An overview
Teacher Assessments are based on a broad range of evidence from across the curriculum and knowledge of how a pupil has performed over time and in a variety of contexts.
What teachers must assess
Teachers must make their TA judgements using the
• TA framework in English writing and science – for pupils who have completed the
KS2 programme of study and are working at the standard of national curriculum
assessments
• pre-key stage standards in English reading, English writing and mathematics – for
pupils who are working below the standard of national curriculum assessments
and are engaged in subject-specific study, or who have not completed the relevant
programme of study
• the engagement model if a pupil is working below the standard of national
curriculum assessments and is not yet engaged in subject-specific study
The Frameworks
English writing
The KS2 English writing framework contains 3 standards:
• working towards the expected standard
• working at the expected standard
• working at greater depth
Pupils who have not completed the programme of study or who are not yet ‘working towards the expected standard’ should be assessed using the pre-key stage standards.
Science
The KS2 science framework contains one standard: working at the expected standard.
A pupil who has completed the programme of study will be judged as either ‘working at the expected standard’ or ‘has not met the expected standard’
Pre-key stage standards
Pre-key stage standards must be used for statutory assessment of pupils at the end of KS2 who are working below the overall standard of national curriculum assessments and engaged in subject-specific study, as well as for pupils who are working below the standard of the national curriculum assessments because they:
• have not completed the KS2 programmes of study but are still moving onto KS3
with their current year group (and are engaged in subject-specific study)
• cannot communicate in English (and are engaged in subject-specific study)
The pre-key stage standards follow the same principles as the TA frameworks. They each contain ‘pupil can’ statements for teachers to assess against, providing evidence to show that pupils have met the standard they have been awarded. Teachers should follow the guidance for each subject in the pre-key stage standards when making their judgements.
The pre-KS2 standards for English reading, English writing and mathematics are:
• standard 6 (working at the KS1 expected standard)
• standard 5 (working towards the KS1 expected standard)
• standard 4
• standard 3
• standard 2
• standard
The Engagement Model
The engagement model is a TA tool formed of 5 areas of engagement: exploration, realisation, anticipation, persistence and initiation. Each of the 5 areas are interrelated. Schools are required to:
• use the engagement model to assess pupils who are working below the standard of national curriculum assessments and not engaged in subject-specific study at the end of KS2
• report to DfE which pupils have been assessed using the engagement model for KS2. This is so the DfE is aware of how many pupils are not engaged in subject specific study and where they are being educated. Schools are not required to submit any other data to DfE about the progress of these pupils.
Schools should follow the published guidance for best practice on how to use the engagement model to support teachers and staff involved in assessing these pupils. Schools have autonomy over how they implement the engagement model but should ensure that the assessments are conducted regularly throughout the academic year. This is so schools can demonstrate whether the pupil is able to sustain the new skills, concepts and knowledge over time, rather than reflecting a snapshot of one activity or
observation.
Useful Links
Standards and Testing Agency - KS2 Teacher Assessment guidance
Why is 'expected' not an available option when entering KS2 Maths and Reading Teacher Assessments?
2024 key stage 2 assessment and reporting arrangements - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)