2024 KS2 SATs Papers – Super Test Tips

If you are setting the 2024 KS2 SATs papers as mock exams, you are presenting your students with a significant challenge. While the national “Combined” pass rate rose slightly to 61% (up from 60% in 2023), the individual papers—particularly Reading and Maths Reasoning 2—were designed to test the very limits of Year 6 pupils’ endurance. Our Analysis Tools will help you pinpoint exactly where you need to focus future teaching, particularly as most versions* compare your cohort’s performance against national data for each question.

*The most recent tests will not include the Questions Vs National feature until the DfE release the relevant data – this is usually about 1 year after the test are first published in May.

2024 KS2 Reading Test: The 3,150-Word Marathon

The 2024 KS2 SATs Reading paper was a significant test of reading speed. With a total of 3,150 words—the highest word count in the last decade—stamina was the number one barrier to success.

• The Data: While the word count was high, the language was actually more accessible than in 2023. The Flesch Reading Ease score was 77, and sentences were punchy, averaging 11.6 words.
• Teacher Consensus: Educators noted that the paper was “fair” but “dense.” Many students who were slow readers found it difficult to reach the final, higher-weighted questions in the third text.

Tips for Children:

• The 20-Minute Stopwatch: Aim to finish the first text in 15 minutes, the second in 20, and the third in 25. The first text (Streaky and Squeaky) was long but the questions were more literal. Don’t linger there!
• Skim for Key Terms: In the 2024 paper, retrieval questions (19 marks) were often hidden in long paragraphs. Read the question, pick a “keyword,” and scan the text for that specific word rather than re-reading the whole page.

2024 KS2 Mathematics: The “Reasoning Paper 2” Speed Trap

The 2024 KS2 SATs Maths papers are notable for having the lowest “Expected Standard” pass mark in history: just 54 out of 110 marks (49%).

• The Data: This record-low threshold was due to the high volume of Year 6 curriculum content, which hit a peak of 48%. Usually, SATs rely more on Year 3–5 foundational knowledge, but 2024 demanded mastery of late-KS2 topics like Algebra and Ratio.
• The Difficulty: Reasoning Paper 2 featured 27 questions—the most ever included in a 40-minute paper. This caused many students to rush and make calculation errors.

Tips for Children:

• The “Method Mark” Mindset: With the pass mark at only 49%, you can get half the paper wrong and still pass! Never leave a 2-mark question blank. Even if your final answer is wrong, showing a correct formal method can bag you that 1 vital “method mark.”
• Target Year 6 Topics: Since Year 6 content was so heavy in 2024, spend extra time on Algebra, Ratio, and Fractions before your mock. These are high-value marks.
• Check the Units: A major pitfall in the 2024 papers was unit conversion. If the question gives measurements in cm but the answer box asks for metres, circle it immediately so you don’t forget to convert at the end.

2024 KS2 Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling: Punctuation and Homophones

The 2024 Grammar, Punctuation, and Spelling paper rewarded precision over complex knowledge.

• The Data: Punctuation marks accounted for a staggering 32% of the paper. This is the highest weighting for punctuation in recent years.
• The Spelling: Unlike previous years, there were no homophones in the 2024 paper. Instead, the “tricky” words focused on suffixes and letter strings, such as referring, nutritious, queue, and chaos.

Tips for Children:

• “Punctuation is a drawing, not a scribble.” Markers in 2024 were strict. A comma must have a clear “tail” to distinguish it from a full stop. A capital ‘S’ must be clearly taller than a lowercase ‘s’. Take an extra second to make your symbols unmistakable.
• Context is King: When the spelling test is read out, listen to the sentence. If you hear “The knight was brave,” you must spell it with a ‘k’. If you just write what you hear without thinking of the meaning, you’ll lose easy marks.