Guidance

Non-statutory teacher assessment frameworks at the end of key stage 1

Updated 29 April 2024

1. Introduction

The Standards and Testing Agency (STA) conducted an evaluation of the interim teacher assessment frameworks during spring 2017, working with teachers and other educational experts. In response, we made changes to the frameworks in English reading, English writing, mathematics and science. These changes included moving to a more flexible approach to assessing these subjects, as well as revising the ‘pupil can’ statements to ensure that they appropriately represent the key aspects of the national curriculum and reflect day-to-day classroom practice. The changes took effect from the academic year 2018 to 2019 onwards.

On 20 July 2022, we announced that end of key stage 1 (KS1) assessments would become non-statutory from the academic year 2023 to 2024 onwards. The English writing teacher assessment frameworks were updated accordingly to remove any statutory references in April 2024.

2. Guidance for teachers

2.1 Main principles

• Where appropriate, we still encourage schools to use the teacher assessment framework to assess pupils in KS1 in order to understand their progress and to inform conversations with pupils’ parents.
• The frameworks focus on certain key aspects of the core subjects. They do not cover all of the content of the national curriculum. Pupils meeting the different standards within the frameworks will have a broader range of knowledge and skills than those being assessed.
• The frameworks are not a formative assessment tool. They are not intended to guide individual programmes of study, classroom practice or methodology.
• We recommend teachers assess individual pieces of pupils’ work in line with their school’s own assessment policy and not against the frameworks. At the end of this key stage, teachers may wish to make a judgement against the frameworks based on their own assessments of pupils’ work.
• Teachers may wish to base their judgement on a broad range of evidence, which will come from day-to-day work in the classroom. This can include work in curriculum 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 evidence for multiple statements.
• Each framework has either one or 3 standards of attainment containing ‘pupil can’ statements upon which teachers will base their judgements.

2.2 Qualifiers and examples

Some of the statements within this framework contain qualifiers (‘some’, ‘many’ and ‘most’) to indicate the extent to which pupils demonstrate the knowledge or skill required. Further guidance about making consistent judgements is available in the exemplification material.

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 knowledge or skill 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. Teachers may wish to refer to the national curriculum to exemplify the statements or use the exemplification materials.

2.3 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 that 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 reasonable adjustments are in place – for example, reducing anxiety by providing a quiet learning 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 learning is applicable – for example, using a visual phonics system for a pupil with a hearing impairment, or using a computer for a pupil with a visual impairment because they cannot read back their handwriting.

We encourage teachers to ensure that all pupils have the opportunity to demonstrate attainment with reasonable adjustments in place, but the standards of the assessments should 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 can use their professional discretion in making such judgements for each pupil.

3. English reading

• The 3 standards in this framework contain a number of ‘pupil can’ statements. To judge that a pupil is working at a standard in English reading, teachers need to have evidence which demonstrates that the pupil meets all of the statements within that standard.
• The evidence informing a teacher’s judgement may include the end-of-KS1 English reading test, which does not focus solely on the key aspects in this framework but will provide evidence to support the judgement overall and assess the broader curriculum. A pupil’s answers to specific questions in the test, or any other test, may also provide evidence that pupils have met certain statements.

Working towards the expected standard

The pupil can:

• read accurately by blending the sounds in words that contain the common graphemes for at least 40+ phonemes* 
• accurately read some words of 2 or more syllables that contain the same grapheme phoneme correspondences (GPCs)*
• read many common exception words*

In a book closely matched to the GPCs as above, the pupil can: 

• read aloud many words quickly and accurately without overt sounding and blending 
• sound out many unfamiliar words accurately 

In a familiar book that is read to them, the pupil can:

• answer questions in discussion with the teacher and make simple inferences   

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

Working at the expected standard

The pupil can:

• accurately read most words of 2 or more syllables
• read most words containing common suffixes*
• read most common exception words*

In age-appropriate** books, the pupil can:

• read most words accurately without overt sounding and blending, and with sufficient fluency to allow them to focus on their understanding rather than on decoding individual words***
• sound out most unfamiliar words accurately, without undue hesitation

In a book that they can already read fluently, the pupil can:

• check it makes sense to them, correcting any inaccurate reading
• answer questions and make some inferences
• explain what has happened so far in what they have read

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

**Teachers should compare the books that their pupils read with those provided for the KS1 reading test. The sources for the reading test are listed in the copyright acknowledgements in published KS1 test materials.

***Approximately 90 words per minute is a good indicator of when children start to read with sufficient fluency to focus on their understanding, but some pupils read slower than this while still being able to do so.

Working at greater depth within the expected standard

The pupil can, in a book they are reading independently:

• make inferences
• make a plausible prediction about what might happen on the basis of what has been read so far
• make links between the book they are reading and other books they have read

4. English writing

• The 3 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 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 being made.
• A pupil’s answers to specific questions in classroom tests may provide additional evidence that they have met certain statements, including the optional end-of-KS1 English grammar, punctuation and spelling test. Although tests might not focus solely on the key aspects in this framework, they may also provide evidence to support the judgement overall.
• A pupil’s writing which teachers use to make judgements must be produced independently. Teachers can refer to STA’s guidance on teacher assessment for further information about independent work.

Working towards the expected standard

The pupil can, after discussion with the teacher:

• write sentences that are sequenced to form a short narrative (real or fictional)
• demarcate some sentences with capital letters and full stops
• segment spoken words into phonemes and represent these by graphemes, spelling some words correctly and making phonically plausible attempts at others
• spell some common exception words*
• form lower-case letters in the correct direction, starting and finishing in the right place
• form lower-case letters of the correct size relative to one another in some of their writing
• use spacing between words

*These are detailed in the word lists within the spelling appendix to the national curriculum (English appendix 1: spelling). Teachers should refer to these to exemplify the words that pupils should be able to spell.

Working at the expected standard

The pupil can, after discussion with the teacher:

• write simple, coherent narratives about personal experiences and those of others (real or fictional)
• write about real events, recording these simply and clearly
• demarcate most sentences in their writing with capital letters and full stops, and use question marks correctly when required
• use present and past tense mostly correctly and consistently
• use co-ordination (such as or/and/but) and some subordination (such as when/if/that/because) to join clauses
• segment spoken words into phonemes and represent these by graphemes, spelling many of these words correctly and making phonically plausible attempts at others
• spell many common exception words*
• form capital letters and digits of the correct size, orientation and relationship to one another and to lower-case letters
• use spacing between words that reflects the size of the letters

*These are detailed in the word lists within the spelling appendix to the national curriculum (English appendix 1: spelling). Teachers should refer to these to exemplify the words that pupils should be able to spell.

Working at greater depth

The pupil can, after discussion with the teacher:

• write effectively and coherently for different purposes, drawing on their reading to inform the vocabulary and grammar of their writing
• make simple additions, revisions and proof-reading corrections to their own writing
• use the punctuation taught at KS1 mostly correctly*
• spell most common exception words*
• add suffixes to spell most words correctly in their writing – for example: –ment, –ness, –ful, –less, –ly*
• use the diagonal and horizontal strokes needed to join some letters

*This relates to punctuation taught in the national curriculum, which is detailed within the grammar and punctuation appendix to the national curriculum (English appendix 2: vocabulary, grammar and punctuation).

**These are detailed in the word lists within the spelling appendix to the national curriculum (English appendix 1: spelling). Teachers should refer to these to exemplify the words that pupils should be able to spell.

5. Mathematics

• The 3 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.
• The evidence informing a teacher’s judgement may include the end-of-KS1 mathematics test, which does not focus solely on the key aspects in this framework but will provide evidence to support the judgement overall and assess the broader curriculum. A pupil’s answers to specific questions in the test, or any other test, may also provide evidence that pupils have met certain statements.

Working towards the expected standard

The pupil can:

• read and write numbers in numerals up to 100
• partition a two-digit number into tens and ones, to demonstrate an understanding of place value, though they may use structured resources – such as base 10 apparatus – to support them
• add and subtract two-digit numbers and ones, and two-digit numbers and tens, where no regrouping is required, explaining their method verbally, in pictures or using apparatus – for example: 23 + 5, 46 + 20, 16 – 5, 88 – 30
• recall at least four of the six* number bonds for 10 and reason about associated facts – for example: 6 + 4 = 10, therefore 4 + 6 = 10 and 10 – 6 = 4
• count in twos, fives and tens from 0 and use this to solve problems
• know the value of different coins
• name some common 2D and 3D shapes from a group of shapes or from pictures of the shapes and describe some of their properties – for example: triangles, rectangles, squares, circles, cuboids, cubes, pyramids and spheres

*Key number bonds to 10 are: 0 + 10, 1 + 9, 2 + 8, 3 + 7, 4 + 6, 5 + 5

Working at the expected standard

The pupil can:

• read scales* in divisions of ones, twos, fives and tens
• partition any two-digit number into different combinations of tens and ones, explaining their thinking verbally, in pictures or using apparatus
• add and subtract any 2 two-digit numbers using an efficient strategy, explaining their method verbally, in pictures or using apparatus – for example: 48 + 35, 72 – 17
• recall all number bonds to and within 10 and use these to reason with and calculate bonds to and within 20, recognising other associated additive relationships – for example: if 7 + 3 = 10, then 17 + 3 = 20; if 7 – 3 = 4, then 17 – 3 = 14; leading to if 14 + 3 = 17, then 3 + 14 = 17, 17 – 14 = 3 and 17 – 3 = 14
• recall multiplication and division facts for 2, 5 and 10 and use them to solve simple problems, demonstrating an understanding of commutativity as necessary
• identify 1/4, 1/3, 1/2, 2/4, 3/4 of a number or shape, and know that all parts must be equal parts of the whole
• use different coins to make the same amount
• read the time on a clock to the nearest 15 minutes
• name and describe properties of 2D and 3D shapes, including number of sides, vertices, edges, faces and lines of symmetry

*The scale can be in the form of a number line or a practical measuring situation.

Working at greater depth

The pupil can:

• read scales* where not all numbers on the scale are given, and estimate points in between
• recall and use multiplication and division facts for 2, 5 and 10 and make deductions outside known multiplication facts
• use reasoning about numbers and relationships to solve more complex problems and explain their thinking – for example: 29 + 17 = 15 + 4 + ☐ or ‘Together Jack and Sam have £14. Jack has £2 more than Sam. How much money does Sam have?’
• solve unfamiliar word problems that involve more than one step – for example:  ‘Which has the most biscuits, 4 packets of biscuits with 5 in each packet or 3 packets of biscuits with 10 in each packet?’
• read the time on a clock to the nearest 5 minutes
• describe similarities and differences of 2D and 3D shapes, using their properties – for example: that two different 2D shapes both have only one line of symmetry; that a cube and a cuboid have the same number of edges, faces and vertices, but different dimensions

*The scale can be in the form of a number line or a practical measuring situation.

6. Science

• The standard in this framework contains a number of ‘pupil can’ statements. To judge that a pupil is working at the standard in science, teachers need to have evidence which demonstrates that the pupil meets all of the ‘working scientifically’ statements and all of the ‘science content’ taught in the final year of the key stage.
• There is no requirement to have evidence from the classroom that pupils have met statements relating to science content taught before the final year of the key stage. Where possible, teachers should draw on assessments that have been made earlier in the key stage to make their judgement against this framework.
• The ‘working scientifically’ statements must be taught through, and clearly related to, the teaching of substantive science content in the programme of study. The ‘science content’ statements will be taught and assessed throughout the key stage. The framework shows where statements relating to science content appear in the national curriculum.

Working at the expected standard – working scientifically

The pupil can, using appropriate scientific language from the national curriculum:

• ask their own questions about what they notice
• use different types of scientific enquiry to gather and record data, using simple equipment where appropriate, to answer questions:
  • observing changes over time
  • noticing patterns
  • grouping and classifying things
  • carrying out simple comparative tests
  • finding things out using secondary sources of information communicate their ideas, what they do and what they find out in a variety of ways
• communicate their ideas, what they do and what they find out in a variety of ways

Working at the expected standard – science content

The pupil can:

• name and locate parts of the human body, including those related to the senses [year 1], and describe the importance of exercise, a balanced diet and hygiene for humans [year 2]
• describe the basic needs of animals for survival and the main changes as young animals, including humans, grow into adults [year 2]
• describe the basic needs of plants for survival and the impact of changing these and the main changes as seeds and bulbs grow into mature plants [year 2]
• identify whether things are alive, dead or have never lived [year 2]
• describe and compare the observable features of animals from a range of groups [year 1]
• group animals according to what they eat [year 1], describe how animals get their food from other animals and/or from plants, and use simple food chains to describe these relationships [year 2]
• describe seasonal changes [year 1]
• name different plants and animals and describe how they are suited to different habitats [year 2]
• distinguish objects from materials, describe their properties, identify and group everyday materials [year 1] and compare their suitability for different uses [year 2]