Key stage 2 teacher assessment data collection: technical specification
Technical specification for software suppliers, educators and local authorities completing returns for the key stage 2 data collection.
Documents
Details
This specification explains how to prepare and return key stage 2 teacher assessments, pre-key stage and engagement model data to the Department for Education during the assessment cycle.
It covers the validation rules which will be applied and should be read in conjunction with the common basic data set definitions.
Last updated
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Updated for the 2024 test cycle.
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Updated for the 2023 test cycle
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Updating the guidance for the current test cycle
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Page updated with the 2020 guidance.
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Updated for the 2018/2019 academic year.
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2017 to 2018 teacher assessment technical specification added.
Update history
2026-02-12 09:00
Updated for the academic year 2025 to 2026. Changes reflect dates for this academic year, the common transfer file (CTF) 25 specification, and the move from the Primary Assessment Gateway to the National Curriculum Assessments Portal (since Pearson has been providing the Test Operations Service on behalf of STA since September 2025). The format of the guidance has also been updated to meet accessibility regulations – this is now in HTML format with the example file structure for XML returns as a separate downloadable ODS file.
2025-03-03 09:30
Updated for the 2025 test cycle.
2024-04-10 10:35
Updated for the 2024 test cycle.
2023-03-14 15:30
Updated for the 2023 test cycle
2022-03-08 09:55
Updating the guidance for the current test cycle