Primary assessment: what are pupils tested on and how do they perform?

From Reception to Year 6, pupils take a range of tests designed to track their progress and understanding at different stages of learning.

Some of these tests focus on early development, while others carry more weight for schools. Each serves a different purpose.

Here’s what pupils are tested on, why it matters and how results compare nationally.

Reception Baseline Assessment

The Reception Baseline Assessment is taken within the first six weeks of starting school. It is a short, interactive assessment of early literacy, communication and maths skills, and is delivered one-to-one using a mix of verbal responses, practical tasks and a touchscreen device.

Introduced nationally in September 2021, the assessment was designed to provide a starting point for measuring pupil progress to the end of key stage 2. Results are used to inform educational support and policy, helping teachers and schools to improve. Children do not pass or fail. The results are used to track how effectively schools support progress from Reception to Year 6.

Early Years Foundation Stage Profile

The Early Years Foundation Stage Profile is a teacher-led assessment completed at the end of Reception. It is based on teachers’ professional judgement of what each child knows, remembers and can do in their day-to-day learning, across areas such as communication, literacy and maths.

First used in 2008, the profile was designed to provide a reliable summary of children’s progress and to support their transition into Year 1. It assesses whether pupils have reached the expected level of development for their age, offering an early indication of school readiness.

Some 68.3 per cent of children reached the expected level of development in 2024-25, up from 67.7 per cent in 2023-24 and 67.2 per cent in 2022-23, reflecting gradual recovery following the disruption to learning and development caused by the Covid pandemic.

Phonics screening check

The phonics screening check assesses pupils’ ability to decode words using phonics. It comprises 40 words - both real and pseudo - which pupils read to a teacher in an informal session lasting between five and 10 minutes.

It is taken in June of Year 1. Pupils who do not meet the expected standard are required to retake the check in Year 2.

Implemented in 2012, the assessment is aimed at ensuring that early reading skills are securely in place, and to identify those who need additional support.

Nationally, 80 per cent of pupils met the expected standard in 2024-25 - a proportion unchanged from 2023-24, while 89 per cent reached the standard by the end of Year 2 following resits.

Key stage 1 Sats (optional)

KS1 Sats assess reading, writing and maths at the end of Year 2. Since 2023‑24, they have been non‑statutory, and schools can choose whether or not to administer. The assessments were made optional as part of an effort to reduce testing in primary schools.

Multiplication tables check

The multiplication tables check (MTC) is a statutory online assessment taken by pupils in Year 4. It tests whether pupils can recall times tables up to 12 × 12 through a series of 25 timed questions.

Rolled out nationally in 2022, the check aims to ensure that pupils develop fluency in multiplication before entering upper KS2. It is typically administered over two weeks in June.

In 2025, the average attainment score was 21.0 out of 25, up from 20.6 in 2024.

Key stage 2 Sats

KS2 Sats, taken by Year 6 pupils in May, are national assessments of reading, maths and grammar, punctuation and spelling. They help to measure attainment against the national curriculum, support school accountability and assist in pupils’ transition to secondary education.

In 2025, 62 per cent of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, up from 61 per cent in 2024 - though still below the pre-pandemic level of 65 per cent.

• Key Sats dates for 2026
• When do the Sats results come out?

11-plus examination (optional)

Grammar schools use the 11-plus assessment to select pupils, and only schools in certain areas of England offer it. Pupils usually take it in Year 6, and it tests maths, English, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning.

The exam comes from the selective education system introduced by the 1944 Education Act, and its format and pass marks vary by region. Tests are usually taken in the autumn term.

There are no national average scores because results are standardised locally, and pass marks depend on demand, meaning that outcomes differ significantly between areas.