4 Free Diagnostic Quizzes to Test Year 5 and Year 6
As a Year 5 or Year 6 teacher, some, if not all, of your pupils will arrive with learning gaps in the primary Maths national curriculum that have developed earlier in Key Stage 2. Now you can pinpoint these with simple diagnostic assessment quizzes. There are 4 in total, covering each of the key strands within number.
Download our set of 4 Year 6 Maths diagnostic quizzes in number.
Use these and you’ll get a clear idea of how far back along a topic you need to go in order to fix some of these misconceptions, and more importantly what exactly their misconceptions are.
What’s included
Our set of 4 diagnostic quizzes were created for the 4 strands within the topic of number:
- Number and Place Value Diagnostic Quiz
- Addition and Subtraction Diagnostic Quiz
- Multiplication and Division Diagnostic Quiz
- Fractions (inc. Decimals and Percentages) Diagnostic Quiz
We recognise that although the Year 5 and Year 6 programme of study groups addition, subtraction, multiplication and division together as one strand, it was too big to create just the one quiz, hence it has been split into two.
Emphasis on number
The topic of number is the foundation of all other Maths topics and almost 80% of recent Sats papers have been linked to number, so it is essential that pupils get this core area right. If there is demand, a further quiz may be created, so do let us know your thoughts by emailing hello@thirdspacelearning.com
Who for?
The quizzes are primarily aimed at Year 5 and Year 6.
When and why?
The bundle of 4 Year 6 Maths quizzes is perfect to use at the beginning of each topic, as a formative assessment to plan the rest of the unit of work. You can use the quizzes to diagnose common misconceptions, so you’ll be better able to address them. They can also be used at the end of each topic to check progress as summative assessment or in between topics throughout year to check retention and consolidate understanding.
How?
Children will require around 30 to 40 mins to complete each quiz. The time element is less important than completing quiz, however if a pupil is needing more than 40 mins, you’ll need to work on pupils’ pace and stamina. If completing questions during a specific time frame is an issue, check out our SATs Guide with helpful tips included to help your pupils complete assessments within a given time.
Encourage pupils to show working out wherever necessary – this working out may be invaluable insight into any misconceptions (although the mark scheme helps diagnose the most common misconceptions but your pupils may have a completely unique misconception of their own!)
The quizzes are a form of assessment and should be completed independently to give a true reflection of what each child can or cannot do.

Set of 4 Diagnostic Year Six Maths Quizzes
Each quiz contains 25 multiple choice questions in number and place value, addition and subtraction, multiplication and division and fractions, decimals and percentages with mark schemes to diagnose gaps
What to do after the quiz?
To used effectively, and to inform future planning the quizzes need to be marked, but it’s easy to do this in class as the answer sheet provides all the answers AND the detailed misconception. As the quiz is progressive, misconceptions in the earlier questions will have an impact on those questions later in the quiz, so for some pupils you may want to keep an eye as they progress through it too. You can ask the pupil to prove or disprove their method using examples, justifying their answers and demonstrating with concrete resources – this type of learning allows pupils to find out where they made mistakes for themselves.
Diagnose gaps before KS2 SATs
You know your pupils best – from their favourite lunchtime treat right down to their existing learning gaps. If you think personalised, 1-to-1 Maths lessons could help with your pupils’ existing gaps, learn more about our tailored, KS2 SATs booster which supports individual pupils each week by accelerating progress ahead of the national tests. You stay in control by selecting individual lessons for each pupil every week from 90 lessons covering KS2 Maths curriculum. Each lesson is tailored to the pupil’s ability level and based on their existing gaps.
“In Autumn, we had 49% of children on track to achieve ARE (Age related expectations). As a direct result of quality first teaching using products from Third Space and specific intervention on a 1:1 basis for a sustained period of time, tailor made to meet the needs of individual pupils up to the May 2016 SATs, resulted in an outstanding shift in results. Without a doubt out 100% ARE in Year 6 was based upon the materials and skills invested by Third Space and their tutors. Many thanks Third Space” Yvonne Whaley, Deputy Headteacher, Toll Bar Primary, Doncaster.
Let us know how you get on with the diagnostic quizzes – or if you need support preparing pupils for SATs.
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