By the Education Magazine | July 3, 2026
Primary schools across England will receive Key Stage 2 (KS2) SATS results later than planned after test provider Pearson announced a nine-day delay caused by technical issues with its marking platform.
Results, originally due on 7 July, will now be released on Thursday, 16 July 2026, leaving schools with very little time to prepare end-of-year reports before the summer break.
For many Year 6 pupils, the delay will go largely unnoticed, but for school leaders and teachers, it creates a compressed timetable for final reports, pupil records, and transition planning before the end of term.
While secondary school admissions will not be impacted, education leaders say the revised timeline will place significant pressure on primary schools during one of the busiest weeks of the academic year amid the SATS results delay.
England SATS Results Delay at a Glance
| Category | Details |
| Organisation Responsible | Pearson |
| Original Release Date | 7 July 2026 |
| New Release Date | 16 July 2026 |
| Length of Delay | 9 days |
| Who is Affected? | Year 6 pupils, primary schools, and parents |
| Secondary Admissions Affected? | No |
| Reason for Delay | Technical issues with Pearson’s marking system |
What Are KS2 SATS?
Key Stage 2 (KS2) SATS are compulsory national curriculum tests taken by Year 6 pupils (ages 10 and 11) in England. The assessments cover English reading, English grammar, punctuation and spelling, and mathematics.
These tests measure overall school attainment and track student progress at the end of primary education. SATS scores are used by the government to evaluate school performance and help secondary teachers gauge where incoming pupils need extra support. They are not formal qualifications and do not decide a child’s secondary school place.
Timeline of the SATS Results Delay
- Testing Completed
May 2026
Year 6 pupils across England complete their compulsory national curriculum Key Stage 2 SATS assessments.
- Initial System Issues
Late May 2026
Pearson alerts the Standards and Testing Agency (STA) that it is experiencing technical issues with its new marking systems.
- Deadline Extensions
June 2026
Pearson extends internal marking deadlines and redirects additional markers to assist with clearing backlogs in specific papers.
- Postponement Confirmed
2 July 2026
Pearson officially alerts the STA that it cannot return results on time, issuing a public apology and confirming a nine-day delay.
- Revised Release Date
16 July 2026
The rescheduled date when final results and scaled score conversion tables are expected to go live.
Why the Delay Happened
Pearson, which took over the national curriculum assessment contract this academic year, attributed the delay to technical issues with its new online marking platform, ModMark, and internal data transfer systems.
The problems slowed the marking process, creating significant backlogs. Pearson responded by extending marking deadlines and redeploying mathematics markers to help clear outstanding grammar, punctuation, and spelling (GPS) papers.
Despite these measures, the backlog could not be cleared in time for the original release date. Pearson said the issue is limited to the primary school SATS system and does not affect GCSE or A-level examinations, which use separate platforms.
The delay adds to a challenging period for many schools, following recent disruption caused by extreme weather resulting in school closures.
Official Response
The operational breakdown has drawn sharp criticism across the education sector, forcing an unreserved apology from the testing provider and prompting government scrutiny.
Pearson issued a public statement accepting full responsibility for the disruption:
“Pearson is responsible for this delay, and we are sorry that this year’s results have not been delivered to the original timetable. We apologise unreservedly for the disruption caused to our government partners, teachers, and families.”
School leadership unions also criticised the delay. The NAHT and the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) called it unacceptable, warning that it places additional administrative pressure on staff at the end of the summer term, with some schools breaking up before the results are released.
The delay comes during a busy period for schools across the UK, with education leaders also managing wider policy changes like the EHCP number increase.
What Schools and Parents Should Do Next
For School Leaders and Teachers
- Adjust Administrative Timelines: Results, marked script images, and raw-to-scaled score conversion tables are expected to become available on the National Curriculum Assessments (NCA) portal on 16 July.
- Prepare for Tight Turnarounds: School leadership teams must plan for concentrated administrative workloads during the final week of the summer term to embed scores into end-of-year pupil reports.
- Extended Review Window: The Standards and Testing Agency (STA) has extended the deadline to apply for a formal marking review to Friday, 24 July.
For Parents and Families
- No Action Needed: You do not need to contact your school, Pearson, or the DfE. All data is transferred directly to schools automatically.
- Expect Flexible Report Dates: Be patient with teaching staff. Final report cards may arrive later than expected or follow a dual-delivery schedule where SATS scores are sent home separately.
- Admissions remain Safe: The SATS results delay will not alter or affect your child’s confirmed secondary school place for the upcoming autumn term.
What Happens Next
Schools are expected to receive KS2 SATS results on 16 July through the National Curriculum Assessments portal.
Until then, primary schools will need to adjust reporting timelines and transition plans amid the SATS results delay, while education leaders await further updates from Pearson and the Department for Education on how similar disruptions can be avoided in future assessment cycles.
