Assessment Information for Parents

Overview of Assessments

Pupils at Otterburn take part in several statutory and optional assessments throughout their primary education:

• Reception Baseline Assessment: Taken in the first six weeks of starting Reception to provide a baseline for future progress measurement.

• Early Years Foundation Stage Profile: Completed in the summer term of Reception to summarise each child’s development in key areas of learning.

• Phonics Screening Check: Conducted in June of Year 1 to assess early reading skills using phonics.

• Key Stage 1 Assessments (Year 2): These are now optional and may be used by schools to inform teacher assessments in reading, writing, mathematics, and grammar, punctuation and spelling.

• Multiplication Tables Check (Year 4): A short, online test taken in June to check quick recall of multiplication facts up to 12 × 12.

• Key Stage 2 Assessments (Year 6): Formal tests in English grammar, punctuation and spelling, reading, and mathematics. Writing and science are assessed by teachers.

Support for All Learners

Some children may be working below the standard of national curriculum tests. In such cases, we use alternative assessments:

• Pre-Key Stage Standards: For pupils who are engaged in subject-specific learning but not yet at test standard.

• Engagement Model: For pupils not yet engaged in subject-specific learning, focusing on areas such as exploration, persistence, and anticipation.

Your child’s class teacher will let you know if these apply and will work closely with you to ensure appropriate support is in place.

More Information

To learn more about the assessments your child may take, please visit the UK Government’s National Curriculum Assessments: Information for Parents.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your child’s teacher or the school office. We are here to support you and your child every step of the way.