Find out how our DfE-validated phonics programmes support you and your school with ensuring every child learns to read, and loves to read.
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What does it really mean when we talk about a ‘phonics programme’ and what should yours consist of? We’re here to help you break down the key elements and how programmes are being validated by the DfE.
Read more If the DfE’s announcement that it won’t be publishing a full Letters and Sounds programme has got you thinking about your phonics provision, use our questions to help you make sure you’ve got the right phonics programme for your school.
Read more The DfE recently announced that they won’t be publishing a revised version of Letters and Sounds, but what does this mean for schools in England?
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Bernie Westacott explores some of the key number and place value ready-to-progress criteria set out in the new DfE non-statutory guidance for Primary Maths.
Read moreIt’s almost over. Almost exactly four years after Michael Gove formally announced the abolition of National Curriculum level descriptions, the first use of the new statutory assessment arrangements is nearing completion. Children in Years 2 and 6 have done their statutory tests, external moderation visits to selected schools are in full swing and teacher assessment […]
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Well, we’re finally there. The DfE has released the last exemplification materials: documents for reading and science KS1 and KS2 have been published and KS1 mathematics has been updated to include exemplification for ‘working towards the expected standard’ and ‘working in greater depth within the expected standard’. All of the materials can be found here , but here’s a quick overview of the […]
Read moreThe summer of 2015 saw the end of a 25-year period in primary schools when attainment was assessed and reported in relation to a continuous scale of ‘level descriptions’. Along with levels, the old National Curriculum and its associated assessment and accountability arrangements, are now consigned to history and everyone involved in primary schools – […]
Read moreIn a previous blog post, I summarised the criteria of the two school accountability measures that will be used in 2016 – for floor standards and for ‘coasting schools’. For most schools, the main implication of the new measures will be to place a greater emphasis on progress – the progress which every pupil makes during the […]
Read moreToday the DfE published a document called Primary school accountability in 2016. Although it is mainly concerned with the technical aspects of how the accountability measures for 2016 will be calculated, it gives a handy overview for schools about what will be reported in 2016. This includes how progress measures will be calculated, which is very different to the current […]
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