Primary school assessment

Testing, exams and ongoing primary assessment

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Primary education in England runs from the ages of four/five to 11. During this time the foundations for your child’s senior education will be laid and it’s vital that a solid base is developed. As a parent, your input is crucial. Therefore it’s important to know how the school system works and how your child will be assessed.

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How is primary education structured?

These first six years of school are split into what’s known as Key Stage One and Key Stage two. Years one and two together form Key Stage One and years three to six comprise Key Stage Two. Subjects broaden as your child grows older. However, literacy and numeracy form the backbone of education at this level.

The following is a list of compulsory subjects included in the National Curriculum, which all state schools in the UK must adhere to:

A foreign language is no longer compulsory, although it is encouraged. However, language education tends to be offered at secondary level.

Religious education is compulsory, however, as a parent you can withdraw your child from these classes if they do not meet your faith requirements.

Assessment

Ongoing assessment of your child is carried out by their teacher(s). As part of the National Curriculum framework, Key Stages One, Two and Three (Key Stage Three is for children aged 11-14) are divided into eight levels. Using these levels, your child is measured against others at the same stage across the UK. However, how each school use these levels is different.

Your child’s teacher(s) will be able to give you regular feedback on your child’s performance through parent-teacher meetings. However, more formal assessment takes place at the end of each Key Stage.

On completion of Key Stage One, your child will be assessed by their teacher, with the help of informal tests in literacy, numeracy and science. You will be informed of their results at the end-of-year parent evening.

When Key Stage Two is completed, your son or daughter will be formally assessed using National Curriculum exams called Standard Assessment Tasks (SATs). These include national tests in maths, English and science. The results of these tests will be sent to you, but you will also meet with your child’s teacher(s) to discuss them in more detail.

In most instances, tests are multiple choice and check a range of skills related to key subject areas in literacy, numeracy and science.

What can you do to help?

Do not place stress on your child to perform well at exams. At this stage the exams are best viewed as a test of your child’s ability and whether he or she is behind or ahead of his or her peers.

Practice tests are a great way to help your child familiarise themselves with exam structure, helping them to feel more relaxed during the real thing.

Take an active interest in your child’s education. Ask them what they have learned that day, have them read to you as often as possible and always go to parent-teacher meetings. It is important to support your child and if they are falling behind they may need your help, personally of through a tutor, to help them catch up to their peers.


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