STA Assessment update 30 September 2025 Issue 3

This article has been brought to you by Slough Borough Council's Early Years Team, for the attention of all Early Years and Childcare Practitioners.

 

STA Assessment update 30 September 2025 Issue 3

Primary assessment general 

On Tuesday 23 September, the new National Curriculum Assessments Portal (NCA Portal) went live. This replaces the Primary Assessment Gateway (PAG) from the 2025 to 2026 test cycle onwards.

Pearson emailed invitations to access the NCA Portal to all: 

  • primary school users who were previously registered on the PAG
  • local authority contacts who were previously registered on STA’s contact details survey 

Please use the secure link and instructions from your personal email invitation to activate your NCA Portal account and create your password as soon as possible, as important forms for the academic year will open on Monday 13 October.

Multi-academy trusts and key stage 3 schools will receive their invitations in June.

You can find more information and support in our new guidance on how to access the NCA Portal.

If you need any further assistance, please contact the national curriculum assessments helpline on 0300 303 3013 or at assessments@education.gov.uk

Information: NCA Portal forms open on Monday 13 October


 From Monday 13 October, schools can access forms on the NCA Portal to:

  • order standard test papers
  • order modified tests
  • decline phonics screening check materials
  • confirm which local authority they have chosen for monitoring and moderation – this applies to participating independent schools and academies not using their geographic local authority

Local authorities will also be able to access a form on the NCA Portal to approve or reject monitoring and moderation agreements submitted by academies and participating independent schools.

Reminder: updated parent information leaflets published for all assessments in the academic year 2025 to 2026


On Monday 15 September, we updated all outstanding parent information leaflets for assessments in the academic year 2025 to 2026.
 
Information for parents is available to read online or to download as a PDF leaflet in our collection of national curriculum assessments information for parents, covering the: 

  • reception baseline assessment (RBA)
  • phonics screening check
  • optional key stage 1 (KS1) national curriculum tests
  • multiplication tables check (MTC)
  • key stage 2 (KS2) national curriculum tests, results and teacher assessment
  • pre-key stage standards
  • engagement model 

We encourage you to share this information with parents and carers of pupils who are participating in the assessments this academic year.

Reception 

On Tuesday 9 September, the Department for Education updated the early years foundation stage profile (EYFSP) handbook.
 
The handbook provides support for teachers completing the EYFSP assessments in line with statutory requirements. The latest changes include clarifications on the guidance and reflect new uses of the EYFSP data.

Reminder: administer the reception baseline assessment 


It is statutory for all schools to administer the RBA to all eligible pupils within the first 6 weeks of them starting reception. Most schools are now entering the final 2 weeks of this period.

Please remember to:

  • use DfE Sign-in to access the ‘Assessment service: manage your school’s assessments’ and the ‘Assessment service: start an assessment’, to prepare for and administer the assessment
  • upload all reception pupils to the service – if your headteacher decides a pupil should not take the assessment, you must provide a reason and update the pupil’s status
  • always keep the RBA materials and content secure and confidential, to maintain the integrity, security and confidentiality of the assessment – you must not use the materials for any purpose other than administering the assessment and you must not discuss assessment content publicly, including on social media or online
  • tell us about your experience of using the RBA service by completing our 
    RBA feedback survey 

For more information, please refer to our full collection of RBA guidance or get further support in the RBA help centre.

In case of technical issues, try the troubleshooting steps in our updated RBA IT guidance

Key stage 1 

On Monday 29 September, we published the statutory 2026 phonics screening check assessment and reporting arrangements (ARA).

This guidance details the statutory requirements for assessing and reporting the phonics screening check at KS1 in the academic year 2025 to 2026.

Publication: optional KS1 tests guidance updated for 2026
 

On Monday 29 September, we updated the optional KS1 tests guidance.

This guidance details how schools can access and use the optional end of KS1 national curriculum tests in the academic year 2025 to 2026.

Publication: optional KS1 teacher assessment guidance updated for 2026
 

On Monday 29 September, we updated the optional KS1 teacher assessment guidance.

This guidance is available to support schools that choose to carry out optional teacher assessment at the end of KS1 in the academic year 2025 to 2026. It also provides information to help with internal moderation of KS1 teacher assessment.

Publication: downloadable calendar with KS1 assessment dates and deadlines
 

On Monday 29 September, we published our downloadable KS1 assessments calendar 2025 to 2026.

This includes all important dates and deadlines for the KS1 assessments in the academic year 2025 to 2026. You can download it as a new calendar, or import its items into an existing one, within your usual calendar software including on Apple or Android phones, Google Calendar or Microsoft Outlook.

The calendar is also available on the primary assessments: future dates page on GOV.UK, alongside our downloadable KS2 calendar.

Key stage 2 

Publication: 2026 KS2 assessment and reporting arrangements
 

On Monday 29 September, we published the statutory 2026 KS2 ARA.

This guidance details the statutory requirements for assessing and reporting the national curriculum assessments at KS2 in the academic year 2025 to 2026.

Publication: 2026 KS2 teacher assessment guidance 
 

On Monday 29 September, we published the statutory 2026 KS2 teacher assessment guidance.  

This guidance supports schools in making statutory teacher assessment judgements at the end of KS2 in the academic year 2025 to 2026. It also informs schools and local authorities of the requirements related to external moderation of these judgements.

Publication: downloadable calendar with KS2 assessment dates and deadlines
 

On Monday 29 September, we published our downloadable KS2 assessments calendar 2025 to 2026.
 
This includes all important dates and deadlines for the KS2 assessments in the academic year 2025 to 2026. You can download it as a new calendar, or import its items into an existing one, within your usual calendar software including on Apple or Android phones, Google Calendar or Microsoft Outlook.

The calendar is also available on the primary assessments: future dates page on GOV.UK, alongside our downloadable KS1 calendar.