Assessment Blog

Assessment at the end of Key Stage 1

Elaine Williams, Assessment Consultant, February 2024

This academic year sees one of the biggest changes in assessment for several years. KS1 assessment is no longer statutory and in the future the Reception Baseline will replace it as the basis for calculating progress measures across the primary phase. This change to progress measures will take place in the academic year 2027-2028 and so far, there are no further details about how this will be calculated.

An Overview

As KS1 assessments are no longer statutory schools will no longer have to:

  • assess pupils using the SATs.
  • form teacher assessment using the Teacher Assessment Framework (TAF).
  • take part in statutory moderation visits from the LA.
  • report end of KS1 data to parents or the LA.

At KS1 schools still have to:

  • administer the phonics screening check to children in Y1 and those Y2 children who did not pass previously.
  • Inform parents of whether their child passed the phonics screening check.
  • Take part in statutory phonics monitoring visits from the LA.

So, what next!

Schools need to consider the purpose of assessment at Key Stage 1 and what would be beneficial to them to support assessment of children's learning. STA have committed to continuing to create the full suite of KS1 tests – these are now optional, but paper copies will be delivered to all schools unless they choose to opt out by the November deadline. STA have committed to continuing to create the tests, as they say they can be used to: ‘continue to inform classroom practice and help schools understand where pupils need additional support as they transition into KS2’. Scaled score conversion charts will also be released in mid-May.

STA recommend May as the administration period, but this is now not statutory, so schools have the freedom to consider what works for them. The full range of guidance booklets have also been produced and can be accessed here. 2024 optional key stage 1 tests guidance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Schools now have the freedom to choose their own way. Some schools may choose to continue as they have previously, administering and using the tests in the same way. Many teachers feel that the test and teacher assessment process identified what they needed to know about their children to inform the next steps of learning. The STA optional tests are understood by year 2 and year 3 teachers and have the bonus of being reliable standard and free! Other options schools may consider is using the test at a different time of year, using them as a formative assessment tool with small groups rather than whole class or purely using them as a teaching tool.

The guidance states that the TAF is still a valid document for supporting end of year judgements and again school may choose to continue to use this document. Again, it is understood by year 2 and year 3 staff and if you're moderating across schools within a cluster, it gives a shared understanding of the standard being discussed.

However, some schools may equally decide that they are not assessing at all at the end of KS1 and that they have secure, reliable methods of formative assessment in place, that then lead to adaptations being made to support the next steps of teaching.

Key points to consider.

  • Assessment information should be useful. What do schools need at the end of Key Stage 1 to inform transition into Key Stage 2 and year 3?
  • What works well for your school? Keep the positives of the assessment systems that you already had in place.
  • Consider what, if any, changes that you wish to make. What impact will they have on teachers and pupils?

Lancashire Assessment Team are offering an optional collection of KS1 teacher assessment data. This will purely be used to add project data into the LSIP (Lancashire Schools Information Profile) and will not be published in any further form. Many schools have expressed an interest in submitting their data to inform them of a wider assessment picture than their own setting. This optional collection will be by Friday 5th July and further details will be sent nearer the time of how schools can submit their data.

If schools wish to discuss their options in greater detail then do get in touch via pst@lancashire.gov.uk and Mike Thompson or Elaine Williams will be happy to discuss your options.