Children are formally assessed at several key points. Here's every assessment milestone from Reception to Year 11, with practical advice on what to expect and how results are used.
Reception (age 4–5): Baseline Assessment + EYFS Profile
Year 1 (age 5–6): Phonics Screening Check
Year 2 (age 6–7): KS1 Teacher Assessments
Year 4 (age 8–9): Multiplication Tables Check
Year 6 (age 10–11): KS2 SATs
Year 11 (age 15–16): GCSEs
Year 13 (age 17–18): A-Levels / IB / BTECs / T-Levels
A short, practical assessment in literacy and mathematics. Activity-based — not a written test.
What It Covers
How Results Are Used
Not reported to parents individually. Used as a starting point to measure school-level progress to Year 6.
Parent tip: This isn't something to prepare for — it's designed to be a natural, low-pressure activity.
A one-to-one check with the teacher lasting about 4–9 minutes. Tests ability to decode words using phonics.
What It Covers
How Results Are Used
Parents are told whether their child met the expected standard. Children who don't meet it retake in Year 2.
Parent tip: You can support phonics at home by practising letter sounds (not letter names) and reading together daily.
Teacher assessments in English reading, writing, maths, and science. Based on classwork and optional tests — no formal national exams.
What It Covers
How Results Are Used
Parents receive a report showing whether their child is working at the expected standard.
Parent tip: Formal KS1 SATs were removed in 2023 — assessment is now purely by teacher judgement, which is less stressful for children.
An online test checking fluency with times tables up to 12×12. 25 questions, 6 seconds per question (~5 minutes total).
What It Covers
How Results Are Used
Parents are told their child's score out of 25. Schools receive results for teaching.
Parent tip: Regular, short practice helps — apps and games work well. Focus on the 6, 7, 8, and 12 times tables.
The main primary school assessment — formal written tests externally marked. Taken during a specific week in May.
What It Covers
How Results Are Used
Reported as scaled scores — 100+ is the expected standard. 110+ is 'greater depth'. Results inform secondary school setting and government accountability.
Parent tip: SATs assess the school as much as the child. Support your child by keeping things calm — avoid putting pressure on results.
The main public examination at the end of secondary school. Graded 9–1 (9 highest). Most students sit 8–10 subjects.
What It Covers
How Results Are Used
Grade 4 = 'standard pass'. Grade 5 = 'strong pass'. Results determine sixth form, college, and apprenticeship options.
Parent tip: GCSEs are set and marked by exam boards (AQA, Edexcel, OCR). Past papers are freely available online and are the best revision tool.
See Assessments for Your Child's Age
The Age Finder shows exactly which assessments are coming up based on your child's current age.