Management Information Sheet
EYFS, KS1, KS2 Statutory Assessment 2014
Updates, reminders and further information regarding Local Authority moderation
Updates
- The Standards and Testing Agency of the DfE (STA) have begun their regular series of Update emails which offers excellence guidance, a step at a time, through all the processes required to complete the national assessment cycle successfully. It is recommended that you ensure that these are prioritised as your emails are received.
- The outcomes of the DfE's consultation on primary accountability and assessment, expected in December, are yet to be published.
- It has been announced that the Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation (GPS) test will not form part of the floor standard in 2014.
- Any school wishing to obtain new copies of the Y3, 4, 5, 7 optional tests which are tied to the current national curriculum, must order these from STA before 30 June 2014 after which they will be withdrawn.
- Schools selected to be part of the national science sample will be notified in April and the tests, taken by only a small group of pupils, carried out in June, administered by NFER. Results will not be returned to pupils and will not be attributable to individual schools.
Statutory tests and teacher assessment
- In the Assessment and Reporting Arrangements for all three key stages and Test Administrator's Guide, STA have warned schools of the significant increase in allegations of maladministration. They recommend that schools consider using support from appropriate people within the school community, such as governors, to verify that correct procedures have been carried out at every stage of the process, in order to protect staff from any allegations. See links below.
- The LA will again be carrying out unannounced monitoring of test security for both Y6 and the Phonics Check in Y1. Please ensure that ALL staff in anyway involved in the administration of tests have a copy of the TAG and are fully aware of how those requirements will be implemented in the particular context of your school.
- STA have also emphasised their role in ensuring that teacher assessment data is accurate and reliable, and that failure by schools to adhere to requirements are also likely to be viewed as maladministration. As in previous years, extensive checks on the data submitted by schools will be carried out by the LA and STA and any anomalous patterns queried. Headteachers will again be asked by the LA to complete a declaration of the reliability and accuracy of the submitted teacher assessment data. There are also specific requirements for schools being moderated about amendment to their data before submission - full details will be given as appropriate.
- There is a specific reminder from STA in relation to teacher assessment of writing at the end of KS2 that no account must be taken of either spelling or handwriting in arriving at the level judgements. If difficulties with either make marking or internal moderation challenging, then the normal access arrangements should be applied eg use of a scribe, of a word processor or full/partial transcription, in accordance with normal classroom practice.
Statutory Moderation
- Statutory moderation will be carried out by the LA in all three key stages for a 25% sample of schools drawn generally from our normal 4 year cycle. In addition, year groups with NQTs and schools with other specific considerations will be included.
- Schools will be notified of their selection for moderation during the week beginning 24 March 2014 by telephone, followed by a detailed email giving all the necessary information. The pupils selected by the LA for moderation will not, however, be notified to schools until the day before their moderation appointment. This is a requirement by STA.
- KS1 moderation sessions will be led this year by one highly experienced and trained moderator covering both English and mathematics for the school.
- This year, in response to feedback from schools, we plan to invite partnered or federated schools to the same event. Each will have their own moderator, but if they prefer it will be possible for the schools to carry out part of the process together.
- Headteachers will be notified of the outcome of their school's moderation immediately at the end of each session by email or telephone, in order to make sure schools are fully informed and get the maximum benefit from sharing feedback and discussion outcomes.
- In a further change for KS1 and KS2, STA are requiring that where levels have been agreed at moderation they may not subsequently be changed without notifying the LA and obtaining their agreement. We will provide a template and further guidance to make this notification process as simple as possible, in the summer term.
KS2 Test Administrator's Guide 2014:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/2014-test-administrators-guide-key-stage-2
Access Arrangements available:
http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearning/assessment/keystage2/ks2tests