On the 3rd December Gavin Williamson, Secretary of State for Education made an announcement about end of KS1 and KS2 assessment arrangements in Summer 2021. The DfE and STA have published a number of guidance documents to support these arrangements.
2021 early years foundation stage: assessment and reporting arrangements (ARA)
PLEASE NOTE: These assessment and reporting arrangements (ARA) do not apply to schools participating in the EYFS reforms early adopter year in 2020/21. These schools should follow the Early adopter schools: EYFS profile handbook instead. Children in school taking part in the EYFS reforms early adopter year are exempt from the arrangements set out in this ARA. The EYFS reforms will become statutory for all early year’s providers from September 2021.
The EYFS Profile – Practitioners must complete the EYFS profile for each child who will be 5 years old on, or before, 31 August 2021. A practitioner should be a member of staff who has a thorough working knowledge of the EYFS learning and development requirements and is deemed by the headteacher, or setting manager, to be competent to accurately assess children against the ELGs and complete the profile for each child.
Practitioners should make profile judgements based on cumulative observational evidence recorded over the course of the year. The EYFS profile must be completed for each child and submitted to the LA by no later than Friday 25 June.
Further information can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/y27xc7l7
2021 key stage 1: assessment and reporting arrangements (ARA)
Key Stage 1 Tests: The KS1 tests have been suspended for 2021. Teachers can choose to administer past papers to help inform their TA judgements, but there is no requirement to do so.
Science teacher assessment: In 2021, schools do not need to make or submit TA judgements for pupils in science.
Phonics screening check for Year 2 pupils: Cancellation of the phonics screening check in June 2020 means that year 2 pupils did not take the check in year 1. In the 2020/21 academic year only, schools must administer a past version of the phonics screening check to year 2 pupils (excluding any pupils who meet the exceptions listed in section 6.2) in the second half of the Autumn Term and return results to their geographical LA by the end of the Autumn Term. Year 2 pupils who achieve the expected standard will not be required to complete any further statutory assessments in phonics. Year 2 pupils who do not meet the expected standard will be expected to take the statutory check in June 2021.
The phonics screening check administration period in June 2021 has been extended by one week to give greater flexibility to schools affected by pupil absence, school closures or other coronavirus disruption. Schools must administer the phonics screening check to eligible pupils in the week beginning 7 June 2021. If pupils are absent, or are unable to take the check, schools may administer the check to them until Friday 25 June.
Pupils working below the standard of national curriculum assessments and not engaged in subject-specific study: In the 2020/21 academic year, schools can use the engagement model or P scales 1 – 4 to assess pupils working below the standard of national curriculum assessments and not engaged in subject-specific study. This is a transitionary arrangement, on a non-statutory basis for one year, as some schools may not be fully prepared to implement the engagement model as originally intended. Schools that have implemented the engagement model can report which pupils they have assessed using the model. Schools that need more time to implement the engagement model should report that they have used P scales.
The engagement model will be statutory from September 2021.
Teacher assessment moderation: The usual process for LAs to gain approval to moderate teacher assessment (TA) of English writing has been simplified. Approval to moderate in 2021 will be granted by STA in the order of precedence (see 8.9 in ARA document).
STA will not deliver TA moderation training events to LAs. Training materials from 2018/19 and 2019/20 are available on the Primary Assessment Gateway11. LAs can use these materials to support their delivery of moderator training. In previous years, STA visited a sample of LAs during the TA moderation period, to monitor their moderation procedures. This process has been suspended for 2021.
Full information can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/yyeq3cxw
2021 key stage 2: assessment and reporting arrangements (ARA)
Performance tables in 2021: School-level data from the KS2 national curriculum assessments will not be published in performance tables in 2021, but results will be available in Analyse School Performance.
English grammar, punctuation and spelling test: The KS2 English grammar, punctuation and spelling test has been suspended for 2021.
Test timetable: Removal of the KS2 English grammar, punctuation and spelling test means that the English reading test will take place on Monday 10 May and the mathematics test will be on Tuesday 11 and Wednesday 12 May.
Science teacher assessment: In 2021, schools do not need to make or submit teacher assessment (TA) judgements for pupils in science.
Multiplication tables check: Introduction of the statutory multiplication tables check (MTC) has been delayed until the 2021/22 academic year. In 2021, schools can choose to administer the MTC to year 4 pupils, between Monday 7 June and Friday 25 June, but there is no requirement to do so.
Timetable variation period: Schools must administer the tests according to the statutory timetable unless an application for a timetable variation has been approved by STA. The timetable variation period has been extended to give greater flexibility to schools if pupils cannot take the tests on the scheduled dates because of coronavirus disruption. In 2021, schools may make an application to administer the KS2 tests to pupils up to 10 school days after the dates specified in the test timetable.
Applications for additional time and aid notifications: To help reduce the administrative burden on schools, the requirement to submit applications for additional time or notifications that pupils used an aid (such as a scribe, transcript or word processor) in the KS2 tests has been suspended for 2021. Schools must hold evidence to demonstrate that any support provided to pupils in the tests reflects normal classroom practice. Schools could be subject to a maladministration investigation if they fail to use access arrangements appropriately.
Pupils working below the standard of national curriculum assessments and not engaged in subject-specific study: In the 2020/21 academic year, schools can use the engagement model or P scales 1 to 4 to assess pupils working below the standard of national curriculum assessments and not engaged in subject-specific study. This is a transitionary arrangement, on a non-statutory basis for one year, as some schools may not be fully prepared to implement the engagement model as originally intended.
Schools that have implemented the engagement model can report which pupils they have assessed using the model. Schools that need more time to implement the engagement model should report that they have used P scales. The engagement model will be statutory from September 2021.
Braille versions of the English reading test: All KS2 tests are available in contracted braille. From 2021, the English reading test will also be available in uncontracted braille, by request.
Teacher assessment moderation: The usual process for LAs to gain approval to moderate teacher assessment (TA) of English writing has been simplified. Approval to moderate in 2021 will be granted by STA in the order of precedence (see 8.9 in ARA document).
STA will not deliver TA moderation training events to LAs. Training materials from 2018/19 and 2019/20 are available on the Primary Assessment Gateway11. LAs can use these materials to support their delivery of moderator training. In previous years, STA visited a sample of LAs during the TA moderation period, to monitor their moderation procedures. This process has been suspended for 2021.
Full information can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/y6syqjcs
Key stage 1 teacher assessment guidance
This guidance supports schools in making statutory TA judgements at the end of KS1, and schools and local authorities in undertaking statutory moderation of these judgements.
Key Stage 2 teacher assessment guidance
This guidance supports schools in making statutory TA judgements at the end of KS2, and schools and local authorities in undertaking statutory moderation of these judgements.
Key stage 2 tests: access arrangements
This guidance details the access arrangements available for pupils participating in the key stage 2 (KS2) national curriculum tests. Pupils with specific needs may require additional arrangements so they can take part in the KS2 tests.
During a monitoring visit3, local authorities (LAs) may ask to see evidence that any support given to pupils in the tests is regularly provided as part of normal classroom practice. Schools must make sure they have documentation to show that a pupil is eligible for access arrangements.
In 2021, to reduce the administrative burden on schools, decisions about KS2 access
arrangements (except early opening) are delegated to headteachers. This means applications or notifications to STA are not required. Applications for early opening, to adapt or modify test materials, must still be submitted on the Primary Assessment Gateway.
Additional time applications: The requirement to submit applications for additional time has been suspended. Schools do not need to make applications to STA but should use the guidance in section 4.1 in the AA document to determine whether pupils are eligible.
Aid notifications: Schools do not need to notify STA if a pupil used a scribe or word processor or other technical or electronic aid in the tests, or if a transcript was made of their test script but should keep a note of these details for their own records.
Compensatory marks for spelling: The English grammar, punctuation and spelling test has been suspended for 2021. Therefore, there is no process for schools to apply for compensatory marks for pupils unable to access the spelling paper due to a hearing impairment.
Full information can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/y57mppu6
Multiplication tables check: information for parents
This leaflet is for schools to use with parents when explaining what the optional multiplication tables check is. It includes information about:
- why schools are doing the check
- what happens during the check
- access arrangements
- how the results data is used
Key stage 2 tests: varying the test timetable
This guidance offers information about how headteachers, or someone with delegated authority, can reschedule the key stage 2 tests.
Key stage 2 (KS2) tests should be administered to the whole cohort on the days specified in the statutory timetable (see section 3.2 of the KS2 assessment and reporting arrangements). In limited circumstances, pupils may be able to take a test at a different time, or on a different day, from the rest of the cohort. In exceptional circumstances, a school may need to reschedule a test for the whole cohort.
Schools can administer a test in multiple sittings on the scheduled date, between 7am and 7pm, without seeking approval.
In 2021, schools may administer the KS2 tests up to 10 school days after the dates specified in the statutory timetable. This is to allow schools to take a more flexible approach if pupils cannot take the tests on the scheduled dates due to coronavirus (COVID-19) disruption. Timetable variation applications can be made for an individual pupil, a group of pupils or the whole cohort.
Full information can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/y2l4xl7y
Key stage 1 and key stage 2 test dates
Key stage 1
The KS1 tests have been suspended for 2021. Teachers can choose to administer past papers to help inform their teacher assessment judgements, but there is no requirement to do so.
Schools will administer the phonics screening check in the week beginning Monday 7 June 2021.
Key stage 2 Tests
Monday 10 May 2021 English reading
Tuesday 11 May 2021 Mathematics papers 1 and 2
Wednesday 12 May 2021 Mathematics paper 3
Multiplication tables check
Schools can choose to administer the optional multiplication tables check within the 3-week period from Monday 7 June 2021.
2021/22 academic year
Key stage 1 tests
May 2022 Key stage 1 test period
Week commencing Monday 6 June 2022 Phonics screening check week
Key stage 2
The key stage 2 tests are timetabled from Monday 9 May to Thursday 12 May 2022.
Multiplication tables check
Schools must administer the multiplication tables check within the 3-week period from Monday 6 June 2022.
