SATs scaled scores explained
Every KS2 SATs paper is marked out of a raw total, then converted to a scaled score between 80 and 120. A scaled score of 100 means your child met the expected standard.
Why raw marks are converted at all
Papers cannot be made identically difficult year after year. If one year's arithmetic paper is slightly kinder than the last, the raw marks would drift upward without children actually being any better at maths.
Scaling fixes that. After marking, the Standards and Testing Agency works out how many raw marks correspond to the expected standard on that particular paper, and sets that as 100.
The practical consequence: the number of raw marks needed for 100 moves a little every year. It is usually somewhere around 55-60% of the marks available, but treating any specific figure as fixed will mislead you.
What the numbers mean
- Below 100 — has not yet met the expected standard.
- 100 to 109 — met the expected standard.
- 110 and above — often described as working at greater depth, though the official label varies by subject.
- 120 — the maximum reportable score. 80 is the minimum. A child scoring below the scale is reported as 'below the standard of the test' rather than given a number.
Why you cannot score a past paper accurately
This is the most common mistake families make at home. You download a past paper, your child scores 30 out of 40, and you look up a conversion table.
Those tables are real, but they belong to the specific year of that paper. Applied to a different year's paper they are only a rough indication.
A better use of past papers is diagnostic: which topics did marks get lost on? A child dropping five marks on fractions has told you something far more actionable than any scaled score would.
A sensible way to read your child's result
A scaled score is a snapshot of one morning in May. Children who are ill, anxious, or simply having a bad day score below what they know.
If the score is lower than expected, the useful question is which topics were weak, not what the number was. If it is higher than expected, enjoy it, but it does not change what your child needs next.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good SATs score?
A scaled score of 100 or more means your child met the expected standard. 110 or above is generally considered working at greater depth.
What is the highest SATs score?
120 is the maximum reportable scaled score. 80 is the lowest.
How many marks do you need to pass KS2 SATs?
There is no fixed pass mark. The raw marks needed for a scaled score of 100 are set after marking each year, and are typically around 55-60% of the available marks.
What does a scaled score of 100 mean?
It means your child met the expected standard for the end of Key Stage 2 in that subject.