Guidance

Primary assessments: future dates

This page summarises future assessment dates in primary schools, to assist schools with their forward planning.

From:
Standards and Testing Agency and Department for Education
Published
18 January 2021
Last updated
121 FebruaryOctober 2024 — See all updates

Assessment dates appear in chronological order. Schools must keep these periods free for administering the assessments. If there should be any changes as a result of the curriculum and assessment review, we will update this page accordingly.

Academic year 20232024 to 20242025

Reception baseline assessment

Schools must complete the reception baseline assessment for each child in the first 6 weeks after they enter reception.

Early years foundation stage profile assessment

Schools must complete the early years foundation stage profile assessment between April and June of the academic year in which children turn 5, which is usually the reception year.

Optional key stage 1 tests

It is recommended that the optional key stage 1 tests are administered during May 2024.2025.

Key stage 2 tests

The statutory key stage 2 tests are timetabled from Monday 1312 May to Thursday 1615 May 2024:2025:

Date Activity
Monday 1312 May 20242025 English grammar, punctuation and spelling papers 1 and 2
Tuesday 1413 May 20242025 English reading
Wednesday 1514 May 20242025 Mathematics papers 1 and 2
Thursday 1615 May 20242025 Mathematics paper 3

Multiplication tables check

Schools must administer the the multiplication tables check within within the 2-week period from Monday 32 June 2024.2025.

Phonics screening check

Schools must administer the phonics screening check within the 1-week period from Monday 109 June 2024.2025.

To add a full list of all important dates to your calendar, you can download the:
- Key stage 1 assessments calendar 2024 (205 KB)to 2025 (coming soon)
- Key stage 2 assessments calendar 2024 to 2025 (1.172.39 MB) 

Academic year 20242025 to 20252026

Reception baseline assessment

Schools must complete the reception baseline assessment for each child in the first 6 weeks after they enter reception.

Early years foundation stage profile assessment

Schools must complete the early years foundation stage profile assessment between between April and June of the academic year in which children turn 5, which is usually the reception year.

Optional key stage 1 tests

It is recommended that the optional key stage 1 tests are administered during May 2025.2026.

Key stage 2 tests

The statutory key stage 2 tests are timetabled from Monday 1211 May to Thursday 1514 May 2025.2026.

Multiplication tables check

Schools must administer the multiplication tables check within the 2-week period from Monday 21 June 2025.2026.

Phonics screening check

Schools must administer the phonics screening check within the 1-week period from Monday 98 June 2025.2026.

Academic year 20252026 to 20262027

Reception baseline assessment

Schools must complete the reception baseline assessment for each child in the first 6 weeks after they enter reception.

Early years foundation stage profile assessment

Schools must complete the early years foundation stage profile assessment between between April and June of the academic year in which children turn 5, which is usually the reception year.

Optional key stage 1 tests

It is recommended that the optional key stage 1 tests are administered during May 2026.2027.

Key stage 2 tests

The statutory key stage 2 tests are timetabled from Monday 1110 May to Thursday 1413 May 2026.2027.

Multiplication tables check

Schools must administer the multiplication tables check within the 2-week period from Monday 17 June 2026.2027.

Phonics screening check

Schools must administer the phonics screening check within the 1-week period from Monday 814 June 2026.2027.

Updates to this page

Published 18 January 2021
Last updated 121 FebruaryOctober 2024 + show all updates

  1. Dates added for the academic year 2026 to 2027. Detailed timetable confirmed for the key stage 2 tests in 2025. Downloadable calendar added for key stage 2 assessments in the academic year 2024 to 2025.

  2. Added dates and links for schools carrying out the Department for Education's early years foundation stage framework profile assessment in primary schools.

  3. Dates added for the academic year 2025 to 2026.

  4. Added downloadable key stage 1 assessments calendar with important dates for the academic year 2023 to 2024.

  5. Removed past assessment dates from the academic year 2022 to 2023. Added the downloadable KS2 assessments calendar for the academic year 2023 to 2024. Added the schedule of KS2 tests in May 2024.

  6. Added two downloadable calendars with important 2023 assessment dates for: key stage 1, key stage 2

  7. - Removed dates for 2021/2022 (as these tests are now in the past) - Updated KS2 test dates for the academic year 2022/23, to reflect the date changes following the announcement of a bank holiday on Monday 8 May 2023, and to include the full test timetable - Added test dates for the academic year 2024/2025 - Amended lines to reflect that KS1 tests will be non-statutory from 2023/2024 (applies to academic years 2023/2024 and 2024/2025) - Changed the multiplication tables check (MTC) period from a 3-week period to a 2-week period, as the third week is only applicable for timetable variations (applies to all academic years)

  8. Line added to the information about the KS1 tests for the 2023/24 academic year.

  9. Dates updated for the 2023/24 academic year.

  10. Primary assessment dates updated.

  11. First published.

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