1. 2016 National Curriculum Tests and Assessments KS1
Mary Regan
Senior School Improvement Officer

2. Context of changes September 2014 – New national curriculum introduced
May New national curriculum assessed for the first time
Applies to pupils at the end of key stages 1 and 2
New curriculum = new standards and new tests
responsible for national curriculum tests and assessments, more widely known as SATS
As schools will already be aware, there are a number of changes being introduced in 2016 at key stages one and two.I’d like to highlight some of the key changes that will affect schoolsand also give an indication of where to go for further information. I’m going to talk you through the context of the changes,introduce the 2016 sample tests and framework material and then go through the changes themselves in a bit more detail
The new national curriculum has being taught in all local authority maintained schools in England since September Those pupils who are at the end of key stages one and two in May 2016 will be the first to be assessed against the new national curriculum. As the national curriculum has changed, so too have the tests.
There are extensive changes at key stage one. The previous tests and tasks are being replaced by a new set of tests including the introduction of a grammar, punctuation and spelling test as well as an arithmetic paper as part of the maths test.
I’ll explain more about these changes later.
The key stage one tests do not have set days for their administration but schools will need to administer new tests during May 2016.In terms of the structure of the key stage two tests, the only significant change is that the mental mathematics test will be replaced with an arithmetic test.Also, from 2016 there’ll be no level six tests. The tests of the new national curriculum will include a small number of questions that will stretch the most able pupils, so separate tests are no longer required

3. Reporting scaled scores
Raw scores will be translated to scaled scores using a conversion table
KS1 conversion tables published on GOV.UK by the end of May 2016
KS2 test results published on NCA tools in July 2016
Pupils to receive:
a raw score
scaled score
confirmation of attainment of the national standard
KS2 conversion tables published on GOV.UK on return of results day
From 2016, we will use scaled scores to report national curriculum test outcomes. Head teachers won’t need to change the way their school prepares for or administers the tests because of the introduction of scaled scores. Scaled scores are used all over the world. They help test results to be reported consistently from one year to the next. We design national curriculum tests to be as similar as possible year on year but slight differences in difficulty will occur between years. Scaled scores maintain their meaning over time so that two pupils’ achieving the same scaled score in different years will have demonstrated the same attainment. For example, on our scale, 100 will always represent the national standard. However, due to the small differences in difficulty between tests, the raw score, i.e. the total number of correct responses that equates to 100, might be different, though similar, each year.
A pupil’s scaled score will be based on their raw score. The raw score is the total number of marks a pupil receives in a test, based on the number of questions they answered correctly. The pupil’s raw score will be translated into a scaled score, using a conversion table. For the 2016 key stage one tests, conversion tables will be published on GOV.UK by the end of May Teachers will need to use these to translate pupils’ raw scores into scaled scores to see whether each pupil has met the national standard on the test. For the 2016 key stage two tests, we will publish test results on the NCA tools website in July Each pupil registered for the test will receive a raw score, the number of raw marks awarded, a scaled score and confirmation of whether or not they attained the national standard. We will also publish conversion tables on GOV.UK at the same time so schools can understand how scaled scores are derived from the raw scores. Finally, science sampling will again take place in 2016.

4. 2016 sample tests and frameworks
Sample tests and frameworks already published on GOV.UK
Key stage 1
–English reading
–English grammar, punctuation and spelling
–Mathematics
Key stage 2
We’ve published a full set of sample questions and materials to help teachers prepare for the 2016 national curriculum tests in English reading, English grammar, punctuation and spelling and mathematics for pupils at the end of key stages one and two.

5. Sample tests Design similar to the actual 2016 tests
Sample mark schemes and test administration instructions available
Modified versions of the tests published before the start of the autumn term
Description of pupil performance at the national standard is included in the test framework -used to set the raw score that links to a scaled score of 100 on the test
The sample tests can be used as practice tests prior to pupils taking actual tests in 2016
The sample tests have been designed to be as close as possible to the look and feel of the live tests which pupils will take in May 2016.
Alongside the sample tests are mark schemes and test administration instructions. We will publish modified versions of the sample tests online before the start of the autumn term.

6. KS1 tests: key changes English reading 2 papers:
–1 with text and questions combined
–1 more challenging text with the questions in a separate booklet
All pupils should be given the opportunity to sit both papers
Grammar, punctuation and spelling
Emphasis on technical aspects of grammar
Separate spelling test
No English writing test
Mathematics
New arithmetic test introduced

7. KS1 English reading
Greater emphasis on comprehension elements of the new curriculum
Each test includes a selection of unrelated texts of increasing difficulty
A mixture of 2 text types
Paper 2 offered to all pupils
I’d now like to talk you through the elements of the key stage one English reading test in a bit more detail. The content domain in the framework now includes a greater emphasis on the comprehension elements of the new curriculum. Each test will have a selection of unrelated texts of increasing difficulty. There will be a mixture of two text types. Paper two should be offered to all pupils although teachers will be able to withdraw pupils at any stage during the test if they do not think they can cope with the aspects of this paper. In the past, paper two was only for high-performing pupils and there may be some confusion around this initially.
But it’s an important message which we’ll keep reinforcing to schools through our communication channels.

8. KS1 English grammar, punctuation and spelling
No contextualised questions
Written task has been removed
Spelling tested by asking pupils to complete sentences with a word missing
In the English grammar, punctuation and spelling test at key stage one, as with key stage two, there will be no contextualised questions in the test as there were in the initial sample questions as it was felt that they just increased the reading load without necessarily helping pupils. Also in a change from the original sample questions, the written task has been removed.
Spelling will be tested by asking pupils to complete sentences with a word missing, as it is in the current key stage two tests

9. KS1 mathematics New arithmetic test introduced
Some arithmetic test items have a grid in the answer / working out space
–pupils may benefit from using more formal methods for calculations
. Moving on to the mathematics at key stage one, as I mentioned earlier, new arithmetic test has been introduced. Some items in the arithmetic test have a grid in the answer, or working out space. The grid is there for the questions where the pupils may benefit from using more formal methods for calculations.

10. Information available
Sample test materials for 2016:
2016 test frameworks:
STA training materials available for schools and local authorities in the autumn term

11. Further queries
Achievement and Improvement through Assessment (AAIA) Show: 9 October Peterborough (
Academies Show: 25 November Birmingham, NEC (
Education Show 2016: March Birmingham, NEC (
National curriculum assessments helpline:
As I’ve already mentioned, we have already published on GOV.UK a full set of sample test materials for the key stage one and key stage two English reading, English grammar, punctuation and spelling and mathematics tests. These include mark schemes and also test administration instructions as well as the final test frameworks. ou can find these materials if you go to and follow the links, or use the hyperlinks in the accompanying PowerPoint presentation which we have produced alongside this video. We’ll produce a range of supporting information in the autumn term for schools and local authorities to use for training purposes and to spread consistent messages about the changes to If you have any queries or want to meet STA representatives, we will be at a number of national events, conferences and exhibitions in the 2015/16 academic year.
These include the Achievement and Improvement through Assessment AAIA show on the ninth of October 2015 in Peterborough. We will also be at the Academies Show on 25th of November at Birmingham NEC.And we’re also planning to be at the Education Show on the 17th to 19th of March 2016, again at the Birmingham NEC. If you have any immediate queries, you can always contact The national curriculum assessments helpline on