Guidance

2016 key stage 2 science sampling: sample questions, mark scheme and commentary

Science sampling materials to support primary school teachers with science teaching and teacher assessment at key stage 2.

• From: Standards and Testing Agency
• Published: 28 September 2017

This publication was withdrawn on 10 April 2024

The last year in which science sampling took place was 2018. Ministers have since decided not to undertake any further science sampling at key stage 2 (KS2).

However, schools should still make teacher assessment (TA) judgements and submit TA data for science at the end of KS2.

Documents

2016 science sampling: test booklet

Ref: ISBN 978-1-78644-838-5, STA/17/7955/e

PDF, 6.62 MB, 89 pages

2016 science sampling: mark scheme

Ref: ISBN 978-1-78644-827-9, STA/17/7943/e

PDF, 1.31 MB, 69 pages

2016 science sampling: commentary booklet

Ref: ISBN 978-1-78644-244-4, STA/17/7951/e

PDF, 3.55 MB, 122 pages

Details

We administered 15 test booklets to a sample of schools as part of the 2016 national science sampling exercise. We retired 6 of these booklets and the remaining 9 will be used in 2018, alongside 6 new booklets.

The 28 questions that we are publishing now are from the retired tests. We have selected these questions for their ongoing relevance to a range of topics included in the national curriculum programmes of study for science taught from September 2014. Modified versions will be available later in the autumn term.

The accompanying report shows how pupils performed on 11 of these questions. It highlights misconceptions in pupils’ understanding of some science topics and provides an insight into how the results of the sample could inform class teaching.

Published 28 September 2017