The study explores parental perceptions of the impacts of Key Stage One (KS1) Standard
Attainment Tests (SAT’s) on anxiety and the extent to which this may impact children with
autism. In the end, it will provide possible suggestions on how to reduce any negative impacts experienced by test anxiety. A mixed method research design was used, employing both questionnaires and interviews. Questionnaires were distributed to participants for structured interviews. The sample consisted of 32 parents with children aged between 6 and 7 years old attending primary schools across England. Participants were mothers (aged 28-34 years old) of which 28 were parents of children either with an official diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or currently awaiting an official diagnosis. The other four were parents of neuro-typical (NT) children. Data derived from parents of children with ASD were compared to data from parents of NT children. The data were gathered through both qualitative and quantitative measures. Overall, the findings suggest that parents of children with ASD reported an increase in the anxiety levels of their children during exam preparation, while parents of NT did not report any behavioural changes during this period due to anxiety. Findings suggest that exams at this early stage may have a detrimental effect on the well-being of children with ASD; therefore, implications for educational policy changes are made
