Year 2 National Curriculum Testing
From 2023, National Curriculum tests also known as SATs, are no longer statutory for children in Year 2. Teachers will however continue to use the tests to help them to make secure judgements about a child's attainment. The test results are not the only information used in making these judgements. The class teacher will use a wide range of evidence from across the year to make a final decision about whether a child is working below, towards, at, or above the standard expected in Year 2.
Parents will be given the opportunity to meet with the class teacher in the autumn, spring and summer term where they will be made aware of how well their child is progressing. The final assessment results will be provided in a written report which will be sent to parents at the end of the summer term.
Y1 Phonics Screening Check
The Phonics Screening Check is used to show how well your child can use the phonics skills they’ve learned up to the end of Year 1, and to identify pupils who need extra phonics help.
The check consists of 40 words and non-words that your child will be asked to read one-on-one with a teacher. Non-words (or nonsense words, or pseudo words) are a collection of letters that will follow phonics rules your child has been taught, but don’t mean anything – they will need to read these with the correct sounds to show that they understand the phonics rules behind them.
The 40 words and non-words are divided into two sections – one with simple word structures of three or four letters, and one with more complex word structures of five or six letters. The teacher administering the check with your child will give them a few practice words to read first – including some non-words – so they understand more about what they have to do. Each of the non-words is presented with a picture of a monster/alien, as if the word were their name.
School will administer the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check in June. Dates are confirmed by the Department for Education and the check usually takes place in the first or second week of June.
The threshold mark is communicated to schools at the end of June after the test has been taken so that teachers can mark the check.
You will be informed of your child’s score in their end of year report. If a child’s score falls below the standard, they will be given extra phonics help and will retake the Phonics Screening Check in Year 2.
Early Years Foundation Stage Assessment
The early years foundation stage (EYFS) sets standards for the learning, development and care of your child in our Nursery and Reception classes.
In the final term of the Reception year, the EYFS Profile must be completed for each child. Each child’s level of development must be assessed against the early learning goals and children are expected to achieve a ‘Good Level of Development’ (GLD). Practitioners must indicate whether children are meeting expected levels of development, or if they are exceeding expected levels, or not yet reaching expected levels (‘emerging’).
Reception Baseline
The reception baseline assessment is a new national assessment for all children starting in Reception classes from September 2021.
The assessment will take place during the first six weeks of the autumn term and will take around 20 minutes in total.
Each child will work with the class teacher on simple tasks in the areas of communication, language and literacy and maths. The activities may involve using some resources, such as counters to answer some questions.
The teacher will ensure each child is at ease and happy to take part, and they will use the findings to plan for the development of each child. There will be no ‘pass’ or ‘fail’ and no score.
Multiplication tables check
Schools must administer the multiplication tables check to all pupils in Year 4. Children will undertake the check online and will be asked to answer 25 questions. Each question needs to be answered within 6 seconds. Results of the test will be shared with parents in the written report provided at the end of the summer term.