Statutory Assessments Administration

Reception Baseline Assessment (RBA)

From the start of the academic year 2025 to 2026, schools will need to use our new assessment services via DfE Sign-in to administer the RBA.

The 2 new assessment services will be available for schools to access from Monday 2 June 2025. We will provide more information on how to access them in the 2025 RBA administration guidance.

Schools will also need a minimum of 2 devices to administer the RBA:

• one for the practitioner to administer the assessment
• a separate touch screen device for pupils to respond to some of the questions

These changes support accessibility and align with developments in classroom practice. You can find more information about the changes and important dates for the academic year in the 2025 RBA assessment and reporting arrangements (ARA).

The RBA will be used to create school-level progress measures for the primary age range which will show the progress pupils make from reception until the end of Key Stage 2. Schools will not receive a copy of their data or any comparative data. Schools will receive a short narrative about each child which is intended to support in using the assessment for planning learning. Starting points across the curriculum and in learning characteristics will need to be established in the usual way, the RBA will not replace this.

Feedback 

We are aware of technical issues with administering the RBA Assessment this year. Please complete the feedback survey to STA detailing any problems your school faced with the assessment.

Assessment at the end of Reception

From September 2021, it is mandatory to adhere to the requirements outlined in the revised EYFS Statutory Framework and EYFS Profile.

Support and Guidance

Reception baseline assessment: information for parents

Reception baseline assessment: administration guidance

Reception baseline assessment (RBA): information for the academic year 2025 to 2026

Reception baseline assessment: IT guidance

Early Years Foundation Stage Profile 

The EYFS profile is a statutory assessment of children's development at the end of the EYFS before moving into Year 1, usually the end of the academic year in which the child turns 5 (Reception year).

Each child's level of development is assessed against 17 early learning goals (ELGs) across 7 areas of learning in the EYFS statutory framework. For each ELG, teachers must assess whether a child is meeting the level of development 'expected' at the end of the EYFS, or if they are not yet reaching this level and should be assessed as 'emerging'.

The profile is intended to provide a reliable and accurate summative assessment of each child's development at the end of the EYFS, in order to support children's successful transition to Year 1.

Children are defined as having reached a Good Level of Development (GLD) at the end of the EYFS, if they have achieved the expected level for the ELGs within the prime areas of learning:

• communication and language
• personal, social and emotional development
• physical development

+ the specific areas:

• mathematics
• literacy

Teachers use their professional judgement to make their assessment of the ELGs for each child, using their knowledge and understanding of what a child knows, understands, and can do. Teachers are encouraged to collaborate with practitioners in their own school/setting, as well as those from other schools/settings, to help check and confirm the accuracy of their judgements.

Support and Guidance

Early Years Foundation Stage Profile handbook. 

Early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework

Early years foundation stage profile assessment support

Early Years child development training

Exemptions from the EYFS for providers and individual children

Early years foundation stage: exemplification materials

Phonics Screening Check 

The 2026 phonics screening check should be administered within the week commencing Monday 8 June 2026. 

Support and Guidance

Phonics screening check assessment and reporting arrangements

Phonics screening check: information for parents

Phonics screening check administration guidance

Preparing to administer the phonics screening check (Information and video) 

Local Authority Monitoring Visits

Local Authorities have a statutory duty to conduct monitoring visits to a minimum of 10% of LA maintained schools that are administering the check. They are also expected to monitor at least 10% of Academies that have selected them for Monitoring.

Local Authorities will carry out Pre, During and Post Monitoring visits to a sample of schools between Monday 1 June and Friday 19 June 2026.

For further information, schools should refer to the Guidance on phonics screening check monitoring visits. 

Key Stage 1 optional tests 

Standards and Testing Agency (STA) are continuing to provide guidance and support to schools wanting to use the KS1 optional tests for reading, grammar, punctuation and spelling and mathematics this academic year.

Schools wishing to administer these tests should access the KS1 Optional Test Administration Guidance.

The KS1 Teacher Assessment Frameworks are also available to schools to use gain a well-rounded assessment of attainment at the end of KS1.  The KS1 Pre-Key Stage Frameworks can be used to assess those working below the standard of the Key Stage who access a subject specific curriculum.

For those who do not access a subject specific curriculum, the Engagement Model Framework has replaced P-scales 1-4 and could be used to assess attainment.

Resources

Year 2 Optional Teacher Assessment Grids:

• Reading (Word doc, 23 KB) (Word)
• Writing (Word doc, 22 KB) (Word)
• Mathematics (Word doc, 32 KB) (Word)

Multiplication Tables Check 

The MTC is statutory for all year 4 pupils registered at state-funded maintained schools, special schools or academies, including free schools, in England.

For 2026, the Multiplication Tables Check (MTC) window for administration is Monday 1 June - Friday 12 June 2026.

Support and Guidance

Key stage 2: assessment and reporting arrangements (ARA)

Key Stage 2 assessment and reporting arrangements (includes a section on MTC) 

MTC administration guidance 

MTC administration guidance (Video)

MTC access arrangements (Video) 

Multiplication tables check: IT guidance

Multiplication tables check: information for parents

Key Stage 2 tests and teacher assessment 

Key Stage 2 tests 

In 2026, the KS2 tests are timetabled from Monday 11 May to Thursday 14 May. 

Support and Guidance

Primary school accountability

Key stage 2 teacher assessment guidance

Key stage 2: assessment and reporting arrangements (ARA)

Key stage 2 tests: test administration guidance (TAG)

Key stage 2 test administration in 2026 (Video) 

KS2 Reading and mathematics Tests: Support for Year 6 Teachers (PDF, 1003 KB)

Information for parents

Key stage 2 national curriculum tests and results: information for parents

The engagement model: information for parents

Pre-key stage standards: information for parents

Before the tests 

2025 KS2 September Checking Exercise Guidance - Check Your Performance Measures Data

How To Check Your School's Data KS2 September 2025 (Video) 

How To Request A Pupil Removal Amendment KS2 (Video) 

Key stage 2: registering pupils for the tests

Key stage 2 tests: pupil registration (Video) 

Access arrangements

Key stage 2 tests: access arrangements

Key stage 2 tests: early opening (Video) 

Key stage 2 tests: compensatory marks for spelling (Video) 

Key stage 2 tests: additional time (Video) 

Key stage 2 tests: modified test administration guidance (MTAG) For pupils with hearing or visual impairments. 

Key stage 2 tests: making adaptations to modified large print test materials

Key stage 2 tests: special consideration guidance

Key stage 2 tests: varying the test timetable

Key stage 2 tests: timetable variation (Video) 

After the tests 

Key stage 2 tests: returning test scripts

Key stage 2: submitting teacher assessment data

Key stage 2 tests: applying for a review of pupils' test results

Teacher Assessment of Writing

The KS2 Teacher Assessment Frameworks should be used to assess the attainment of those working within the standard of Key Stage 2 in English writing. The KS2 Pre Key Stage Frameworks should be used to assess those working below the standard of Key Stage 2 in English writing. For pupils who do not access the subject specific curriculum, the Engagement Model Framework, which has replaced P-scales, must be used for assessment.

Downloadable resources

• KS2 Standardised Pupil Writing Collections
• Optional Record Sheet for end of KS2 Writing Teacher Assessment (Word doc, 26 KB) (Word)
• Year 6 scenarios to illustrate a particular weakness in writing (PDF, 219 KB) (PDF)

Teacher Assessment of Science 

Schools are required to submit teacher assessment of science at the end of Key Stage 2. The Science section of the Teacher Assessment Frameworks at the end of key stage 2 contains one standard: Working at the expected standard. Pupils who have completed the programme of study will be assessed as either 'working at the expected standard' or 'has not met the expected standard'. Schools should refer to teacher assessment guidance: KS2 science for exemplification of 'Working at the expected standard'. 

Local Authority Monitoring visits 

Local authorities have a statutory responsibility to monitor the administration of KS2 national curriculum tests for 10% of their schools. Monitoring visits help ensure that schools maintain the integrity, security and confidentiality of test materials and that they administer KS2 national curriculum tests correctly and consistently. School should refer to local authority monitoring visits guidance for further information.