Ages are approximate: tests are taken mainly in May and many children will not reach the age in question until later in the year.

England

Age 7: Key Stage 1 national tests available in English and maths, marked in school and used to inform assessments by teachers, who decide the level achieved
Age 11: Key Stage 2 national tests in English, maths and science, marked externally, school’s results published nationally. In some areas, tests of various types for those seeking grammar school places, marked externally, results private
Age 14: Key Stage 3 national tests in English, maths and science, marked externally, school’s results published nationally.

Wales

Age 10: new “skills tests” in numeracy, literacy and problem-solving being piloted from 2006 and mandatory from 2008
Age 11: Key Stage 2 national tests in English (and Welsh*), maths and science are optional
Age 14: Key Stage 3 national tests in English (and Welsh*), maths and science, optional, marked externally, school’s results available locally

Northern Ireland

Age 11: Transfer tests in English (or Irish*), maths and science and technology for those seeking grammar school places, marked externally, results private. Due to end in 2008
Age 14: Key Stage 3 national tests in English (and Irish*), maths and science are now optional, marked externally, school’s results available locally.

Scotland

Ages 5-14: national tests (now called assessments) in reading, writing and maths, corresponding roughly to Key Stages 1 - 3 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland except pupils are not tested at a specific age or stage, but “when ready” at teachers’ discretion. Marked internally, results private
The Scottish Executive is now promoting the idea that “assessment is for learning”.
For national and international comparative purposes a sample of children are tested separately for an annual Survey of .

Why are they called ‘Sats’?

Officially they aren’t, according to the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) - which does not stop many people using the term.

In 1991 the had a trial run of Standard Assessment Tasks (Sats) for six and seven-year-olds in infant schools across England and Wales.

Originally they were practical “tasks” rather than pencil-and-paper tests.

In science, for example, groups had to experiment with rocks, feathers, and plastic to see whether they would float or sink in water.

The then education secretary, Kenneth Clarke, changed them to written tests which all pupils could take .

So national curriculum testing was born, but the old acronym stuck.

Not to be confused with the totally different SATs (pronounced as initials - “S-A-T” - rather than as a word) used in the US for assessing people’s college potential.

Dating from 1926 and named at various times Scholastic Achievement Tests, Scholastic Assessment Tests and Scholastic Aptitude Tests, they are a registered trade mark of the non-profit College Board association.