Reading
Level 1  Level 2
Help children to:
Assessment focuses
Level 2B  Level 2A
Help children to:

The aspects of reading to be assessed are
children’s ability to:



use graphic and phonic knowledge to
group letters in words; (AF1)
learn vowel phonemes involving two
letters, eg break, make, tiger, hard,
burn, storm; (AF1)
use semantic knowledge to relate
words and phrases in questions to
similar ones in texts (AF2)
AF1.

Level 2C  Level 2B
Help children to:






read vowel phonemes in polysyllabic
words; (AF1)
distinguish word stems from inflexional
endings and suffixes; (AF1)
use contextual knowledge rather than
personal experience or pictures to
check meaning; (AF2)
understand simple presentational
features of texts; (AF4)
select more than one piece of
information in response to a question;
(AF2)
give a reason for their response to the
text (AF6)

use a range of strategies, including
accurate decoding of text, to read for
meaning;
AF2.
understand, describe, select or retrieve
information, events or ideas from texts and
use quotation and reference to text;
AF3.
deduce, infer or interpret information,
events or ideas from texts;
AF4.
identify and comment on the structure and
organization of texts, including grammatical
and presentational features at text level;
AF5,
explain and comment on wirters’ use of
language, including grammatical and literary
features at word and sentence level;
AF6.
AF7.
identify and comment on writers’ purposes
and viewpoints, and the overall effect of the
text on the reader;
relate texts to their social, cultural and
historical contexts and literary traditions.




retrieve information from within paragraphs
or at the end of a page; (AF2)
interpret feelings and behaviour from
actions in narratives and reports; (AF3)
find reasons in the text to explain how or
why; (AF3)
understand the effect of specific words or
phrases on meaning. (AF5)
Level 2A  Level 3+
Help children to:





scan across a whole text to identify several
relevant details or pieces of information;
(AF2)
follow timelines in a narrative and the
significance of events in the whole; (AF4)
comment briefly on the impact of specific
figurative language; (AF5)
identify the underlying ideas in a text. (AF6)
Reading
Level 3  Level 4
Help children to:




use evidence from texts rather than
from their own experience; (AF2)
identify key events and ideas in texts
and explain them clearly; (AF2)
trace development through texts to
deduce reasons, motive, cause and
effect; (AF3)
infer meaning from a paragraph or
section of text as well as from key
words and phrases. (AF3)

Assessment focuses
Level 4  Level 5
Help children to:
The aspects of reading to be assessed are
children’s ability to:

AF1.
use a range of strategies, including
accurate decoding of text, to read for
meaning;

AF2.
understand, describe, select or retrieve
information, events or ideas from texts and
use quotation and reference to text;
AF3.
deduce, infer or interpret information,
events or ideas from texts;
AF4.
identify and comment on the structure and
organization of texts, including
grammatical and presentational features at
text level;
AF5.
explain and comment on writers’ use of
language, including grammatical and
literary features at word and sentence
level;
AF6.
identify and comment on writers’ purposes
and viewpoints, and the overall effect of
the text on the reader;
AF7.
relate texts to their social, cultural and
historical contexts and literary traditions.


understand and explain sequences of linked
ideas or evidence, eg in arguments or
narratives; (AF2)
draw on the full range of evidence when
contrasting ideas, characters or events;
(AF3)
understand the function of layout and
graphics. (AF4)
Level 5 
Help to children to:




draw on more than one text to explore
themes, ideas or information; (AF3)
explain how choices of language influence
meaning or effect; (AF5)
recognize the underlying and surface
purpose(s) or aim(s) of specific texts. (AF6)
Reading
Assessment focuses
The aspects of reading to be assessed are pupils’ ability to:
AF1.
use a range of strategies, including accurate decoding of text, to read for meaning;
AF2.
understand, describe, select or retrieve information, events or ideas from texts and use quotation and reference to
text;
AF3.
deduce, infer or interpret information, events or ideas from texts;
AF4.
identify and comment on the structure and organization of texts, including grammatical and literary features at word
and sentence level;
AF5.
explain and comment on writers’ use of language, including grammatical and literary features at word and sentence
level;
AF6.
identify and comment on writers’ purposes and viewpoints, and the overall effect of the text on the reader;
AF7.
relate texts to their social, cultural and historical contexts and literary traditions.

Level 4  Level 5
Help pupils to:
 refer closely to the text, selecting
relevant evidence to support their ideas;
(AF2)
 recognize how features of structure
contribute to text organization, eg
openings, link to endings; (AF4)
 recognize how some effects such as
suspense and tension are created (AF6)


Level 5  Level 6
Help to pupils to:
 show a precise understanding of implied
meanings; (AF3)
 explain the meanings created through the use of
figurative language; (AF5)
 identify evidence of writers’ purposes, ideas and
attitudes and comment precisely on them. (AF6)
Level 6  Level 7
Help pupils to:
 identify and analyse how texts are structured
for particular effects; (AF4)
 acknowledge and explore complexity of
meaning, supported by precise references;
(AF5)
 explain how attitudes and points of view are
conveyed by a range of stylistic techniques,
and comment on their effectiveness. (AF6)
Level 5  Level 6
Help pupils to:
 interpret characters’ speech and action,
explaining how these might affect audience
reaction;
 consider the dramatic effects of characters’
language, eg creating tension, developing the
plot, revealing motives and intentions;
 expand and develop ideas by linking relevant,
concise references to the text.
Level 6  Level 7
Help pupils to:
 focus clearly on key ideas, drawing together
evidence from characters’ speech and actions
and analyzing their dramatic effect;
 evaluate the language, style and effects used
and how they relate to the development of the
scenes;
 select the most relevant quotations to
succinctly support points within a coherent and
developed argument.
Shakespeare reading
Level 4  Level 5
Help pupils to:
 relate characters’ speech and actions to
motives, rather than simply describing
what they do;
 identify features of language which
contribute to character and action;
 select relevant quotations to support and
develop points.
When answering questions on reading
All pupils should:
 make sure all aspects of the question are answered, eg explanation and quotation;
 read each question carefully to identify exactly what is being asked for rather than giving a vague or generic answer, eg ‘to make the reader read on’
 look closely at key words in questions which signal what is required, eg explain, comment on, support with a quotation, in what ways etc;
 when commenting or explaining refer closely to relevant parts of the text;
 in the Shakespeare reading tasks, balance reference to and discussion of the two extracts from the play.