The New Primary Curriculum
and Assessment Processes
PART OF THIS PRESENTATION WAS PRODUCED
BY HERTS FOR LEARNING LTD.
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New Curriculum 2014
• In September 2014 there were some big changes made
to the primary curriculum. The reason for the changes is
that the government thinks that they will raise standards.
• There have been many changes and we have listed the
main ones for you:
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English
• Stronger emphasis on vocabulary development,
grammar, punctuation and spelling (for example, the
use of commas and apostrophes will be taught earlier in
KS1)
• Handwriting – not currently assessed under the national
curriculum – is expected to be fluent, legible and speedy
• Spoken English has a greater emphasis, with children
to be taught debating and presenting skills
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Maths
• Five-year-olds will be expected to learn to count up to
100 (compared to 20 under the previous curriculum) and learn
number bonds to 20 (previously up to 10)
• Simple fractions (1/4 and 1/2) will be taught earlier in KS1,
and by the end of primary school, children should be able to
convert decimal fractions to simple fractions (e.g. 0.375 = 3/8)
• By the age of nine, children will be expected to know times
tables up to 12x12 (previously10x10 by the end of primary
school)
• Calculators will not be introduced until near the end of KS2, to
encourage mental arithmetic
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Science
• Strong focus on scientific knowledge and language,
rather than understanding the nature and methods of
science in abstract terms
• Evolution will be taught in primary schools for the first
time
• Non-core subjects like caring for animals will be replaced
by topics like the human circulatory system
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Design and Technology
• Afforded greater importance under the new
curriculum, setting children on the path to becoming
the designers and engineers of the future
• More sophisticated use of design equipment such as
electronics and robotics
• In KS2, children will learn about how key events and
individuals in design and technology have shaped the
world
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ICT
• Computing replaces Information and Communication
Technology (ICT), with a greater focus on
programming rather than on operating programs
• From Year 1, children will learn to write and test simple
programs, and to organise, store and retrieve data
• From seven, they will be taught to understand computer
networks, including the internet
• Internet safety – currently only taught from 11-16 – will
be taught in primary schools. However, Little Heath has
been ahead of the game with this.
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Languages
• A modern foreign language or ancient language (Latin or
Greek) will be mandatory in KS2.
• Children will be expected to master basic grammar and
accurate pronunciation and to converse, present, read
and write in the language
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Assessment
• As well as changes to the curriculum there have also
been changes made to the way we assess the
curriculum.
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Statement from DfE, June 2013
As part of our reforms to the national curriculum, the current
system of ‘levels’ used to report children’s attainment and
progress will be removed. It will not be replaced.
We believe this system is complicated and difficult to
understand, especially for parents. It also encourages teachers
to focus on a pupil’s current level, rather than consider more
broadly what the pupil can actually do. Prescribing a single
detailed approach to assessment does not fit with the curriculum
freedoms we are giving schools.
www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearning/curriculum/
nationalcurriculum2014/a00225864/assessing-without-levels
(June 2013)
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What do we know so far?
• KS1 and KS2 assessment 2015 – still using levels
(assessment based on previous Year 2 and Year 6 NC)
• Slight changes to KS2 tests (reading and maths papers)
• KS1 assessment unchanged
• 2016 – new tests for the new curriculum (standardised
scores rather than levels)
• KS2 writing remains a teacher assessment
• KS1 remains as teacher assessment informed by tests
(including a new grammar test)
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2016 Assessment in more detail
• DfE document: www.gov.uk/government/consultations/new-nationalcurriculum-primary-assessment-and-accountability
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Reception baseline assessment from Sept 2016 (or 2015) - schools can choose a commercially
provided assessment – or choose not to use one at all!
EYFS Profile no longer statutory
KS1 still teacher assessment informed by tests (externally set but internally marked)
KS2 tests for reading, maths, grammar. Teacher assessment for writing and science.
Progress (2023) measured from Reception to KS2 for an all-through primary – not from KS1 (except for
a Junior school!)
From 2023, if you haven’t administered Reception baseline (2016) you will only have attainment data
(2022, progress from either Reception or KS1, whichever is better.)
Floor standard – you will be above floor if either pupils make “sufficient progress” (whatever that is) in
all 3 of reading, writing and maths or 85% meet the expected attainment standard (based on
standardised score)
Writing will be a teacher assessment – therefore we need some ‘performance descriptors’ (like levels?)
which will be produced for Years 2 and 6.
New test specifications – KS1
• www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-curriculumassessments-test-frameworks
• KS1 maths – paper 1 (arithmetic); paper 2 (mathematical
fluency, problem-solving and reasoning)
• KS1 reading – 2 papers, second one harder than first.
Teachers use judgement when to withdraw child from
test. Majority of marks on comprehension, up to 30% on
inference, a few on language for effect
• KS1 SPaG – paper 1 (short written task – focus on
grammar and punc.); paper 2 (questions on grammar,
punc. and vocab.); paper 3 (spelling)
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New test specifications – KS2
• www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-curriculumassessments-test-frameworks
• KS2 maths – paper 1 (arithmetic); papers 2 & 3
(mathematical fluency, problem-solving and reasoning)
• KS2 reading – 1 paper. 40-60% on comprehension, 2040% on inference, 10-25% on language for effect, up to
10% on themes and conventions
• KS2 SPaG – paper 1 (questions on grammar and punc.);
paper 2 (spelling)
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What about in-between the Key
Stage assessment points?
• No national system
• No levels
• Schools have the freedom to develop their own
approach to assessing progress
However
• Ofsted will still need to see robust evidence that pupils
are making good progress in learning
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Reassurance
• We have already implemented a system so that we can
monitor progress.
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So why remove levels?
Good Practice:
Less good practice:
• A very broad tool, to be
used periodically as a check
on standards
• Levelling every single piece
of work
• Detailed level descriptions
useful to help teachers
consider gaps in pupils’
learning and plan next steps
• Labelling children (“I’m a 3c”)
• Using level descriptors as
children’s targets or as
success criteria
• Differentiating lessons
according to fixed pupil
groups, based on their levels
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What do we believe about good
practice assessment?
Assessment = an evaluation
of what children have learnt
at a given point in time
Assessment = an ongoing
process which is integral to
teaching and learning
Good quality assessment
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Rich open-ended tasks
No ceilings
Investigation, problem-solving, choice
Group work, dialogue
Integral to teaching and learning
The principles of good assessment have not
changed.
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10 Principles of Good Assessment (ARG)
Formative Assessment should:
be sensitive
and
constructive
foster
learners’
motivation
promote
be part of
understanding effective
of learning
planning
goals and
criteria
develop
learners’
capacity for
self
assessment
help learners
know how to
improve
recognise all
educational
achievement
be central to
classroom
practice
focus on how
students
learn
www.aaia.org.uk/afl/assessment-reform-group
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be a key
professional
skill for
teachers
What does this mean?
• Age related expectations have been raised for all year
groups SO
• Children will not reach the new age related expectations
overnight and it may appear that their learning has
regressed rather than progressed in the initial stages.
• Eventually this gap will be closed and it will affect some
year groups and subjects more than others.
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Attainment
• When we discuss your child’s attainment with you, you
will be informed whether your child is working:
• Below age related expectations
• Towards age related expectations
• Within age related expectations
• Above age related expectations
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Discussion time.
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