Assessment
KS1 & KS2 Tests 2026
Compulsory SAT tests are carried out every year in school with children in Year 6. In addition to this children in Year 1 take a phonics reading test in June. This test is a series of words – proper and nonsense words which children are asked to read using their phonic knowledge. If a child in Year 1 does not get the required number of words right to pass the test they are able to resit it in Year 2.
Year 1 Phonics Screening Check (Year 1 pupils)
We are required to administer a phonics screening check to children in Year 1. The 2025 check will take place during the week beginning Monday 9th June 2025.
Year-1-Phonics-Screening-Check-A-Guide-for-Parents-PowerPoint
Useful Resources for Phonics Revision
Multiplication tables check (Year 4 pupils)
The purpose of the MTC is to determine whether pupils can recall their times tables fluently, which is essential for future success in mathematics. It will help schools to identify pupils who have not yet mastered their times tables, so that additional support can be provided.
Schools will have a 2-week check window, starting on Monday 1 June 2026, to administer the MTC. Teachers will have the flexibility to administer the check to individual pupils, small groups or a whole class at the same time.
Key Stage 2 Assessment (Year 6 pupils)
In Year 6, before children leave us to move to Secondary school they undertake tests in Reading Comprehension, Writing, Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation (SPAG) and Numeracy. These tests are set by the Department for Education and must be taken in a particular week in May. All maintained schools in the country take the same test on the same day.
This year SAT week begins on Monday 11th May and the timetable of when each test happens is below.
Schools are required to administer the following tests: English Reading, English Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling and Mathematics.
The 2026 end of Key Stage 2 national curriculum tests will be held in the week beginning Monday 11th May 2026:
- Monday 11th: English grammar, punctuation and spelling papers 1 and 2.
- Tuesday 12th: English reading.
- Wednesday 13th: Mathematics papers 1 and 2.
- Thursday 14th: Mathematics paper 3.
The papers from the Year 6 tests are marked externally and results published by the Department for Education in early July. Parents and children will be made aware of these as soon as they are released to us.
How you can help
- Try to talk to your child ahead of the test week and reassure them, re-iterating the message that they just need to try their best and not worry.
- Make sure that they have a reasonably early night during SAT week. They will feel under a degree of stress so try to be patient.
- Ensure that they have a healthy breakfast before coming to school. Once in school we provide milk, juice or fruit prior to the tests starting to those children who want it.
- Once home ask your child how the day went and what they think they did well.
The Lanes Assessment System
Early Years
Assessment during the Early Years Foundation Stage (F2/Reception) follows the ‘Ages and Stages’ that are an integral part of the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum. Each child is assessed using evidence that is observed in school alongside information from parents and carers. All children starting F2/full time school will be assessed on a nationally approved Baseline Test. We have used the Early Excellence Baseline assessment along with other schools in our family. All of this information is used to make a judgement of an individual child’s development across the 17 areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum. This information is regularly discussed with parents so that they are aware if their child is working at, above or below national age related expectations and how home and school can work together to support their child in the next stage of their development. Details of national age related expectations starts full time school and at the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage are available below.
We expect that all children who are working at or above national age related expectations will continue to make good progress and remain at this level with some children who were at national age related expectations starting to work above national age related expectations. Children who are working below national age related expectations will also have their progress monitored carefully. Many of these children will be expected to reach national age related expectations in all or some of these 17 areas. Children with special educational needs will have their progress and attainment discussed in greater detail at their termly reviews involving parents/carers, class teacher, special educational needs co-ordinator and other professionals working with them.
Year 1 to 6
The same principle applies to assessment in KS1 and KS2. At The Lanes Primary we have worked closely with our colleagues from the Chilwell Family of Schools to develop an Assessment Framework that can be followed from the beginning of Year 1, when pupils first start working on the National Curriculum, to the end of Year 11 when pupils will have completed their GCSEs. National age related expectations for the end of Year 1 and 2 are available below along with a summary of the Assessment Framework.
A child who is judged to be working at national age related expectations is described as ‘securing’. A child will be making good progress if they continue at this level throughout their school career and we expect some children to start to achieve above national age related expectations and to continue at this level. A child who is judged to be working above national age related expectations will be described as ‘mastering’ with a few very exceptionally gifted and talented children described as ‘excelling’. Again a child will be making good progress if they continue at this level throughout their school career. A child who is judged to be working below national age related expectations will be described as ‘establishing’ if they are accessing the National Curriculum but are not quite achieving the required standard. If a child is only able to access the National Curriculum for their age with additional adult support they will be described as ‘developing’ and if they require a personalised curriculum to meet their developmental needs they will be described as ‘supporting’. Children who are ‘supporting’ may have special educational needs as may some children who are ‘establishing’. Again a child will be making good progress if they continue at this original level throughout their school career but we expect some children to start to achieve national age related expectations and to continue at this level. Children with special educational needs will have their progress and attainment discussed in greater detail at their termly reviews involving parents/carers, class teacher, special educational needs co-ordinator and other professionals working with them.
Assessment judgements for all year groups in the Early Years foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 are regularly moderated within school and with staff from other local primary schools to ensure their accuracy.