Make sure your school and teaching colleagues stay aligned with the latest teacher assessment updates for the 2021/22 academic year.

Let’s begin with the most asked questions in 2021 and 2022, ‘Will the national expectations i.e., Teacher Assessment standards change this year?’

In short, no. The Department for Education (DfE) will be looking at this year’s outcomes compared to those in 2019 to judge the impact of the pandemic and to consider how best to support schools with the task of recovery.

The Standards and Testing Agency (STA) have confirmed that we are returning to a full programme of assessments in 2021/22.  There is an acknowledgement of the wide-ranging and mixed views about this particularly concerning the return of primary accountability. But on balance, [they say] their return seems less controversial than perhaps it would have been either last year or in the previous year.

Although accountability is returning, there will be no performance tables in 2022. However, data will continue to be shared with Ofsted, RSCs and other educational bodies, but will be caveated.

Will My School be Moderated this Year?

The guidance for assessments is quite clear that local authorities will be required to pick up the four-year cycle from where we left off in 2019.

We understand that this will inevitably mean some schools will feel they are ‘overdue’ a visit, but rest assured your turn will come. Although there will be no statutory external moderation of EYFS data from now, schools are strongly encouraged to moderate their Early Years outcomes both internally and with other schools. We await the new Early Years exemplification materials.

Standards and Testing Agency (STA) KS1 and KS2 moderator training materials are already published (including past versions) via the Primary Assessment Gateway. Schools are strongly encouraged to make use of these materials. Services For Education will certainly be using them for the training of our fully staffed KS1 and KS2 moderator teams and as part of our training offer, both in-centre and in our work with schools where applicable.

This year’s STA KS1 and KS2 moderator training materials include:

• A video (and related transcription) focusing on the key parts of the moderation process
• The usual exemplification of key ‘pupil can’ statements for writing

A Brief Update on What You Need to Know

This year sees the final implementation of delayed primary assessments reforms:

• Reception baseline assessment (RBA)
• Multiplication tables check
• The Engagement Model

The implementation of the statutory RBA sets us on the paths towards 2028 when we will be talking about cohort progress from EYFS to the end of KS2.

In the meantime, we know that KS1 statutory assessment processes will continue until at least 2023 or until the RBA is ‘fully embedded’.

The addition of an exceptional phonics screening check (PSC) in autumn 2021 for year two pupils meant that we can make the best use of this assessment to inform the next steps for our learners this year.

There is no statutory requirement to use the PSC with year 3 pupils or for year 2 pupils who meet the check standard this term to repeat it in the summer term.

Apart from this additional check, we are planning for business as usual. Timelines and timescales are consistent with what we know, so the KS1 assessment window is through May 2022 and the moderation window is through June 2022 for both key stages. The test window at KS2 will continue to begin with SPG.

Keep an eye out for the LA ‘Deadlines Poster’ and the LA data site so that you can be sure about processes for the submission of data and secure transfer of CTFs. Remember, the deadline for KS2 TA data submissions via the Primary Assessment Gateway is non-negotiable. External moderation timelines will reflect this.  

Finally, it is important that you access, understand and share the current assessment guidance issued annually by the Standards and Testing Agency with those staff involved in any aspect of assessment this year. A key change to note is the requirement for all schools this year (rather than just independent schools) to issue a privacy notice to parents.

Get Further Support

Services For Education manages and delivers the statutory teacher assessment duty on behalf of Birmingham LA.  If you have any questions about the updates, please email denise.harris@Servicesforeducation.co.uk.

You can also find a broad range of courses, guidance and resources for teachers on our website.