Most primary school leaders want SATs changed, new research suggests. Here's what real mums think

Most primary school leaders say SATs should be reformed or removed, with concerns about pressure on pupils and teachers.

Two girls concentrating on their school work in primary school class

Getty/10'000 Hours

Published: July 7, 2026 at 11:40 AM

Save

England's primary school SATs are under fresh scrutiny after new research found that fewer than one in 10 primary school leaders want the tests to stay as they are.

Ad

The research, published by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), found widespread concern among school leaders about the impact of SATs on disadvantaged pupils, teacher wellbeing and the wider primary school experience.

While the think tank is not calling for SATs to be scrapped altogether, it says the findings highlight the need for a broader conversation about how children are assessed at the end of primary school.

Most school leaders back changes to SATs

According to a YouGov survey commissioned by IPPR, just 7% of primary school senior leaders in England believe SATs should remain in their current form.

Instead:

The survey questioned 215 senior leaders at state primary schools in England between 17 May and 4 June 2026.

Concerns over disadvantaged children

IPPR's report suggests many school leaders believe the current system does not work well for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Almost all respondents, 93%, said SATs do not support disadvantaged pupils well.

Researchers also carried out interviews with 20 teachers and senior leaders, who said some pupils' knowledge and progress are not fully reflected by the tests. They also raised concerns that some questions assume experiences or background knowledge that not every child has had.

The report argues that preparation for SATs can also reduce time spent on subjects such as art, music, PE and school trips, experiences that children from lower-income families may be less likely to access outside school.

The system too often narrows the curriculum, intensifies pressure on teachers and gives disadvantaged pupils a label that may say more about their circumstances than their potential.

Conor Carleton, author of the IPPR report

“This is not an argument for abandoning standards or accountability. It is an argument for designing them better. We need a primary assessment system that measures what matters, recognises the context schools are working in, and supports every child to thrive,” Carleton says.

Many mums say that SATs can be a lot of pressure for their kids

We asked real mums from the MadeForMums Club about their thoughts on SATs and how the tests have affected their families.

Mums whose kids had positive experiences of SATs didn't mind them as much. "My children’s school are very “low pressure” in their approach to them and try to make them as fun as possible, with daily rewards," Kayleigh Archer says. "They are only a week, then my children get a congratulatory party at school on the Friday they end."

Meanwhile, other mums didn't like how their children's schools put pressure on pupils, which a few mums suggested was to improve their rankings in school league tables. Claire Thompson says this pressure caused "meltdowns," "tears," and "upset" among members of her child's class.

A young girl looks upset as she thrusts her homework towards someone out of shot and looks as though she is asking for assistance.

Getty/Catherine Falls Commercial

"The school cram the full year's work into two terms so all they did was maths and English, all the other subjects were abandoned until after the tests," Claire says. "She had practice tests after practice tests and we were encouraged to send them to after school clubs for more revision."

Some of the mums pointed out how inaccessible exam conditions can be for children with special educational needs. "Not everyone copes in exam conditions," an anonymous member says.

Sarah Elizabeth says she is a teacher as well as a mum. She says SATs "are important so that every child has a fair and consistent education" and experience of test situations which they will need later in life — but she thinks they should be reformed. "SATs should be testing what a child has learned throughout a child's whole school life and therefore children should not in theory need to prepare for them. But teachers and schools are put under pressure to be successful," she says.

Teachers also report high levels of pressure

IPPR's research also points to concerns about the effect of SATs on school staff.

Among those surveyed:

IPPR says these findings come at a time when schools continue to face challenges with teacher recruitment and retention.

What happens next?

Although the report highlights widespread dissatisfaction with the current system, IPPR is not recommending that SATs are abolished.

Instead, the think tank says its research should help inform discussion about how primary school assessment and accountability could better reflect children's learning and schools' wider responsibilities. It plans to publish recommendations later this year.

Ellie Harris, principal research fellow at IPPR and co-author of the report, said: "Primary schools are responsible for children’s learning, wellbeing, personal development and transition to secondary school, but SATs capture only a narrow slice of that work.”

The current system asks schools to do one thing while judging them on another.

Ellie Harris, principal research fellow at IPPR

Harris added: “For disadvantaged pupils, the trade-offs are particularly sharp. When SATs preparation squeezes out art, music, PE or enrichment, the children who lose most are often those who cannot access those opportunities elsewhere.”

Ad

The findings are based on a small survey of primary school senior leaders in England and interviews with teachers and school leaders. The report reflects the views of those involved in the research and is intended to contribute to the ongoing debate around primary school assessment.

Authors

MadeForMums

Ad

Ad

Loading...

Ad

Loading...