Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 Assessments 2017
Briefing notes for senior leaders, assessment coordinators and teachers.
These notes are a summary of the main messages in DfE documents: the Assessment and Reporting
Arrangements (ARA), the Interim Assessment Frameworks (IAFs) and the Moderation Guidance for
Key Stages 1 and 2. All staff with a central role in the assessment process must be familiar with these
documents
NB Additional LA guidance notes are in italics
 Guidance for both Key Stages
 Guidance specifically for Key Stage 1
 Guidance specifically for Key Stage 2
DfE: October 2016 announcement
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No new tests before the 2018 to 2019 academic year
Key Stage 1 English grammar, punctuation and spelling test will remain nonstatutory this
year
No statutory year 7 resits for pupils not reaching the expected standard at Key Stage2
EYFSP will remain in place for the 2017 to 2018 academic year
Improved guidance for the moderation of TA; mandatory training for LA moderators
Publication of Rochford Review of assessment for pupils working below the standard of the
tests
Consultation in the new year on primary assessment and its implications for accountability
Key documents: both Key Stages
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Assessment and Reporting Arrangements (ARA)
Interim Assessment Frameworks (IAF)
 for children working at the level of the National Curriculum
 for children at pre- Key Stage standards
Guidance on external moderation
Main changes / amendments for 2017
Key Stage 1
Spelling, punctuation and grammar test
 Spelling punctuation and grammar test is optional; there is no requirement for schools to
administer the tests or to use results to inform teacher assessments. STA will not be
producing paper copies of the tests.
 School wishing to administer them will be able to download tests and mark schemes from
NCA Tools from Tuesday May 2.
Reading and maths tests
 Pupils entered for tests should be given the opportunity to attempt each test paper.
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Teachers can use their discretion to decide if pupils need a rest break during any of the tests
or whether, if appropriate, to stop the test early.
Key Stage 2
 No changes to Key Stage2 test or assessment arrangements for 2017
 Minor change to registration codes: children unable to access tests to be recorded as U
Key dates 2017
Key Stage 1
 1 – 31 May 2017: Test administration period. No set dates for tests.
 12 – 16 June 2017: Phonics screening
 29 June 2017: Deadline for submission of teacher assessments to LA
 End of summer term: submission of phonics screening results to LA
Key Stage 2
 30 January 2017: access arrangements section of NCSA tools opens
 17 March 2017: deadline for pupil registrations
 8 – 11 May 2017 : test week
 29 June 2017: deadline for submission of teacher assessments for reading writing, maths
and science to NCA Tools
 4 July 2017: results published; scripts available for download from NCA Tools; scaled score
conversion charts published
Both key stages
 19 May 2017: schools informed if they are (or are not) to be externally moderated
 5-29 June 2017: external moderation window
Note:
 Schools that submit data after the deadline without agreement from the LA or STA will be
subject to a maladministration investigation
 LAs must have a process in place to investigate unexpected patterns in a school’s
attainment
Headteacher responsibilities: both Key Stages
Headteachers must:
 keep the test materials secure and treat them as confidential up to, and including, the end of
the May 2017 test window
 ensure that test administrators are appropriately trained and that they administer the tests
according to the published guidance
 ensure specific content from the test materials is not used to prepare pupils
 ensure pupils have the correct test materials and equipment
 notify STA of any incident that may affect the integrity, security or confidentiality of the tests
Phonics screening
No changes to 2016 arrangements
Test administration: Key Stage 1
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Schools must administer the Key Stage 1 tests in English reading and mathematics during
May 2017.
The tests do not have set days for their administration, and they may be administered to
groups of pupils on different days.
Pupils must only be allowed to take each test once.
Marking tests: Key Stage 1
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Key Stage 1 tests are marked internally by schools. Test papers must be marked by a teacher
familiar with the pupil using the mark schemes available on NCA tools from Tuesday 2 May.
The content of the mark schemes must not be used to prepare pupils for the tests.
Marking requires a teacher’s professional judgement about which responses are correct. The
tests must not be marked by: teaching assistant or higher level teaching assistant, relative or
carer of the pupil taking the test
Pupils’ completed scripts can be marked away from school, but appropriate security
arrangements must be in place to maintain the integrity and confidentiality of the tests.
We recommend teachers involved in marking the key stage 1 tests undertake a moderation
activity to ensure marking is consistent across their school.
Teachers will need time to mark and moderate Key Stage1 tests
Pupils who shouldn’t take the tests: both Key Stages
Pupils shouldn’t take the tests if they:
 have not completed the Key Stage1 / Key Stage2 programme of study, or
 are working below the overall standard of the Key Stage 1 / Key Stage 2 tests, or
 are unable to participate even when using suitable access arrangements
Interim pre-key stage standards should be used to provide a statutory assessment outcome for
pupils that have not completed the programme of study or who are working below the standard of
the tests.
This includes situations where a teacher does not have evidence that a pupil consistently meets all
the statements in the lowest standards of the interim teacher assessment frameworks
Key Stage 2 Pupils working at the standard of the tests but who are unable to access them
Some examples of pupils who may fit this category are included below:
 pupils who have a disability or a sensory impairment
 pupils with specific medical needs or who have spent time in hospital towards the end of the
key stage
 pupils who have been educated at home or excluded from school and need time to adjust to
regular school life
 pupils who are experiencing or have recently experienced severe emotional problems
Schools should consider using access arrangements to enable all pupils who are working at the
overall standard of the tests to take them. Such pupils should be registered in the ‘Pupil registration’
section of NCA tools but they should not take the test and should be marked as ‘U’ (unable to
access) on the attendance register
Pupils discounted from Key Stage 2 assessment
Schools can apply for pupils who have recently arrived from overseas to be discounted from
performance tables calculations.
To be discounted, a pupil must meet all 3 of the following criteria:
 they were admitted to an English school for the first time during the 2015 to 2016 or 2016 to
2017 school year i.e. Year 5 or Year 6. (Schools should check that the child’s first registration
took place in this period; some children may be admitted in Key Stage1 for example, leave
the country and return in Y5. These children are not eligible to be discounted.)
 they arrived from overseas before their admission
 English is not an official language of the country from which they came
The DfE will write to each school with instructions and information on the performance tables data
checking exercise in 2017.
NB Pupils cannot be discounted from the denominator for KS1 assessments
(Note that discounting is not the same as disapplication. Disapplication refers to the process whereby
the requirement to implement the National Curriculum is deemed inappropriate for the child and is
thus suspended. Further information is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/286565/disapplica
tion_of_the_national_curriculum.pdf)
Access arrangements
No change to rationale for access arrangements
 Key Stage 1: Schools do not have to apply for permission to use access arrangements
 Key Stage 2: schools apply via NCA Tools
Access arrangements are adjustments for specific pupils that schools must consider before the tests
and MUST be based primarily on normal classroom practice for pupils with particular needs.
 such arrangements must never provide an unfair advantage.
 support given must not change the test questions and the answers must be the pupil’s own.
Access arrangements may be appropriate for pupils:
 with a SEN or an Education Health and Care Plan
 for whom provision is being made in school using the SEN Support system and whose
learning difficulty or disability significantly affects their ability to access the tests
 who requires alternative access arrangements because of a disability (which may or may not
give rise to a special educational need)
 who are unable to sit and work for a long period because of a disability or because of social,
emotional or mental health difficulties
 with EAL and who has limited fluency in English
Schools must
 have documentation to show that a pupil is eligible for access arrangements and
 evidence that resources are routinely committed to providing this support in the classroom.
 be able to show the documentation if they have a monitoring visit.
Schools could be subject to a maladministration investigation if they cannot provide evidence that
any access arrangements used are based on normal classroom practice.
Security of test materials: both Key Stages
No change to previous arrangements, but schools must be vigilant given the issues with Key Stage1
tests last year.
 Headteachers must ensure that the integrity of the tests is maintained so that no pupil has
an unfair advantage.
 Test materials must be kept secure and treated as confidential from the point they are
received in school until the end of May (Key Stage 1) or 19 May (Key Stage 2)
 Test packs should be opened in the test room when the pupils are ready to start the test.
 Teachers and test administrators mustn’t discuss the content of the test papers with anyone
or use question-specific information to prepare pupils for the test.
 In particular, specific content which could compromise the test must not be discussed on
social media or published in blogs.
 After the tests have been administered the test materials, including English Reading
booklets, must be kept securely until the end of May ( Key Stage1) and 19 May (Key Stage2).
 A breach of the security of the test materials or using the test content to prepare pupils
could lead to a maladministration investigation at the school.
Monitoring the tests
Monitoring visitors, from either the LA or STA, will make unannounced visits to schools
administering the Key Stage 2 tests. They will check if the school is following the published
procedures on keeping the test materials secure and administering the tests
Teacher Assessment
Key Stage 1
No change to 2016 arrangements
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Teacher assessment is the primary outcome used for accountability for reading, writing and
mathematics
Teacher assessments must be reported using the standards set out in the interim teacher
assessment frameworks. (IAFs)
At the end of Key Stage 1, teachers
 must make their judgements for each eligible pupil, taking into account the pupil’s progress
and performance throughout the key stage.
 must base their TA judgement on a broad range of evidence from across the curriculum for
each pupil and use their knowledge of a pupil’s work over time, taking into account the
pupil’s
 written, practical and oral classwork
 results of the statutory Key Stage 1 tests
 homework (but care must be taken to ensure the integrity and independence of work
done at home if used for assessment purposes)
Key Stage 1 assessments: performance descriptors
Key Stage 2
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Schools are required to submit teacher assessments for all children for Reading, Writing,
maths and science.
Assessments must be made using the appropriate Interim Assessment Framework: children
who have not been entered for tests must be assessed using the Pre-Key Stage Frameworks
(PKS).
Children whose attainment cannot be assessed using the PKSF should be assessed using the
P scales. P scales are likely to be abolished for the 2017-18 assessment cycle.
Key Stage 2 performance descriptors
HNM = Has Not Met (the expected standard)
Tests and teacher assessment (TA) are different forms of assessment; they do not report using the
same scale so no scaled score equivalents to the TA concepts of WTS or GDS
‘Pupil can’ statements: both Key Stages
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Some of the ‘pupil can’ statements contain qualifiers (some, many and most) to indicate that
pupils will not always consistently demonstrate the skill required.
Where they have been used, they have a consistent meaning with ‘most’ indicating that the
statement has generally been met with only occasional errors and ‘some’ indicating that the
skill / knowledge is starting to be acquired, and is demonstrated correctly on occasion, but is
not consistent or frequent.
The pupil’s work must show that they consistently demonstrate attainment in line with the
wording of all the ‘pupil can’ statements within the standard (and in the preceding standard)
they have been awarded, taking account of any qualifiers.
This does not mean that the pupil must demonstrate the ‘pupil can’ statements 100% of the
time. Pupils are likely to have improved over the course of the year and may make a mistake
with something the teacher knows they are actually secure in.
In making a decision that a pupil consistently demonstrates attainment of a ‘pupil can’
statement, we expect teachers to exercise their professional judgement. They should be
prepared to discuss this with the LA external moderator(s), with reference to the pupil’s
work.
Both Key Stages: Independent writing: additional guidance for English writing
Writing is likely to be independent if it:
 emerges from a quality text, topic, visit, or curriculum experience, in which pupils have had a
range of opportunities to explore and discuss what is to be written about
 enables pupils to apply their learning independently, possibly with an element of choice, for
example writing from the perspective of a chosen character
 has been independently edited and / or redrafted by the pupil. This may be in response to
self, peer, or group evaluation
 is produced by pupils who have independently drawn on classroom resources such as
dictionaries, thesauruses, word banks, classroom displays, books or websites for support or
ideas
 is informed by clear learning objectives and limited success criteria which are not over
detailed and do not over-aid pupils
Writing is not independent if it has been:
 modelled or heavily scaffolded
 copied or paraphrased
 supported by success criteria that are over-detailed and over-aids pupils
 edited as a result of direct intervention by a teacher or other adult, for example where the
pupil has been directed to change specific words for greater impact, or where incorrect or
omitted punctuation has been indicated
 produced with the support of electronic aids that automatically provide correct spelling,
synonyms, punctuation, or predictive text
Writing : Key Stage 2
 The word lists in the National Curriculum English programme of study Appendix 17 for years
3 and 4, and years 5 and 6, are statutory. They include words that pupils use frequently in
their writing, but often misspell.
 Pupils are not required to evidence all of these words across their range of writing. However,
where listed words are used, some, or most, must be spelt correctly in line with the interim
TA framework ‘pupil can’ statements.
 no ‘common exception words’ within the Key Stage 2 programme of study. The National
Curriculum English programme of study Appendix for years 3 and 4, and years 5 and 6,
includes some words that do not follow the taught rules and guidance, but they are not
‘common exception words’.
 no statutory requirement for pupils to include these words in their writing. However, where
listed words are used, some, or most, must be spelt correctly in line with the interim TA
framework ‘pupil can’ statements.
Handwriting: both Key Stages
No change to 2016 arrangements
 Any pupil whose work does not evidence one, or more than one, of the statements relating
to handwriting can be awarded the ‘working towards the expected standard’ or ‘working at
the expected standard’, but cannot be awarded ‘working at greater depth within the
expected standard’.
 To be awarded ‘working at greater depth within the expected standard’ at the end of Key
Stage 2, pupils must meet all of the statements relating to handwriting in the preceding
standards.
 For pupils ‘working at greater depth within the expected standard’, handwriting books or
handwriting exercises can provide evidence of pupils’ independent application of
handwriting. However, there must be evidence that the ‘expected’ handwriting statements
are met in some pieces of independent writing.
 Pupils who have a physical disability that prevents them from being able to write as part of
day-to-day classroom practice are exempt from having to meet the statements for
handwriting for the ‘working towards the expected standard’, ‘working at the expected
standard’, and ‘working at greater depth within the expected standard’.
 Pupils who are physically unable to write may use a word processor.
 Pupils who are physically able to write may choose to word process some of their writing,
where appropriate. When using a word processor, it is advised that the spelling and
grammar check functions are disabled, in order to verify that a pupil is independently able
to meet the relevant ‘pupil can’ statements.
Key Stage 1 IAFs: brackets
The distinction between statements containing supplementary detail (as italicised examples/as
bracketed detail) – Key Stage 1
 Non-italicised is statutory requirement .Children MUST demonstrate ALL these in their
writing to be awarded the standard to which they apply
 using sentences with different forms in their writing (statements, questions,
exclamations and commands)
 using co-ordination (or / and / but) and some subordination (when / if / that /
because)
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Italicised text is exemplification of aspect. Children must demonstrate SOME of these to be
awarded the standard to which they apply:
 adding suffixes to spell some words correctly in their writing e.g. –ment, –ness, –ful,
–less, ly)
Further note on exclamation sentences – 2016 clarification guidance
Pupils at Key Stage 1 who are ‘working at the expected standard’ and/or ‘working at greater depth’
standards must use sentences with different forms in their writing.
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You are my friend. [statement]
Are you my friend? [question]
Be my friend! [command]
What a good friend you are! [exclamation]
An exclamation must be introduced by a phrase with ‘what’ or ‘how’ and should be followed by a
subject + verb + any other elements. It is typically demarcated by an exclamation mark, for example:
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What big teeth you have, Grandma!
How beautiful Cinderella looks in that dress!
The definition of an exclamation should not be confused with the uses of the exclamation mark for
punctuation. The exclamation mark can be used in a variety of sentence forms and not just in
exclamations.
Exemplification materials: both Key Stages
There are no plans to provide new or additional exemplification materials in 2017. The 2016
materials are available to download from Gov.uk
Key Stage 1
Writing
 Charlie: WTS
 Sam: EXS
 Ali: GDS
Available as annotated and unannotated
versions
Reading – includes video exemplification
WTS, EXS, GDS
Maths
WTS, EXS, GDS
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Key Stage 2
Writing
 Alex : WTS
 Leigh: EXS
 Morgan: EXS
 Frankie: GDS
Available as annotated and unannotated
versions
Reading : EXS only
Maths: EXS only
Checklists / tables – in annotated exemplar materials or those produced by the LA - are not
statutory, but in 2016 teachers found them useful in auditing their assessments.
Reporting to parents: both Key Stages
Headteachers at maintained schools
 must prepare annual reports for every pupil’s parents.
 must make arrangements for parents to discuss the report with their child’s teacher, if they
wish to do so
The report must cover the pupil’s:
 achievements
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general progress
attendance record
Where appropriate it must also include results of any:
 national curriculum tests
 public examinations, by subject and grade
Key Stage 2 reports must include scaled scores for Reading, SPAG and Maths – see ARA p 41
Schools are not obliged to report test results to parents in an annual report (see section 11).
However, parents must be allowed access to their child’s results on request.
Statutory External moderation amendments / clarifications for 2017: both Key Stages
Amendments to 2016 guidance:
 Guidance for schools and LA now in single booklets for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2
 Sharper guidance on independence in writing
 Greater clarity about moderation visit and roles of moderators
 LAs must not dictate form or presentation of evidence
 Moderator training
 New arrangements for re – moderation where there is scope for improvement before
reporting deadlines
External moderation: both Key Stages
LAs must moderate a sample of at least 25% of schools each year; they should base their selection of
maintained schools for external moderation on their own local intelligence. Triggers for external
moderation may include:
 new teaching staff
 new senior leadership team
 Ofsted concern
 unusual patterns of attainment
 date and / or outcome of last external moderation visit
 concern relating to the 2015 to 2016 assessment cycle, including maladministration
Barnet LA
 will carry out moderation visits from 5 - 29 June 2017. Schools will receive adequate notice
of the visit.
 will tell your school if you are going to get (or not get) a moderation visit on or after 19 May
2017
 moderators will review
 Key Stage 1: 10 % sample (at least 3 different pupils) for each subject
 Key Stage 2: writing 5 pupils / 15% of cohort
 moderators will hold a professional dialogue with teachers to confirm that teacher
assessment standards are being applied appropriately by the school.
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may require schools to amend teacher judgements for individual pupils if it is determined
that judgements are not in line with national standards.
Re-moderation: both Key Stages
 If the school and the LA external moderators agree some pupils have the potential to meet
the next standard before the data submission deadline, the LA record of visit should also
include the next steps:
 if school TA judgements were accepted in full by the LA, the additional evidence
must have been internally re-moderated by the school and submitted by the TA
submission date, or
 if school TA judgements were not accepted in full by the LA, the additional evidence
must be submitted to the LA for review prior to the TA submission date
Moderator training
A mandatory training and accreditation scheme for all LA moderators, required by STA will be
implemented in spring 2017.
Barnet LA support to schools for assessment and moderation 2017
LA Briefings & Moderation workshops
 New to Y6
25 November
 New to Y2
1 December
 Update for experienced Y2 / Y6 /SLT 5 December
 Supporting writing for Y2 and Y6 teachers Part 1: 12 Dec 9.15 – 12.30
 Part 2 TBC
Moderation workshops
All take place in the conference room BEST Hub. Booking forms will be available on the BPSI website
Thursday
Thursday
Friday
Monday
Friday
Wednesday
Thursday
Wednesday
19 January 2017
26 January 2017
24 February 2017
27 February 2017
10 March 2017
15 March 2017
20 April 2017
26 April 2017
AM & PM
AM & PM
AM & PM
AM ONLY
AM & PM
AM & PM
AM & PM
AM & PM
KS1 Moderation Workshops
KS2 ModerationWorkshops
KS1 Moderation Workshops
KS2 Moderation Workshop
KS2 Moderation Workshops
KS1 Moderation Workshops
KS2 Moderation Workshops
KS1 Moderation Workshops
Associate moderators
We have recruited a pool of associate moderators for KS1 and Key Stage2 who will be trained to
support cluster / partnership events, LA moderation workshops and to provide some quality
assurance of assessments for schools not externally moderated. They are senior teachers,
recommended by their headteachers, who have experience and expertise in assessment and
moderation processes.
Arrangements for the commissioning of associate moderators to support school events will be
published in the New Year.
Website
An assessment and moderation page has been published on the BPSI website. It is accessible via the
BPSI members’ area. It includes all the statutory documentation, training presentations and a range
of support resources.
John Paxton
Moderation manager
Barnet LA
[email protected]
December 2016