Assessment, Moderation, Monitoring and Data Collection

Primary assessments

What we do

The work of the team is focused on supporting schools to make accurate judgements at the end of Key Stages.  This includes ensuring statutory assessment arrangements are met and Headteachers and Governors have the support and guidance necessary to meet these requirements.

Schools were given the option to purchase the course attendance Service Level Agreement until 31 December 2023.  The cost of this was £500 for the Academic Year and gave schools access to all the courses and briefings at no extra charge.

Please note that a £75 non-attendance charge will apply, unless we are notified prior to the event.

Schools who have not purchased the SLA will be charged on a pay as you go basis which will be £75 per person.

• Future dates
• Statutory Guidance Materials
• National Curriculum Assessments
• Statutory moderation guidance
• KS1 and KS2 Network moderation handbook

Our services to you

As part of our statutory duties the following services are provided free of charge to all Coventry LA-maintained schools.
Academies and free schools receive their funding direct and therefore will be charged for these services.

Phonics screening check

• Include all schools in a formal LA Phonics screening monitoring visit within a set cycle
• Provide telephone/email support and guidance on the phonic screening statutory arrangements within KS1
• Carry out quality assurance checks on the Phonic data returns from schools to verify that data is accurate prior to DfE submission

Key Stage 1

Following the 2017 consultation on primary assessment, we announced in July 2022 that end of KS1 assessments will no longer be statutory from the academic year 2023 to 2024 onwards. The necessary legislative amendments have now been made and will take effect from 1 September 2023.

The reception baseline assessment (RBA) will replace the end of KS1 assessments as the baseline for cohort level primary progress measures. This will happen when the first cohort with a statutory RBA reaches the end of key stage 2 (KS2) in 2028. 

The phonics screening check is still statutory. While there is no legal duty on local authorities to moderate KS1 teacher assessment, they are still required to monitor the phonics screening check. 

Non-Statutory 

The Standards and Testing Agency emailed you in June 2023 to confirm that end of key stage 1 (KS1) assessments are no longer statutory from the academic year 2023 to 2024 onwards.

They are, however, continuing to develop and supply materials for optional end of KS1 tests. These will include optional tests of English reading, English grammar, punctuation and spelling and mathematics. They will also continue to make the end of KS1 teacher assessment frameworks available for optional use.

The aim of the optional assessments is to give schools access to test papers to assist the measurement of pupil achievement and to help identify where pupils need additional support as they transition into key stage 2. The tests can also be used to inform teacher assessment judgements, using the optional teacher assessment frameworks.

The Government encourages schools to administer the optional tests and teacher assessments, but there is no requirement to use these or report results to parents or local authorities, and they will not be used for school accountability purposes.

Maintained schools and academies do not need to place a test order for standard versions of the optional KS1 tests. They will automatically receive paper copies of the standard English reading, mathematics and English grammar and punctuation and spelling (GPS) tests. Previously, GPS was available only for download, but it will be included and supplied unless you decline to receive all materials. They will calculate the quantities required based on school census data. However, schools should order modified tests by Friday 17 November on the Primary Assessment Gateway (PAG), if required.

Schools who do not use the optional tests and teacher assessments do not have to report this to them. However, if maintained schools and academies do not wish to receive paper copies of any of the KS1 tests, they can decline them on the PAG from Monday 16 October until Friday 17 November. Note that schools cannot decline individual subjects. Schools that decline test materials will still be able to download them from the PAG from Wednesday 1 May.

They have published the following guidance documents today, Wednesday 11 October, to support schools who wish to administer the optional tests and assessments to their pupils:

• Optional KS1 tests guidance
• Optional KS1 teacher assessment guidance
• Optional KS1 access arrangements guidance

If schools have any questions about the guidance, or the optional tests or assessments, they can contact the national curriculum assessments helpline on 0300 303 3013 or at assessments@education.gov.uk.

Key Stage 2

• Ensure that the KS2 assessment arrangements are implemented through a LA programme of moderation monitoring and data checking
• Offer guidance and advice on all aspects of assessment at KS2 through assessment briefings and updates
• Ensure all schools receive an external moderation of Y6 writing as part of the STA determined cycle and that schools where assessment is at risk of inaccuracy moderate more frequently
• Provide advice to schools on access to and reporting of statutory assessment for the end of KS2
• Quality assure writing teacher assessment data prior to submitting teacher assessments to the DFE
• Conduct LA test monitoring visits as per statutory guidelines. The KS2 monitoring visits will take place within a set cycle

The following services will be available to all schools (including Academies and Free schools) at no cost as part of the City Council’s statutory duty:

Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (EYFSP)

The EYFSP is a summative assessment to be completed at the end of the reception year. The purpose of this assessment is to support a successful transition to key stage one by informing the professional dialogue between EYFS and Year 1 teachers. The EYFSP may also inform conversation with parents and carers.

Local Authorities are still responsible for collecting EYFSP data and sending this to the DfE. EYFSP data must usually be submitted to the Local Authority by the end of June. The date is set each year. The external moderation of the EYFS profile in the summer term is no longer subject to statutory external moderation.

However, Primary Network Leads should still include opportunities for EYFS agreement trialling, discussion and reflection throughout the academic year. Where possible, the inclusion of local early years providers in this activity should be encouraged to support effective transition.

Teachers are not expected to record evidence for each of the ELGs or provide physical evidence of the child's level of development for the purposes of completing the EYFSP or for Ofsted Inspection.

The EYFS profile must be completed if an exemption has been granted for the setting or an individual child. Having a Special Educational Need or Disability is no longer a reason for exemption. 

Please see further guidance:

• Exemptions from Learning and Development Requirements
• EYFS learning and development requirements: exemptions for providers
• EYFS learning and development requirements: exemptions for children
• Early years foundation stage profile handbook

Update on RBA delivery in the academic year 2024 to 2025

In March 2023, we informed schools that they would need 2 devices to administer the reception baseline assessment (RBA) from September 2024.

However, we have made the decision to delay the implementation of this two-device solution until September 2025. This will allow us more time to develop and test this approach, including conducting further user research with schools. We have updated the RBA IT guidance to reflect this change.

In the academic year 2024 to 2025, there will be no change for schools and the National Foundation for Education Research (NFER) will continue to deliver the RBA. You can find more information and guidance on the RBA collection page.

If you have any questions, or would be interested in digital user research, please contact Future-RBA.sta@education.gov.uk.

EYFS profile assessment added to future assessment dates page

On Monday 12 February, we added dates and information for the early years foundation stage (EYFS) profile assessment on the Primary assessments: future dates page.

Schools must complete the EYFS profile assessment between April and June of the academic year in which children turn 5, which is usually the reception year.

Our commitment to you

Quality assurance

The local authority has quality assurance processes in place to ensure that all statutory functions are carried out as per the guidance in the assessment and reporting arrangements for each key stage. An appeals process outlining the steps to take if the school is not satisfied with the service is shared with schools on an annual basis. The Standards and Testing Agency monitors local authority systems, plans and evaluations to ensure that the local authority is carrying out its statutory duties with respect to statutory assessment at each key stage.

Members of the team

All members of the moderation teams are currently teachers in schools. All moderators have to undergo an induction period before they work on their own and their work is quality assured by the Moderation Manager. The Coventry Monitoring Officers and LA Officers will carry out monitoring visits.

What we cost

Services are available to academies and free schools through a service level agreement.

The DfE will contact schools regarding which LA their school will use for Monitoring and Moderation. Once the DfE has this information they will inform the LA.

Charge per half-day for:

• Monitoring visits: £240
• Phonics: £100

The majority of moderation and monitoring visits will incur a half-day charge. There may, however, be the need to charge for a full day for larger schools (3 or 4 form entry where it is anticipated moderation will take longer than the half-day visit). Schools would be advised of the charge prior to the KS2 moderation or monitoring visit.