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National curriculum assessments: information for parents

Information for parents about the national curriculum assessments for pupils in primary school.

From:
Standards and Testing Agency
Published
5 July 2016
Last updated
10 June 2024 — See all updates

National curriculum assessments

Primary school pupils in England take part in the:

  • reception baseline assessment: within the first 6 weeks of entering reception
  • early years foundation stage profile assessment: between April and June of the academic year in which they turn 5 (usually the reception year)
  • phonics screening check: in June of year 1
  • key stage 1 tests: optional, at the school’s discretion, at the end of year 2
  • multiplication tables check: in June of year 4
  • key stage 2 tests (sometimes referred to as SATs): in May of year 6

You will find more information about the individual assessments below.

Pupils working below the level of the national curriculum

Pupils working below the standards of the national curriculum in one or more subjects may be assessed under an alternative teacher assessment – either the:

  • pre-key stage standards, if they are engaged in subject-specific study
  • engagement model, if they are not engaged in subject-specific study

Your child’s school will inform you if this is the case.

Updates to this page

Published 5 July 2016
Last updated 10 June 2024 + show all updates

  1. Added information for parents whose children are assessed under the pre-key stage standards in 2024.

  2. Added a new phonics leaflet for parents, added links to the existing parent leaflets available for the reception baseline assessment, multiplication tables check and engagement model

  3. Information for parents leaflet, progress measures leaflet and two video links added.

  4. First published.

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