School-aged Assessments
End of Reception Year
The Early Years Foundation Stage profile is a report that assesses whether each child has reached the expected level of attainment in eight key areas called Early Learning Goals. These are divided into Prime Areas and Specific Areas.
Prime Areas:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development - Self-confidence and self-awareness; Managing feelings and behaviour; Making relationships
Physical Development - Moving and handling; Health and self-care
Communication & Language - Listening and attention; Understanding; Speaking
Specific Areas
Literacy - Reading; Writing
Mathematics - Numbers; Shape, space and measures
Understanding the World - People & Communities; The World; Technology
Expressive Arts & Design - Exploring and using media & materials; Being imaginative
For a child to achieve a Good Level of Development they must achieve the Expected level in all Prime Areas, plus Specific Areas Literacy and Mathematics. However, they will be assessed in ALL of the above areas.
Year 1 Phonics Check
In June of Year 1 each child will be assessed used the phonics check. The check requires the child to read a series of real and ‘nonsense’ words using their phonics to decode.
There are 40 words each year in the check and the pass mark is usually 32. If a child scores below 32 they will be required to resit the test again in Year 2.
End of Key Stage 1 SATs (Year 2)
During, May of Year 2 each child will be assessed by their teacher in Speaking and Listening, Reading, Writing, English grammar, punctuation and spelling, Maths and Science.
There are test papers for Reading. Spelling, punctuation and grammar and Maths which the teacher will mark. The test scores are then converted into Scaled Scores with a minimum score of 85 and a maximum of 115. A score above 100 means the child is working at the expected level.
The teacher will use the tests alongside the work the child has produced in class to make an assessment.
Results will be reported as
- AS: the expected standard has been achieved (Reading and Maths)
- EXS:- the expected standard has been achieved (Writing)
- NS: the expected standard has not been achieved
- WTS: Working towards the expected standard
Year 4
Year 4 pupils take a statutory multiplication tables check (MTC) in June. The purpose of the check is to determine whether pupils can fluently recall their multiplication tables up to 12, which is essential for future success in mathematics. It will also help schools identify pupils who may need additional support.
End of Key Stage 2 SATs (Year 6)
During one week in May, the Year 6 children sit test papers in Reading (one paper), Maths (three papers) and English grammar punctuation and spelling (two papers).
Writing is teacher-assessed based on the work that the child has produced in class over the year.
Each test paper has to be taken on a certain day during the week and the tests are completed under exam type conditions and timed.
Children with Special Educational Needs are allowed some additional support in order for them to be able to access the tests, such as extra time, support with reading the Maths questions etc.
These tests are marked externally and results reported back to the school.
The test scores are converted into Scaled Scores with a minimum score of 80 and a maximum of 120. A score above 100 means the child is working at the expected level. A score above 110 means the child is working above the expected level, this is called GDS (Greater Depth Standard).
As well as the scaled scores, the test results will also be reported as
- AS: the expected standard has been achieved (Reading, Grammar, punctuation and spelling, Maths)
- EXS:- the expected standard has been achieved (Writing)
- NS: the expected standard has not been achieved (Reading, Grammar, punctuation and spelling, Maths)
- WTS: Working towards the expected standard (Writing)
End of Key Stage 4 GCSE exams (Year 11)
In summer 2017 the first of the newly reformed GCSEs were awarded in English and Maths. In summer 2018, exams were sat in a further 20 subjects and in 2019 nearly all subjects will follow the newly reformed format of awarding number grades (9-0) instead of letters (A*-G)
For further information please read the fact sheets attached by clicking the link below.
