Reception Baseline Assessment
The reception baseline assessment takes place within the first six weeks of a child starting in the Early Years.
It is a short, interactive and practical assessment of the following areas:
- language, communication and literacy
- mathematics
Pupils do not ‘pass’ or ‘fail’ the assessment; it provides a snapshot of where they are when they start school in the reception year and is used to inform progress measures for schools.
Pupils are not aware that they are being assessed and information from the assessment will not be shared with parents.
Early Years Foundation Stage Profile
The Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (EYFSP) is a teacher-observed, holistic assessment of an individual child’s development. The profile ensures that all children are prepared by the end of reception year for the starting point of year 1.
Details of this will be shared with you as part of your child's school report at the end of the academic year.
Year 1 Phonics Screening Check
The check will take place in June when your child will read 40 words out loud to a teacher.
You will find out how your child did, and their teacher will assess whether he or she needs extra help with reading. If your child does not do well enough in the check they’ll have to do it again in Year 2.
You will be sent the results of your child’s assessment as part of their school report at the end of the academic year.
Key Stage 1 Assessments
Your child’s teacher is responsible for judging the standards your child is working at in English reading, English writing, mathematics, and science, by the end of key stage 1 (KS1).
To help inform those judgements, pupils sit national curriculum assessments in English and mathematics, commonly called SATs.
They may also sit an optional test in English grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
The tests are a tool for teachers to help them measure your child’s performance and identify their needs as they move into KS2. They also allow teachers to see how your child is performing against national expected standards.
The tests can be taken any time during May, and they are not strictly timed. Pupils may not even know they are taking them as many teachers will incorporate them into everyday classroom activities.
Teachers will use the results from these tests, along with the work your child has done throughout the year, to help them reach their own judgements about how your child is progressing at the end of key stage 1.
These teacher assessment judgements will be reported to you by the end of the summer term.
Year 4 Multiplication Tables Check
Your child will be assessed on their recall of multiplication facts in June when they are in Year 4.
All pupils are expected to know their multiplication and division facts up to 12 x 12 by the end of Year 4 in preparation for more complex mathematics in Years 5 and 6.
Results of this will be shared with you as part of your child's school report at the end of the academic year.
Key Stage 2 Assessments
If you have a child in year 6 at the end of key stage 2 (KS2), they will take national curriculum assessments in English grammar, punctuation and spelling, English reading and mathematics.
The tests help measure the progress pupils have made, and identify if they need additional support in a certain area.
The tests are also used to assess schools’ performance and to produce national performance data.
The KS2 tests will be taken on set dates unless your child is absent, in which case they may be able to take them up to 5 school days afterwards.
At the end of the summer term, you should receive test results for:
- English grammar, punctuation, and spelling
- English reading
- Mathematics
Test results and reviews will be coordinated with your school before the summer holidays to discuss your child’s work at the end of key stage 2.