General

Tests

When children are 7, 11 and 14, they take tests that measure what all children can do when they are asked the same questions. The tests help teachers learn more about the strengths and weaknesses of what your child understands about a subject.
 
 

The tests are designed to ask questions only about what your child has been learning at school. Teachers take care to make sure that the tests are as stress-free as possible, and that they are fair for all children.
 
 

They can also arrange for extra help for children who need it. For example, they can get copies of the tests in large print if your child cannot see very well.

Teacher assessments
 
 

Teachers make a formal teacher assessment of your child when they first start

school and when they are aged 7, 11 and 14.
 
 

Of course, teachers also assess your child informally almost every time they teach

a class. For example, they mark sums, listen to children reading, or watch how they

do a scientific experiment. This helps them to know how children are doing in class

and plan what they should learn next.
 
 

The formal teacher assessment is used in addition to the national tests so that your

child's progress can be measured in two ways:
 
 

tests measure what all children can do when they are set the same

questions

teacher assessments judge children's performance in a subject over a longer

period of time
 
 

The results of the tests and the teacher assessment may be different, but tests and

assessments are equally important. For example, a teacher may feel your child is

doing better in a subject as a whole than in the parts of the subject covered by a

test.
 
 
 
 

detail

Test - Age 7

The test for 7-year-olds covers
 
 

Reading

Writing (including Handwriting)

Spelling

Maths
 
 

The tests are spread over several days in the summer term to fit around other school work. All the tests added together last less than three hours.
 
 

What the teacher assessment covers
 
 

The teacher assessment for 7-year-olds covers
 
 

English

Maths

Science
 
 

The school will send you a report telling you what National Curriculum levels your child has reached in the tests and teacher assessments.

At the age of 7, most children are expected to achieve level 2B.
 
 

Test - Age 11
 
 

The test for 11-year-olds covers
 
 

Reading

Writing (including Handwriting)

Spelling

Maths

Mental arithmetic

Science
 
 

The tests are set on days in the middle of May. All the tests added together last between five and five-and-a-half hours.
 
 

The teacher assessment for 11-year-olds covers
 
 

English

Maths

Science
 
 

The school will send you a report telling you what National Curriculum levels your child has reached in the tests and teacher assessments.

At the age of 11, most children are expected to achieve level 4.
 
 

The age 14
 
 

The test for 14-year-olds covers
 
 

English (including reading, writing, and studying a Shakespeare play)

Maths

Mental Arithmetic

Science
 
 

The tests are set on days in the middle of May. All the tests added together last between seven and eight hours.
 
 

The teacher assessment for 14-year-olds covers
 
 

English

Maths

Science

History

Geography

a Modern Foreign Language

Design and Technology

Information Technology

Art

Music

PE
 
 

The school will send you a report telling you what National Curriculum levels your child has reached in the tests and teacher assessments.
 
 

At the age of 14, most children are expected to achieve level 5. Many will be expected to achieve level 6.