Guidance

Pre-key stage 1: pupils working below the national curriculum assessment standard

Updated 15 April 2024

Introduction

Changes to statutory assessment arrangements for pupils working below the standard of national curriculum assessments

In 2015, we established an independent review of statutory assessment arrangements for pupils in primary school who were working below the standard of national curriculum assessments, led by Diane Rochford. We conducted a public consultation on the Rochford Review’s recommendations between March and June 2017, and published our response to the consultation in September 2017.

Optional assessment at the end of key stage 1

In the response to the 2017 consultation on primary assessment, we stated that we intended to make the end of key stage 1 (KS1) assessments non-statutory once the reception baseline assessment (RBA) was fully established. On 20 July 2022, we announced that end of KS1 assessments would become non-statutory from the academic year 2023 to 2024 onwards.

While we encourage schools to use the pre-key stage standards to assess pupils working below the national curriculum in KS1, schools are no longer required to report assessment data or provide end of KS1 teacher assessment judgements to local authorities or DfE. Schools should still use the pre-key stage standards to support setting targets and measuring attainment for KS1 pupils.

Pupils engaged in subject-specific study

The consultation on the Rochford Review found broad support to extend the interim pre-key stage standards to include all pupils working below the standard of national curriculum assessments engaged in subject-specific study. We conducted a review of the interim pre-key stage standards, working with teachers and other education experts, before publishing the final versions presented in this document. We revised the ‘pupil can’ statements to ensure that they appropriately represent the key aspects of each subject, allow for progression towards the national curriculum and better reflect classroom practice.

These standards can be used to assess pupils in KS1 who are working below the standard of national curriculum assessments and engaged in subject-specific study. These standards were first used from the academic year 2018 to 2019.

Pupils not yet engaged in subject-specific study

Our response to the public consultation on the Rochford Review recommendations also set out the plans for the Review’s recommended approach to statutory assessment for those pupils not yet engaged in subject-specific study.

Following a pilot using 7 aspects of engagement, the engagement model was developed with the support of an expert group involving members of the Rochford Review and using the evidence from an evaluation of the 7 aspects carried out in 2018.

The engagement model was first published in March 2020. While it can be used optionally for assessment in KS1, it remains statutory for assessment at the end of key stage 2 (KS2). Further, the engagement model must be used for the purposes of specifying attainment targets at both KS1 and KS2 for pupils not yet engaged in subject-specific study.

Summary of assessment methods for pupils working below the expected standards

Pupil’s engagement	Optional assessment method
Subject-specific study	Pre-key stage 1 standards
Not subject specific study	Engagement model

Guidance for teachers

Main principles

• The KS1 pre-key stage standards are provided for the optional assessment of pupils engaged in subject-specific study who are working below the overall standard of the national curriculum tests and teacher assessment frameworks.
• If a pupil is working below the standard of these pre-key stage standards, schools may wish to consider an optional assessment using the engagement model.
• The pre-key stage standards focus on certain key aspects of English reading, English writing and mathematics for the specific purpose of end of key stage 1 assessment. While the standards are designed to capture attainment in these subjects, individual pupils will demonstrate achievement in different aspects of their education and this should also be reported to parents. Teachers should recognise the progress of individual pupils, setting targets that refer to agreed outcomes within the Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice 2015, where appropriate.
• Teachers may wish to base their judgements on a broad range of evidence, which will come from day-to-day work in the classroom. This can be drawn from work in subjects other than the one being assessed, although a pupil’s work in that subject alone may provide sufficient evidence to support the judgement. Teachers may also consider a single example of a pupil’s work to provide sufficient evidence for multiple statements.
• Teachers are encouraged to be confident that pupils have met the standard(s) preceding the one at which they judge them to be working. However, they are not required to have specific evidence for that judgement. A pupil’s work which demonstrates a standard is met is sufficient to show that they are working above the preceding standards.
• Each subject framework has 4 standards of attainment containing ‘pupil can’ statements upon which teachers can base their judgements. Teachers are encouraged to follow the specific guidance for each subject.
• The standards are not a formative assessment tool: they should not be used to track progress throughout the key stage or to guide individual programmes of study, classroom practice or methodology. Teachers may wish to assess individual pieces of pupils’ work in line with their school’s own, more detailed, assessment policy and not against these standards. Those reviewing school performance, including Ofsted inspectors, would not expect them to be used for anything other than summative assessment at the end of the key stage.
• The pre-key stage standards may also be useful for teachers to refer to for pupils of all ages, including those attending secondary school, but there is no statutory requirement to do so.

Qualifiers and examples

Some of the statements within the standards contain qualifiers (‘some’, ‘many’ and ‘most’) to indicate the extent to which pupils should demonstrate the knowledge or skill required. Where qualifiers are used, they have consistent meaning:

• ‘most’ indicates that the statement is generally met with only occasional errors
• ‘many’ indicates that the statement is met frequently but not yet consistently
• ‘some’ indicates that the skill or knowledge is starting to be acquired and is demonstrated correctly on occasion, but is not yet consistent or frequent

Some of the statements contain examples. These do not dictate the evidence required, but show only how that statement might be met.

Assessment of pupils with disabilities

All schools are required to make reasonable adjustments for pupils with disabilities. Disability is defined in the Equality Act 2010 as a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. When teachers assess pupils against the ‘pupil can’ statements, they should base their judgements on what disabled pupils can do when those reasonable adjustments are in place – for example, reducing anxiety by providing a quiet study space, or allowing more time to process instructions.

If a pupil has a disability that prevents them from demonstrating attainment in the way described in a ‘pupil can’ statement, their individual method of communication or study is applicable – for example, using a visual phonics system for a pupil with a hearing impairment, using a brailler or a computer with assistive technology for a pupil with visual impairment who writes in braille, or using a word processor or scribe for a pupil who is physically unable to write.

Teachers should ensure that all pupils have the opportunity to demonstrate attainment with reasonable adjustments in place, but the standards of the assessment must not be compromised and must be met in an equivalent way. Teachers should use their professional discretion in making such judgements for each pupil.

If a pupil has a disability that physically prevents them from demonstrating a ‘pupil can’ statement altogether, even with reasonable adjustments in place, these statements can be excluded from the teacher assessment judgement – for example, for handwriting if the pupil is physically restricted when writing, or for phonics if a pupil is deaf and unable to make use of a visual phonics system. Teachers should use their professional discretion in making such judgements for each pupil.

English language comprehension and reading

How to use the standards

The 4 standards in this framework contain a number of ‘pupil can’ statements. To judge that a pupil is working at a standard in English language comprehension and reading, teachers need to have evidence which demonstrates that the pupil meets all of the statements within that standard.

Teachers should assess each individual pupil based on their own method of communication, and disregard statements which a pupil is physically unable to access.

Standard 1

Language comprehension

In a familiar story or rhyme, the pupil can, when being read to by an adult (one-to-one or in a small group):

• correctly indicate pictures of characters and objects in response to questions such as ‘Where is (the)…?’
• show anticipation about what is going to happen – for example, by turning the page
• join in with some actions or repeat some words, rhymes and phrases when prompted

Standard 2

Word reading

The pupil can:

• say a single sound for at least 10 graphemes
• read words by blending sounds with known graphemes, with help from their teacher

At Standard 2 only, teachers can consider the small number of pupils who can read words as ‘sight words’ to have met the word reading statements.

Language comprehension

In a familiar story or rhyme, the pupil can, when being read to by an adult (one-to-one or in a small group):

• demonstrate understanding – for example, by answering questions such as ‘Where is he/she/it?’, ‘What is this?’, ‘Who is this?’, ‘What is he/she doing?’
• join in with predictable phrases or refrains

Standard 3

Word reading

The pupil can:

• say a single sound for at least 20 graphemes
• read accurately by blending the sounds in words with 2 and 3 known graphemes

Language comprehension

In a familiar story or rhyme, the pupil can, when being read to by an adult (one-to-one or in a small group):

• respond to questions that require simple recall
• recount a short sequence of events – for example, by sequencing images or manipulating objects

Standard 4

Word reading

The pupil can:

• say sounds for at least 40 graphemes, including one grapheme for each of the 40+ phonemes*
• read accurately by blending the sounds in words with up to 5 known graphemes
• read some common exception words*
• read aloud books that are consistent with their phonic knowledge, without guessing words from pictures or the context of the sentence

*Teachers should refer to the English appendix 1: spelling of the national curriculum to exemplify the words that pupils should be able to read as well as spell.

Language comprehension

In a familiar story or rhyme, the pupil can, when being read to by an adult (one-to-one or in a small group):

• talk about events in the story and link them to their own experiences
• retell some of the story

English writing

How to use the standards

The 4 standards in this framework contain a number of ‘pupil can’ statements. To judge that a pupil is working at a standard in English writing, teachers need to have evidence which demonstrates that the pupil meets the standard described overall.

A pupil’s writing should meet all of the statements within the standard at which they are judged. However, teachers can use their discretion to ensure that, on occasion, a particular weakness does not prevent an accurate judgement from being made of a pupil’s attainment overall. A teacher’s professional judgement about whether the pupil has met the standard overall takes precedence. This approach applies to English writing only.

A particular weakness could relate to a part or the whole of a statement (or statements), if there is good reason to judge that it would prevent an accurate judgement from being made.

Teachers should assess each individual pupil based on their own method of communication, and disregard statements which a pupil is physically unable to access.

Standard 1

Composition

The pupil can:

• say an appropriate word to complete a sentence when the adult pauses – for example: ‘We’re going to the… zoo/park/shop/beach’

Transcription

The pupil can:

• draw lines or shapes on a small or a large scale – for example: on paper, in the air, or in sand

Standard 2

Composition

The pupil can:

• say a clause to complete a sentence that is said aloud – for example: ‘When we went to the beach today… we ate ice cream / I played in the sand / it was hot’

Transcription

The pupil can:

• correctly form most of the 10, or more, lower-case letters in Standard 2 of English language comprehension and reading
• identify or write these 10, or more, graphemes on hearing corresponding phonemes

Standard 3

Composition

The pupil can:

• make up their own phrases or short sentences to express their thoughts aloud about stories or their experiences
• write a caption or short phrase using the graphemes that they already know

Transcription

The pupil can:

• correctly form most of the 20, or more, lower-case letters in Standard 3 of English language comprehension and reading
• identify or write these 20, or more, graphemes on hearing the corresponding phonemes
• spell words with known graphemes by identifying the phonemes and representing the phonemes with graphemes – for example: in, cat, pot.

Standard 4

Composition

The pupil can:

• make up their own sentences and say them aloud, after discussion with the teacher
• write down one of the sentences that they have rehearsed

Transcription

The pupil can:

• form most lower-case letters correctly
• identify or write the 40, or more, graphemes in Standard 4 of English language comprehension and reading on hearing the corresponding phonemes
• spell words by identifying the phonemes and representing the phonemes with graphemes, including words with consonant clusters and simple digraphs – for example: frog, hand, see, chop, storm, splash
• spell a few common exception words – for example: I, the, he, said, of

Mathematics

How to use the standards

The 4 standards in this framework contain a number of ‘pupil can’ statements. To judge that a pupil is working at a standard in mathematics, teachers need to have evidence which demonstrates that the pupil meets all of the statements within that standard.

Teachers should assess each individual pupil based on their own method of communication, and disregard statements which a pupil is physically unable to access.

Standard 1

The pupil can:

• demonstrate an understanding of the concept of transaction – for example, by exchanging a coin for an item, or one item for another, during a role-play activity
• distinguish between ‘one’ and ‘lots’, when shown an example of a single object and a group of objects
• demonstrate an understanding of the concept of 1:1 correspondence – for example, giving one cup to each pupil

Standard 2

The pupil can:

• identify the big or small object from a selection of 2
• sort objects according to a stated characteristic – for example, group all the small balls together, sort the shapes into triangles and circles
• say the number names to 5 in the correct order – for example, in a song or by joining in with the teacher
• demonstrate an understanding of the concept of numbers up to 5 by putting together the right number of objects when asked
• copy and continue simple patterns using real-life materials – for example: apple, orange, apple, orange (and so on)

Standard 3

The pupil can:

• identify how many objects there are in a group of up to 10 objects, recognising smaller groups on sight and counting the objects in larger groups up to 10
• demonstrate an understanding that the last number counted represents the total number of the count
• use real-life materials, such as apples or crayons, to add and subtract 1 from a group of objects and indicate how many are now present
• copy and continue more advanced patterns using real-life materials – for example: apple, apple, orange, apple, apple, orange (and so on)

Standard 4

The pupil can:

• read and write numbers in numerals from 0 to 9
• demonstrate an understanding of the mathematical symbols of add, subtract and equal to
• solve number problems involving the addition and subtraction of single-digit numbers up to 10
• demonstrate an understanding of the composition of numbers to 5 and a developing ability to recall number bonds to and within 5 – for example, 2 + 2 = 4 and 3 + 1 = 4
• demonstrate an understanding of the commutative law – for example, 3 + 2 = 5, therefore 2 + 3 = 5
• demonstrate an understanding of inverse relationships involving addition and subtraction – for example, if 3 + 2 = 5, then 5 – 2 = 3
• demonstrate an understanding that the total number of objects changes when objects are added or taken away
• demonstrate an understanding that the number of objects remains the same when they are rearranged, providing nothing has been added or taken away
• count to 20, demonstrating that the next number in the count is one more and the previous number is one less
• recognise some common 2D shapes