Teachers use a range formative assessment strategies on an ongoing basis, across all subjects. The information they gather informs the next steps of the lesson and their planning for future lessons. Assessments may be gathered through retrieval questions, cold calling (answering questions without hands-up to promote deep thinking), hinge questions, quizzes, the use of mini whiteboards amongst a few. These strategies will be employed through every lesson and rapid intervention implemented where children have a misconception.


Alongside these formative assessment measures are national summative assessments which take place as follows:

EYFS

At the beginning of Reception, pupils participate in a national baseline assessment – this is an informal set of tasks that your child completes with their teacher and is used to understand the progress they make across primary education.

At the end of the Reception year, all pupils are assessed by their teacher against national early years foundation stage (EYFS) standards. The resulting EYFS profile is a report of your child’s development and achievement at the end of the Reception Year. There are three main objectives:

  • To inform parents about their children’s development
  • To ease the transition into key stage 1 (ks1)
  • To help the Year 1 teachers plan for the year ahead to meet the needs of the entire class

The EYFS profile is broken down into specific areas of learning. The criteria of which are broken down into four age bands, called the Development Matters bands and within each band, there are separate achievement levels:

  • Expected – your child is working at the level expected for their age
  • Emerging – your child is working below the expected level

At the end of Reception, a child is considered to have a ‘good level of development’ if they have achieved at least the expected level in the early learning goals in all aspects of personal, social and emotional development, physical development, communication and language, literacy and mathematics.
If your child is working below the expected level for their age, we will focus on supporting them to catch up with their peers in ks1. If your child is considered to be exceeding the expected level at the end of Reception, their Year 1 teacher will ensure that they continue to be adequately challenged.


KS2

In the summer term of Year 4, our pupils will sit a standardised times tables assessment. A secure knowledge of multiplication facts, up to and including the 12 times tables, are proven to set learners up with a strong basis for more advanced maths learning as they progress on their educational journey. More information for parents can be found at Multiplication tables check: information for parents.

At the end of Year 6 all our pupils sit external national assessments in English (reading, spelling, punctuation and grammar) and maths. These standard assessment tests (SATS) take place in May and we will work with your child through the year to help them understand the process and achieve their personal best. More information for parents can be found at 2026 key stage 2 national curriculum tests: information for parents.