📐 KS2 Maths SATs Guide

Year 6 SATs
Maths Topics

Every topic your child needs to know for the KS2 Maths SATs — with tips on how to practise each one at home.

What maths is in the Year 6 SATs?

The KS2 Maths SATs consist of three papers sat in May of Year 6:

  • Paper 1 — Arithmetic (30 minutes): rapid calculations testing times tables, the four operations, fractions, decimals and percentages.
  • Paper 2 — Reasoning (40 minutes): multi-step problems, word problems, and applied maths.
  • Paper 3 — Reasoning (40 minutes): same style as Paper 2, broader topic coverage.

Together the papers cover a wide range of topics from the KS2 maths curriculum. SATs Goals! generates fresh practice questions across 20 topic areas.

All 20 maths topics

✖️

Times Tables

Multiplication facts up to 12×12. Rapid recall is essential for Paper 1 — children who hesitate on tables lose time across the whole paper.

Addition & Subtraction

Column methods for whole numbers and decimals, including exchanging across zeros. Multi-step problems appear in both Reasoning papers.

✖️

Multiplication & Division

Short and long multiplication of whole numbers and decimals; short and long division with remainder interpretation (fraction, decimal, or rounded).

🍕

Fractions

Equivalent fractions, simplifying to lowest terms, comparing and ordering, and all four operations. One of the highest-weighted topics in Paper 1.

🔢

Decimals

Place value within decimals, ordering, rounding to decimal places, and the four operations including multiplying and dividing by powers of 10.

💯

Percentages

Percentage of an amount, percentage increase and decrease, and converting between percentages, fractions and decimals.

🎯

Rounding

Rounding whole numbers to the nearest 10, 100, 1,000 and 10,000; rounding decimals to 1 or 2 decimal places; using rounding to estimate answers.

🔤

Algebra

Simple formulae, one-step equations with an unknown, number sequences, and expressing missing values — introduced in Year 6 and tested in the Reasoning papers.

Square & Cube Numbers

Recognising and using square numbers (1–144), cube numbers, and square roots. Often tested alongside multiplication in Paper 1.

🏛️

Roman Numerals

Reading and writing Roman numerals up to 1,000 (M). A reliable Arithmetic question — a quick win for well-prepared children.

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Place Value

The value of digits up to 10,000,000, negative numbers, comparing and ordering large numbers, and reading scales.

🔢

Factors, Multiples & Primes

Highest common factors, lowest common multiples, identifying prime numbers and listing factors. Foundational for reasoning problems.

🌡️

Negative Numbers

Ordering negative numbers, calculating above and below zero, and real-world temperature problems. Tested in both Arithmetic and Reasoning papers.

🔣

Order of Operations

BODMAS — knowing the correct order to calculate brackets, division, multiplication, addition and subtraction. A common Arithmetic paper question.

Time

Converting between 12-hour and 24-hour time, calculating durations, and solving "start/finish time" problems from timetables.

🕰️

Clocks

Reading analogue and digital clocks, identifying am/pm from context, and calculating elapsed time from clock faces.

⚖️

Ratio & Proportion

Simplifying ratios, sharing in a given ratio, scaling recipes, and solving missing-value proportion problems. A key Reasoning paper topic.

🎲

Mixed Maths

Combined topic questions mirroring the variety seen across Reasoning Papers 2 and 3 — great for building exam stamina and flexibility.

Practise all 20 topics — start free

SATs Goals! generates fresh questions across every topic above. Children get instant feedback, streaks and XP to keep them motivated.

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