How To Support Children Throughout KS2 SATs: Mental Health & Wellbeing Activities For Children

Every Year 6 teacher understands the importance of SATs wellbeing activities. You feel the energy in the classroom shift, when even the calmest pupils start asking what happens if they don’t pass their SATs. Increasing test performance pressures land on children who are already carrying more. NHS data from 2023 puts the number of 8 to 16-year-olds with a probable mental health condition at around 1 in 5 – roughly 5 children in every classroom.

The DfE’s most recent State of the Nation report found anxiety in primary pupils is higher than it was in 2020/21, with the post-pandemic recovery still patchy. Year 6, sitting SATs and getting ready for secondary, feel every bit of it.

But, there’s plenty teachers can do, and most of it is small, practical and free. The wellbeing activities below cover the lead-up to key stage 2 SATs, the week itself, and the days after. Pick what works for your class.

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How can schools promote positive mental health?

It starts with a whole-school approach to mental health, clear communication with pupils and parents, and specific strategies before, during, and after SATs week. Here’s what you need to know.

Take a whole-school approach to wellbeing.

Promoting positive mental health and emotional wellbeing should start in the early years and continue through to Year 6. Equipping young people with skills like resilience, self-awareness and self-belief gives them what they need to handle pressure at school and beyond. This means schools should:

• Set a culture of openness about mental health and regularly communicate its importance to staff, students and parents
• Teach coping skills early on, like how to express emotions healthily and manage difficult feelings
• Involve parents and provide them with tools to support their children’s wellbeing
• Ensure staff feel supported and model good self-care practices
• Train staff to identify warning signs of stress and anxiety 
• Use visual timetables and clear classroom routines to reduce uncertainty and anxiety around tests and other transitions

Build a supportive classroom environment

A safe, supportive classroom environment is one of the strongest tools teachers have to reduce anxiety during SATs preparation. Pupils who feel comfortable raising worries are more likely to ask for help and less likely to spiral.

Three small habits help:

1. Frame SATs as a chance to show what pupils can do, not a measure of who they are
2. Talk pupils through what to expect each day of SATs week
3. Keep an open line of communication – check in regularly and make space for worries to be heard

The more comfortable pupils are with talking about emotions and asking for help, the better equipped they will be when SATs arrives.

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Identifying the causes of primary school stress

More than ever, primary school children are feeling the pressure of Year 6 SATs and exam stress. In fact, the National Union of Teachers found that 76% of primary school teachers observed stress-related symptoms in pupils leading up to SATs.

Stress changes how pupils think, not only how they feel. Psychological stress reduces activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex – the part of the brain that handles working memory and focus – meaning anxious pupils have less to draw on when it counts. The more stressed they feel, the harder it gets to recall what they have learned and stay focused on the question in front of them.

Even when teachers try to reduce test pressures and promote mental wellbeing and a supportive environment, the frequent mention of SATs can increase stress. High-achieving pupils may experience stress if they do not meet their own expectations and those who struggle academically can often feel additional pressure. Effective communication about mental health is crucial in helping pupils manage and reduce anxiety.

Recognising signs of SATs-related stress in pupils is essential for timely intervention.

What are the signs of SATs stress?

Young children often struggle to verbalise their feelings, making it hard to identify stress. While not an exhaustive list, here are some potential stress indicators to watch for:

• Extreme emotional reactions to minor issues: disproportionate responses to small mistakes.
• Reluctance or refusal to attend school: persistent reluctance to go to school near SATs.
• Physical complaints: stomach aches, headaches, and other issues.
• Low self-esteem: negative self-talk such as calling themselves ‘stupid’.
• Changes in daily patterns: alterations in sleep and eating habits.
• Avoiding schoolwork discussions: reluctance to talk about schoolwork or SATs.

If teachers notice any change in pupils, they should initiate conversations with pupils, parents and further support if needed.

13 strategies to tackle SATs stress in the lead-up to exam week

The period before SATs can be stressful for children. Here are some strategies for teachers and parents to support pupils:

1. Reduce stress levels over the weekend

Encourage stress-free weekends with fun activities to help children relax. Over the weekend, teachers can set as little homework as possible, even none the closer SATs get.

2. Avoid adding pressure

Reassure children you are proud of their efforts, regardless of test results. Both parents and teachers should let children know early on that whatever happens in the tests, they are proud of them.

3. Put SATs into perspective

Remind children that SATs are just one part of their education and do not define their worth.

Reinforce that pupils should try their best but nothing bad will happen if they don’t get the results they want in their SATs.

4. Support with revision

Support children with revision. As educators know, teaching goes beyond the national curriculum in many ways. One of those ways is teaching children how to revise content once it has been taught. Find hundreds of free resources to help children revise before SATs in the Third Space Maths Hub.

5. Talk, listen and keep dialogue open

Engage pupils in conversations about their worries and listen to their concerns – this often helps them find a solution or put a worry into perspective. Listening to pupils’ problems can alleviate stress in the run-up to the tests. This ChildLine video explains anxiety in child-friendly terms and can help pupils name what they are feeling.

Parents and teachers should keep the dialogue open between school and home too. Behaviours in the classroom and at home can highlight what is causing stress, and worries picked up early are easier to ease.

7. Plan enjoyable activities ahead of and during SATs 

Organise a fun activity the weekend before SATs to take children’s minds off the imminent exams, alleviate the stress and improve wellbeing. 

During SATs week, teachers can include fun activities such as breakfast club with peers or fun outdoor revision activities between exams. 

8. Highlight their strengths

Remind children of their talents and skills that SATs do not assess. Emphasise the importance of skills in subjects SATs do not test such as history and PE.  

Talk about the qualities tests do not measure such as kindness, generosity and being a good friend. 

9. Remind them SATs are brief

SATs take place over 4 days in May. Reassure children that once the week is over, so are the tests. For pupils worrying weeks ahead of time, a visual countdown or simple calendar can help. Show them when SATs start, when each paper is, and most importantly, when it all ends. Knowing the week is finite – and that summer term, sports day and the secondary transition are still to come – can take the edge off a stressful time.

10. Use positive language and affirmations

Replace negative phrases with growth mindset language. For example, ‘I can’t do this’ becomes ‘I am going to work hard to get better at this’. And ‘I feel stupid’ becomes ‘I only feel like this right now because I’m nervous about the tests’.

Positive affirmations work in the same way. Repeating short, simple statements like ‘I am ready’, ‘I have worked hard for this’ or ‘I can do hard things’ can build confidence and counter the negative self-talk pupils often fall into during SATs season.

12. Practise breathing and grounding techniques

Simple relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises help pupils feel calmer when nerves rise. Try Box Breathing (breathe in for 4, hold for 4, breathe out for 4, hold for 4) or 4-7-8 breathing (in for 4, hold for 7, out for 8). Both regulate the nervous system and reduce anxiety.

For pupils whose worries run higher, the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique brings focus back to the present moment name:

• 5 things you can see,
• 4 you can hear,
• 3 you can touch,
• 2 you can smell, and
• 1 you can taste.

Practising these mindfulness exercises in class before SATs week gives pupils a way to stay calm during the tests themselves and means they know exactly how to use them when they need them most.

13. Try guided visualisation

Guided visualisation is a mindfulness exercise that helps pupils manage test anxiety by picturing themselves succeeding. Walk pupils through a short script before SATs week – they imagine walking calmly into the exam room, reading each question and answering what they know. The mental rehearsal builds confidence and helps pupils stay calm when the test starts.

Managing stress during SATs week

These additional strategies help during the week itself:

1. Host a SATs breakfast and start the day early

Eating breakfast amongst peers each morning before SATs can help calm nerves and distract from the imminent exams. While this is a little extra work for staff, the positive impact on pupils is huge.

Arriving early also helps pupils relax and prepare for the day ahead. Rushing through the gates at 8.44am for an 8.45am start adds to an already stressful week, so inviting pupils into class earlier supports a calm start.

2. Talk about stress and listen 

Allocate time daily to listen to pupils’ worries. Use methods such as a worry box or circle time.  Address worries anonymously as a class to ensure all concerns are heard.

3. Encourage relaxing activities

Whether it’s playing with the family dog, kicking a football around outside, or watching their favourite episode of a show, encourage pupils to spend some time each day during SATs week doing something they love.

4. Promote physical activities 

Physical activity is one of the simplest, most effective ways to support pupils who feel nervous and need more support during SATs week. Exercise releases endorphins, which lift mood and ease anxiety. Research shows regular physical activity improves concentration and cognitive function – exactly what pupils need going into a test.

Build physical activity into each day:

• The daily mile, walked or run together as a class
• An extra 10-minute afternoon break for fresh air
• Active transitions between lessons – a short stretch, a few star jumps, a walk around the field
• PE timetabled mid-morning, before pupils sit a paper if possible

These small bursts of physical activity also help pupils sleep better, which protects energy and focus across the rest of SATs week.

5. Maintain positivity 

If children see adults remain positive during SATs week, pupils are more likely to remain positive too. Teachers and parents set the emotional weather of the week, and pupils pick up on tone and body language faster than words. Lead with calm, even when you don’t feel it.

6. Encourage peer support

While not all pupils will always see eye to eye, it’s important to encourage them to support each other, particularly during a stressful period. 

Planning in circle time or extra PSHE lessons during SATs week can help pupils express their feelings and alleviate stress.

7. Limit screen time 

Advise pupils to limit their screen time, particularly before bed. 

Consider sending letters home to parents to help with this or hold a meeting for parents about good practice during SATs week. 

A good night’s sleep will help reduce stress and help pupils feel more alert during SATs week.to parents to help with this or hold a meeting for parents about good practice during SATs week. 

A good night’s sleep will help reduce stress and help pupils feel more alert during SATs week.

8. Ensure pupils are prepared 

Eliminate any extra worries that you can for pupils. Ensure they have all of the equipment they need for each SATs paper laid out on the table:

• Pens
• Pencils
• Protractor
• A rubber
• A ruler
• A sharpener
• A mirror for reasoning 
• Tissues

9. Practise exam technique

During SATs week, focus on the exam technique rather than the content. 

Remind pupils to read every question carefully before they answer, double-check their answers, and answer the questions they are comfortable with before attempting the others.

Managing Post-SATs Stress

Some pupils may continue to worry about SATs after the tests are over. Monitor pupils to ensure they aren’t worrying about test performance and that they can enjoy their time before moving on to secondary school.

1. Remove revision items

Clear the classroom of any SATs revision resources and encourage pupils to do the same at home. Make a small ceremony of clearing them away. Recycling them as a class can mark a clear end to the SATs season and signal that it is time to move on.

2. Promote relaxation and mindfulness activities 

While there are still a few weeks left of school and parts of the curriculum left to learn, make some time for relaxing activities. This may include a post-SATs picnic in the playground, a game of rounders or mindful colouring. Helping pupils feel calmer in the weeks after SATs reinforces the message that wellbeing comes before any test result.

3. Return to normal routine

Children love routines and SATs are anything but routine. Once they are over, return to as much of a normal classroom timetable as soon as possible to keep some structure within the school day. Predictable lessons, regular break times and the usual class rituals all help pupils settle back in.

4. Remind them that SATs are over

Reinforce the fact that SATs are finished and your pupils have done all they can. 

Let them know that you are proud of them for sitting the tests and doing their best whatever the results are. Encourage them not to spend time thinking about them now. The most important message in the days after SATs is the same one before them: pupils are more than a test result.

For more tips and resources on emotionally healthy SATs prep, download our free Year 6 Wellbeing Guide.

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