Section 3: Key dates
Dates throughout the 2015 to 2016 assessment cycle
| Monday 28 September | ‘Test orders’ section of NCA tools opens for schools to order modified versions of the KS1 English reading; English grammar, punctuation and spelling; and mathematics tests. Maintained schools, academies and free schools do not need to order standard versions of the tests. The quantities of standard test materials schools require will be based on their autumn census data. |
| Monday 28 September | Independent schools who want to participate in the KS1 assessments will need to place orders on NCA tools for both the standard and modified versions of the tests from this date. |
| Friday 27 November | Deadline for maintained schools, academies and free schools to order modified versions of the KS1 tests. |
| Friday 27 November | Deadline for independent schools to order standard and modified versions of the KS1 tests and issue privacy notices. |
| Friday 27 November | Deadline for special schools, PRUs, hospital schools and secure units to confirm zero test orders on NCA tools where all pupils are working below the standard of the tests. |
| End of autumn term | Academies to have chosen which LA will undertake their monitoring of the KS1 national curriculum assessments. |
| March | Phonics screening check administration guidance published for the 2016 administration period. |
| Monday 11 April to Friday 22 April | Selected schools to administer KS1 tests early to inform standard setting. |
| w/c 18 April | Schools receive their standard and modified versions of the KS1 tests. |
| May | KS1 test administration window. |
| Friday 6 May | Deadline for ordering braille versions of the materials for the phonics screening check from STA’s modified tests agency. |
| Friday 20 May to Thursday 30 June | Schools notified of inclusion and LAs undertake moderation of KS1 teacher assessment data. |
| Friday 3 June | Publication of raw score to scaled score conversion tables for KS1 tests on GOV.UK. |
| Monday 6 June to Friday 10 June | Schools receive phonics screening check materials. |
| w/c 13 June | Schools administer the phonics screening check. |
| w/c 20 June | Timetable variation week for pupils who were absent during check week. |
| Thursday 30 June | Deadline for schools to submit KS1 teacher assessment data to LAs. |
| Friday 1 July | Deadline for schools to submit the headteacher’s declaration forms for the KS1 tests and phonics screening check on NCA tools. |
| Monday 27 June | Phonics screening check threshold published on GOV.UK. |
| By the end of the summer term (or sixth term) | Schools and academies submit their phonics screening check to their LA. |
| End of July | LAs submit phonics screening check and end of KS1 outcomes to the DfE. |
These dates may be subject to change.