Few things raise the temperature in a Year 6 household like the letters S-A-T-S. Here is what the Key Stage 2 assessments actually test — calmly, and without the panic.
The KS2 SATs cover reading, maths, and grammar, punctuation and spelling. They are designed to check whether children have met the expected standard in the primary curriculum — not to rank them, and not to decide their future. Writing is assessed by teachers across the year rather than by a single test.
For your child, the best preparation is the same thing that helps all year: steady, low-stress practice and a sense that effort is what counts. The tests matter to schools far more than they will ever matter to your ten-year-old, and it is worth saying so out loud.