Statutory Moderation,Monitoring & Assessment
Key Stage 1 and 2 Statutory Monitoring and Moderation
On this page, you will find guidance and information regarding the arrangements for statutory assessment in key stage 1 (KS1) and key stage 2 (KS2). This will include details of Lincolnshire Local Authority’s monitoring and moderation processes and procedures and how to subscribe to our services.
Statutory Assessment in Lincolnshire
Keystone Academy Trust, based in South Lincolnshire, are the contracted providers for monitoring and moderation of statutory processes for primary assessment on behalf of Lincolnshire County Council. This strong and well-established partnership includes the delivery of these statutory requirements to all Lincolnshire maintained schools, free of charge. This includes the monitoring of teacher assessment at the end of key stage 2 as well as test security visits for the phonics screening check and KS2 national curriculum tests.
Academies, Free Schools and Independent Schools can select Keystone Academy Trust, on an annual basis, to be included in the local authority’s statutory processes to comply with the guidance set out by the Standards Testing Agency (STA).
Academies
Academies are required to have a written agreement in place with their chosen local authority (LA) by Friday 12 January 2024 for external moderation of KS2 teacher assessment; monitoring of phonics screening check; and monitoring of KS2 national curriculum tests. There will not be the option to select a non-geographical LA for moderation after this date.
To select Lincolnshire as your statutory assessment provider, academies must purchase the Statutory Assessment Service, in full, for the academic year 2023-24. Keystone Academy Trust provides this service on behalf of Lincolnshire County Council.
See below the link to our Statutory Assessment Service for Academies.
Independent Schools
Independent schools in England may choose to take part in the assessments for one or more subjects at the end of KS2, although they are not required to do so. They may also wish to compare their teacher assessments in English writing with local or national data. Headteachers of independent schools that wish to participate must have a written agreement in place with their chosen local authority and report this information to the STA, on the Primary Assessment Gateway, by Friday 8 December 2023.
To select Lincolnshire as your statutory assessment provider, independent schools must purchase the Statutory Assessment Service, in full, for the academic year 2023-24. Keystone Academy Trust provides this service on behalf of Lincolnshire County Council.
See below the link to our Statutory Assessment Service for Independent Schools.
LA Maintained Schools
For any school that wishes to access additional training, resources and enhanced support from the Lincolnshire Moderation Team, they must purchase the Statutory Assessment Service for the academic year 2023-24. This offer has been specially constructed to help schools feel well informed and supported through end of year statutory assessment. This offer is available to Lincolnshire LA maintained schools as well as schools and academies who wish to only access training, resources and support from Keystone Academy Trust.
See below the link to our Statutory Assessment Service for LA Maintained Schools.
Assessment Training
In addition to our Statutory Assessment Service, we have an exciting range of training events for both statutory and non-statutory year groups. All of which are available to view here.
Contact Us
It is our intention to support you in making the assessment year as smooth and successful as possible, and if you have anything you wish to discuss with us, please contact Paul Singleton (Paul.Singleton@keystonemat.org) to discuss your requirements further.
Key Stage One
In June 2023, the STA confirmed that end of key stage 1 (KS1) assessment would no longer be statutory from 2023 to 2024 onwards.
The STA are, however, continuing to develop and supply materials for optional end of KS1 tests. These will include optional tests of English reading, English grammar, punctuation and spelling and mathematics. STA will also continue to make the end of KS1 teacher assessment frameworks available for optional use.
The aim of the optional assessments is to give schools access to test papers to assist the measurement of pupil achievement and to help identify where pupils need additional support as they transition into key stage 2. The tests can also be used to inform teacher assessment judgements, using the optional teacher assessment frameworks.
Following the announcement that from 2023/24 end of KS1 assessment will be non- statutory, the Phonics Screening Check remains statutory.
While Year 2 moderation is no longer statutory, Keystone Academy Trust will continue to offer non-statutory moderation visits to schools who request this service. A Year 2 moderation visit is an opportunity for schools to receive a half-day visit from a Lincolnshire approved moderator during June 2024. During the visit, the moderator will work with Y2 staff to moderate teacher assessment judgements ensuring they are consistent with national standards while also helping schools understand where pupils may need additional support as they transition into KS2. It can also be seen as a ‘mid-point’ external check at the end of key stage 1.
Key Stage Two
External moderation at the end of key stage 2 is statutory. It gives confidence that schools’ TA judgements are accurate and consistent with national standards, as specified in the TA frameworks and exemplification materials.
Local authorities will inform schools on, or after, Friday 17 May 2024 if they are going to receive an external moderation visit. Local authorities will carry out moderation visits from Monday 3 June 2024 to Friday 28 June 2024.
External moderation is a collaborative process between the local authority’s moderator or moderators and the school. It offers the opportunity to discuss judgements on pupils’ performance against the requirements of the TA frameworks.
Local authorities are required to externally moderate at least 25% of maintained schools, academies and participating independent schools that opt into local authorities’ external moderation provisions every 4 years.
Local authorities must ensure all schools they are responsible for are moderated at least once every 4 years (excluding 2020 and 2021), or more frequently if required.
Headteachers make the final decision about whether it is appropriate for a pupil to take the end of KS2 national curriculum tests. Schools must follow the KS2 test administration guidance, which will be published in March 2024. STA will also provide test administration instructions with the KS2 tests.
Maintained schools and academies have a statutory obligation to administer the multiplication check to eligible pupils.
Schools must familiarise themselves with all key documents published by the Standards and Testing Agency.
Monitoring
Local authorities have a statutory responsibility to monitor the administration of the phonics screening check. Monitoring visits help ensure that schools maintain the security and confidentiality of check materials, and that they administer the check correctly and consistently.
Local authorities have a statutory responsibility to monitor the administration of KS2 national curriculum tests. Monitoring visits help ensure that schools maintain the security and confidentiality of test materials, and that they administer KS2 national curriculum tests correctly and consistently.
Local authorities have a statutory duty to make monitoring visits to at least 10% of maintained schools that are administering the tests. Local authorities are also expected to monitor at least 10% of academies and participating independent schools that have selected the local authority for monitoring.
Get In Touch
Keystone are committed to helping educators at every level by providing assessment support, training and resources. Get in touch for more information and to see how we can help.