• Year 6 • Interventions
Mock SATs tell you who needs support. The harder question is what that support should look like in the weeks before May. This guide for Year 6 teachers and leaders sets out an evidence-informed way to plan interventions after mock SATs, drawing on the Education Endowment Foundation’s research and the latest national data.
On this page
The Quick Answer
- Start with question-level analysis of mock results to find specific gaps, not just low scores.
- Match the support to the need: whole-class teaching for shared gaps and small groups for individual ones.
- The EEF finds small group tuition adds about 4 months’ progress on average when it is targeted and delivered by trained staff.
- Keep interventions linked to class teaching and review them every few weeks.
Why Interventions Matter in Year 6
In 2026, 63% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. Of the remaining pupils, 28% were assessed but did not meet the standard in all three. Writing is now the subject that most often stops pupils meeting the combined standard. See the full KS2 SATs results for 2026.
Some pupils miss the combined standard because of a single subject. For example, 4.6% of pupils met the standard in reading and maths but not in writing. Well-targeted support in the spring term can make a real difference for pupils like these.
What the Evidence Says
The Education Endowment Foundation’s Teaching and Learning Toolkit summarises the average impact of common approaches:
| Approach | Average impact | Key point from the EEF |
|---|---|---|
| Feedback | +6 months | Most effective when it gives specific information on how to improve |
| One to one tuition | +5 months | More likely to work when additional to and linked with normal lessons |
| Small group tuition | +4 months | One adult with 2 to 5 pupils, targeted at specific needs |
| Teaching assistant interventions | +4 months | Impact depends on training and structured interventions |
The EEF stresses that high quality classroom teaching is the most important lever. Support from a teaching assistant should add to, not replace, pupils’ time with their class teacher.
Step 1: Analyse the Mock Results
Go beyond the overall score. Look at results by question and content area:
- Shared gaps across the class, such as fractions or inference, point to reteaching for everyone.
- Individual gaps point to targeted small group or one-to-one support.
- Pupils just below 100 in a subject often need only a few specific areas fixing.
The government has said it will test with schools how to get more value from KS2 question-level data, so building this habit now will help.
Step 2: Group Pupils by Need
Group pupils by the specific skill they need to work on rather than by overall score. A group working on column subtraction should contain pupils who all need column subtraction. The EEF finds small group tuition is most likely to be effective when it is targeted at pupils’ specific needs, using diagnostic assessment to plan it.
Step 3: Plan Who, When and How Long
| Decision | Things to consider |
|---|---|
| Who delivers it | Teachers or trained teaching assistants following a structured programme |
| When it happens | Short sessions that do not take pupils out of core lessons too often |
| Group size | Between 2 and 5 pupils for small group tuition |
| How long it runs | A fixed block of weeks with a review date |
Training staff who deliver small group support is likely to increase its impact.
Step 4: Link It to Class Teaching
Interventions work best when they connect to what pupils are learning in class. Share the focus of each group with the class teacher, use the same methods and vocabulary and give pupils chances to apply new skills in lessons.
Step 5: Review and Adjust
Set a review point every few weeks. Use a short assessment on the same skill to check progress, move pupils who are secure out of the group and bring in others who need help. A final practice paper after Easter shows whether the plan is working.
Tip: onscreen practice with instant marking makes reviews quick. Teachers can see results by pupil as soon as an activity is completed, without waiting to mark.
A Note on Writing
Writing is assessed by teachers, not tested, so interventions need to produce independent writing that can count towards the judgement. Heavily scaffolded or modelled work cannot be used as evidence. See our guide to assessing English writing at Key Stage 2.
Disadvantaged Pupils
In 2026, 4% of disadvantaged pupils reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with 11% of other pupils. The EEF notes that small group support can be effectively targeted at pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds and should be considered as part of a school’s pupil premium strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best intervention for Year 6 SATs?
There is no single best intervention. The EEF’s evidence suggests targeted feedback, small group tuition and well-structured teaching assistant interventions all have a positive impact when linked to class teaching.
How big should intervention groups be?
The EEF defines small group tuition as one adult working with 2 to 5 pupils.
When should Year 6 interventions start?
As soon as you have reliable assessment data. A spring mock leaves several weeks of teaching before the tests in May.
Should pupils miss lessons for interventions?
Try to avoid taking pupils out of the same core lessons repeatedly. The EEF stresses that support should add to time with the class teacher, not replace it.
Related Guides
Build confident mathematicians and readers in Years 5 and 6
Monster Learning gives schools curriculum-aligned maths and English practice, onscreen assessments and SATs-style papers, with instant feedback for pupils, no marking for teachers and live results for leaders.
Start a free school trial School subscriptions
Parent? See our home subscriptions.
Sources: Education Endowment Foundation, Teaching and Learning Toolkit: Small group tuition, One to one tuition, Teaching assistant interventions and Feedback; Department for Education, Key stage 2 attainment 2025/26 and Curriculum and Assessment Review: government response.
