DfE changes to National Curriculum Assessment in 2021

 The Department for Education announced some changes to the planned statutory assessments in the summer term.  These include the following:

• The multiplication tables check will be non-statutory, so it does not have to be administered by schools in 2021.
• The grammar, punctuation and spelling test at key stage two will also be non-statutory, so it does not have to be administered in 2021.
• Key stage one assessment in reading, writing and maths will be by teacher assessment only. The tests used to inform teacher assessment at key stage one will be non-statutory, and no new key stage one tests will be made available in 2021.
• There will be no teacher assessment of science in 2021 at either key stage one or key stage two.
• Key stage one phonics and the autumn term year two additional phonics check will go ahead. 
• Key stage two Sats in reading and maths and teacher assessment of writing will go ahead in 2021. The administration of these will be made more flexible with an extended timetable variation window.

We welcome these changes and will now be considering how best to implement the changes.  Class teachers will continue to assess the children  and we intend to feedback to you on their standards.  All judgements will be informed by our usual Teacher Assessment processes.