacher aspires to achieve within their classroom, but it cannot be understated how important it is for children not to see reading as a chore. Alongside access to test questions, give children time to explore a range of texts and books within their own time. Give them access to newspapers, fiction, non-fiction, poetry – anything and everything! The more they see and enjoy reading a range of texts, the less daunting it will be when they come across unseen extracts within the SATs.

7. Use LbQ SATs practice resources

To help your year 6 pupils become more familiar with the style of questions and the extent of reading needed for SATs, there are online SATs Reading Practice resources available from Learning by Questions (LbQ).

A Martian Mystery SATs reading practice resource is the perfect example of how these resources help year 6 pupils build up their confidence with reading and answering a range of questions from the various content domains.

They will also provide really useful insights for teachers prior to SATs without the need for hours of practice paper marking and analysis.

You can see more of these resources and use the full range of resources on SATs Springboard by taking a free, no obligation trial.

A final note on the SATs reading paper

Preparing for the year 6 SATs reading paper requires a mix of strategy, skill-building, and confidence. With longer and more complex texts since the new SATs paper in 2016, reading fluency and the ability to extract information through inference and evidence are crucial. Practising SATs-style questions and using techniques like skimming, scanning, and annotation will help children tackle the challenges they face. Engaging revision activities and peer teaching will also reinforce knowledge and boost confidence.

Normalising SATs-style questions throughout the year ensures children feel prepared and not overwhelmed. Expanding vocabulary and understanding the language of the test will make comprehension easier. Above all, fostering a love of reading helps students approach the SATs with ease.