The Purpose of Assessment

Statutory Assessment

• To hold schools to account for the work they do with their pupils. To measure both attainment and progress to demonstrate schools’ effectiveness.
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Formative Classroom Assessment

• To inform teaching and learning.  Used diagnostically to evaluate knowledge and understanding, identify gaps and misconceptions and inform lesson planning accordingly.
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The means of statutory assessment are determined by the Department. The means of formative assessment are determined by the school in line with curriculum freedoms.

Statutory Assessment

• Reception Baseline Assessment in the first 6 weeks of school.
• End of Reception EYFS Profile
• Year 1 Phonics Check
• Year 2 Phonics recheck
• Y4 Multiplication Check
• Y6 End of Key Stage 2 Assessments Reading, Writing, Maths and SPAG. 
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Classroom Assessment

• Determined by the school in line with their curriculum, 

Key Messages of Accountability

• Strong accountability means high expectations for attainment at primary, so that all pupils leave ready to make a successful start in secondary school
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• But it also means celebrating schools doing well with disadvantaged intakes and challenging those not doing enough with high attaining intakes.
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• Fairer way of measuring progress at school level, comparing pupils with similar starting points

Scaled scores

• Tests at the end of KS2 will be reported in scaled scores
• The expected standard will always be set at 100
• The standard will be set by the profession – expert panels are involved in the development of all tests created by STA
• Raw scores in the test will be converted to a scaled score
• Pupils with 100 or more will have met the expected standard Pupils who score below 100 will not have met the standard
• Anchor items will link the tests from one year to the next to ensure expected standards are consistent

Interim Framework for Teacher Assessment

• For Writing at KS2, there are 3 standards:
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  • Pre-Key Stage Standards
  • Working towards the expected standard
  • Working at the expected standard
  • Working at greater depth within the expected standard

• For English reading and mathematics at KS2 and for science, there is one standard (working at the expected standard)
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• Each of the 3 standards within the framework contains a number of ‘pupil can’ statements
• teachers will need to have evidence that a pupil demonstrates attainment of all of the statements within that standard and all the statements in the preceding standard(s).

Reception Baseline

To enable progress to be measured from when a cohort of children start school

• A teacher-administered, age-appropriate assessment conducted in the first half-term of a child starting in reception.
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• The reception baseline will measure progress from the start of school to the end of KS2. 

Assessment freedoms

• At the end of key stages there will be an expected standard set. Between these points it is for schools to decide how best to assess their pupils in a way that best suits their needs.
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Schools will be expected to select an assessment approach which:

• Aligns well with their curriculum
• Sets out what pupils are expected to know, understand and do, and when
• Explains pupils’ progress and attainment to parents
• Can be used to set aspirational targets and wherever possible supports pupils to reach the expected standards

Expert Review of Pupils Working Below the Standard of the National Curriculum Tests

• Advise on a solution for statutory assessment of pupils working below the standard of national curriculum tests;
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• Consider how P-Scales fit with the wider approach to assessment and advise on whether they need to be revised in light of the new national curriculum;
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• Consider the impact of assessment and qualification reform at key stage 4 to ensure continuity and consistency with any proposed changes to assessment of lower-attaining pupils at KS1-3;
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• Consider the wider implications of any recommendations they make, including any professional development needs that might arise.

Accountability reforms: school progress measure

• A pupil’s KS2 score is measured against the average KS2 score for pupils nationally having the same prior attainment.  Pupils who did not sit KS1 assessments due to Covid-19 will not have a progress measure at the end of KS2.
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For more information and guidance please click here to find information from the Standards and Testing Agency.