10 important primary school tests your child may have to take
Primary schools in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland all run different tests at different ages: which ones will your child have to test – and what do they involve?
Tests in primary school are a subject of much controversy: some people (including the policy makers in the current government) think tests are good because they help schools measure teaching progress and improve standards; others think they're not so good because, they say, they put young children on a 'test treadmill' and cause them unnecessary stress.
Whatever you think, it's likely that your child will take some tests during their time at primary school – but which ones and at what age currently depends on whereabouts in the UK your child goes to school. And that's because England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales all have different testing arrangements.
What tests will my child have to do?
Here's our guide to which test your primary school child might be required to take, depending on where you live in the UK:
1. Reception baseline assessment (RBA)
At what age? 4 to 5 years olds (Reception class) in England only
What is it? The reception baseline assessment was introduced in England in September 2021 and is designed to give an overview of your child's early mathematics, language, communication and literacy skills when they first start school. It's an informal, activity based assessment and is carried out by your child's teacher within the first 6 weeks of them starting Reception.
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Do parents see the results? No, neither does the school or your child's teacher. Instead, the school will receive a short list of narrative statements detailing how your child performed which you can request to see.
What are the results used for? The results provide a snapshot of your child's abilities when they enter Reception. The results will then be compared with your child's Key Stage 2 SAT results, to measure how well your child's school has supported the year group between Reception and Year 6.
2. Primary 1 Assessment (Scottish National Standardised Assessment)
At what age? 4 to 5 (P1) in Scotland only
What is it? A numeracy and literacy test (about 30 to 40 minutes long but there's no official time limit), carried out using a digital device (computer, laptop or tablet). The tests do not take place at the same time and they will take place once during your child's Reception school year.
Do parents see the results? Parents won't receive a copy of the child's results, but teachers will use the feedback from the assessment to discuss how your child is progressing with their learning.
What are the results used for? The results are used to signal to your child's teacher how much they are progressing. The report sets out in which areas your child did well and in what areas further support may be needed. Their teacher can then use the feedback to plan next steps or outline support and discuss with you how your child has progressed.
3. Early Years Foundation Profile
At what age? 4 to 5 (Reception) in England only
What is it? This isn't actually a test; it's just a report teachers are required to compile for each child, summarising their progress throughout their Reception year in key areas such as communication and language development, physical development, and personal social and emotional development.
Do parents see the results? Yes, you will receive a copy.
What are the results used for? The results are used to show you how your child has developed throughout the first year at school. It's also used to assist with the transition to Key Stage 1 — your child's Year 1 teacher will use the report to help plan their curriculum based on where their pupils' stages of development.
4. Personalised assessments
At what age? 6 to 14 (Years 2 to 9) in Wales only
What is it? An online, interactive assessment in reading and numeracy that your child will take once each year from Year 2 to Year 9 — when it will be taken will be decided by your child's teacher. Your child can try sample questions before starting and take breaks if needed. The questions are adaptive so will become easier or harder depending on how your child answered the previous question.
Do parents see the results? Yes, but your child's teacher may discuss their result with them before sharing with you. You will also see a progress chart which shows how your child has progressed over time as well as a graph that details where your child is in comparison to all other children in their year group across Wales.
What are the results used for? The results provide information on your child's skills as well as the things that they may need to work on. They help teachers to plan their next steps for reading and numeracy teaching and help to identify any specific areas where your child may need support.
5. Phonics check
At what age? 5 to 6 (Year 1) in England only
What is it? Phonics is a method used in all English schools to help children learn how to read and spell. In this test, which is usually done 1-to-1 with a teacher in June, your child will be asked to read out 40 words (some real and some made-up) to see if they have a good grasp of phonics or if they need more assistance.
Do parents see the results? Yes, teachers will share your child's score with you in the last half term of Year 1.
What are the results used for? The phonics screening check is used to signify to teachers and the school how well your child has progressed in phonics. The results will be used to identify if your child will need support in Year 2.
What about Northern Ireland?
At the end of each school year in Years 1-7, you will receive a written report from your child's school that describes their progress in every aspect of the curriculum.
In Years 4 and 7 (the end of Key Stages 1 and 2), the school will also tell you the level that your child has acheived in the 3 Cross Curricular skills: Communication, Using ICT and Using Mathematics. They will also tell you the expected level for pupils in your child's year group as well as other informaiton about assessment outcomes in the school. You should receive this by the end of June.
There is no formal assessment, teachers will decide the level your child has acheived in each skill based on their knowledge of your child and school-based assessment activities such as classroom observation, discussion and asking questions, classwork, homework, class tests and more.
6. Key stage 1 SATs
At what age? 6 to 7 (Year 2) in England
What is it? At the end of Year 2, if your child is in an English primary school, they may be tested in reading and maths and assessed by their teacher in writing, speaking and listening and science. These assessments are now non-statutory, meaning schools can decide for themselves whether to do the tests or not. The reception baseline assessment has replaced the KS1 SATs as a measure for judging progress throughout primary school.
Do parents see the results? As the assessments are not compulsory, if your child does sit them then the school has no requirement to share the results with parents. There is, however, a requirement for the school to provide an annual report about your child's progress, which may include how they performed in the assessment and how they are progressing.
What are the results used for? If your child's school does choose to assess children using the optional tests, they can be used to measure a pupil's progress and identify if they will need additional support as they enter Key Stage 2.
7. Primary 4 Assessment (Scottish National Standardised Assessment)
At what age? 7 to 8 (P4) in Scotland only
What is it? As with the P1 Assessment, it's an online test, this time including reading as well as writing and numeracy questions. The questions are adaptive and will change depending on how your child answers. The 3 tests are not taken in 1 sitting, there is no time limit (on average it takes around 40 minutes to complete) and it's up to the teacher to decide when your child will take the assessment.
Do parents see the results? Parents will not see the outcome of the assessment, your child's teacher will instead discuss how your child is progressing using the assessment outcomes and evidence from a range of other sources too.
What are the results used for? The results are primarily used at a classroom level, your child's teacher will use the results to help understand how your child is progressing in terms of their reading, writing and numeracy skills. The school will also have access to school-level data that can be used to tailor their improvement planning. The Scottish government will also have access to data at a national level (which will be anonymous) which they say will help the government to identify trends and drive national policy.
8. Multiplication table check (MTC)
At what age? 8 to 9 (Year 4) in England only
What is it? An online test of 25 questions that will check your child's understanding and recall of times tables, up to 12 x 12. Your child will have 6 seconds to answer each question and the whole test should take no more than 5 minutes to complete. It will take place in the first couple of weeks of June.
Do parents see the results? Yes, your child's teacher will share your child's score with you. Do bear in mind that there is no pass mark for the assessment.
What are the results used for? Schools will use the results to identify pupils who need additional support.
9. Key Stage 2 SATs
At what age? 10 to 11 (Year 6) in England
What is it? If your child goes to an English school, they'll be given a series of paper-based tests in spelling, punctuation and grammar (Spag), reading and maths that are marked externally.
Do parents see the results? Yes — before the end of the summer term, you will be given a report about your child. This will include their SAT results as well as a teacher assessment judgement about your child's progress in English writing and science.
What are the results used for? The results are primarily used to measure how your child has progressed throughout primary education and to make sure that your child has mastered the basics expected at this level. The results can be used to signal to teachers which children may need extra support as they move into Year 7. Your child's individual results will not be published, but school-level results are published on the Department for Education's (DfE) school performance tables website.
- Read the DfE's information for parents leaflet for more information
10. Primary 7 Assessment
At what age? 10 to 11 (P7) in Scotland only
What is it? As with the P4 Assessment, this is an online test in reading, writing and numeracy questions. Again, similarly to the P4 assessment, the questions are adaptive and will change depending on the answers your child provides and there is no time limit, it should not take more than 40 minutes to complete.
Do parents see the results? No, you will instead have a discussion with your child's teacher about your child's progression. The teacher will draw on your child's P7 Assessment results as well as other indicators.
What are the results used for? They are used so your child's teacher can get a sense of how your child is progressing through their work and it will help to signal if any additional support is needed. As with the P4 assessment, the school will also use their pupils' data to plan accordingly and the Scottish government say they will use the data from a national level to help form education policy.
Phew! Are you ready for all that?
It does sound like a lot, especially if your child goes to school in England, but it's worth remembering that everything that comes up in the tests and assessments will have been covered already as part of what your child is learning at school – so there should be no big surprises.
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Authors
Tara is mum to 1 daughter, Bodhi Rae, and has worked as Content Editor and Social Media Producer at MadeForMums since 2015
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