Written question asked by Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat) on Thursday, 9 July 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 13 July 2026. It was answered by Georgia Gould (Labour) on Friday, 17 July 2026 on behalf of the Department for Education.

National Curriculum Tests

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impacts of SATs on a) children with SEND, b) looked-after children and c) those eligible for free school meals.

Answer: Statutory tests and assessments at primary school help measure the attainment of pupils in relation to the standards set out in the national curriculum and help teachers and parents identify where pupils may need additional support in a certain subject area. Key stage 2 tests are subject to robust test development processes, which include reviews involving serving teachers and experts in special educational needs and trials with hundreds of year 6 pupils. Where appropriate, schools can use a range of access arrangements to ensure that pupils with specific needs can access the tests.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 17627
Session: 2026-27
Subjects: Children in care Disadvantaged National curriculum tests Special educational needs
Link: View this Written question on www.parliament.uk