Guidance

Key stage 2: returning test scripts

Updated 10 March 2025

Introduction

This guidance explains what to expect when you receive your delivery of test materials consignments, and provides instructions for completing the attendance registers and returning key stage 2 (KS2) national curriculum test scripts for marking. It applies to schools in England, Jersey schools, and Ministry of Defence (MoD) schools.

You can also refer to our supporting video for further guidance and clarification on packing and returning test scripts for marking:

Returning test scripts video

Key stage 2 test materials and stationery

The Standards and Testing Agency (STA) calculates the quantities of test papers, stationery, and attendance registers needed for the initial test materials consignments using each school’s pupil registration data available from the Primary Assessment Gateway (PAG) on Friday 7 March.

Checking your initial consignment

When you receive your delivery, check the whole initial consignment. Make sure you have all items listed on the delivery note and that you have enough materials to administer all tests. If you find any items are missing or damaged, contact the national curriculum assessments helpline on 0300 303 3013.

Schools based in England

In the week commencing Monday 28 April, STA will deliver initial consignments containing:

• KS2 test papers, including any modified and braille tests you ordered
• a stationery pack containing:
  • one delivery note
  • one content sheet (SC1)
  • one ‘returning test scripts’ instructions booklet
  • one Parcelforce dispatch log (PFWPOP)
  • 6 attendance register return envelopes (AR-ENV)
  • 8 clear inner bags for standard test scripts (TSCB)
  • one pack of 4 green panelled inner bags for modified test scripts (TSGB-M)
  • one pack of 4 white script return bags (WSRB)
• 3 padded envelopes for braille test, if required
• one Parcelforce return labels pack (CGSSTALAB-P1: 3 labels per subject minimum)
• one attendance register pack (CGSSTA-REG-P1: 6 register sets)

Jersey schools

The Children, Young People, Education and Skills Department will deliver your consignment by Friday 9 May. You will receive all items listed for schools based in England, plus 7 oversized Jersey collections outer bags (JSELOB).

Ministry of Defence schools

STA will deliver your consignment to BFPO Northolt on Friday 11 April for onward shipment. You will receive all items listed for schools based in England, plus:

• any key stage 1 modified tests you ordered
• 10 oversized BFPO network outer bags (BFPOLOB)

Additional test materials or stationery items

Schools based in England

STA reviews changes to pupil registration data and will send additional standard test papers to schools automatically, if they are needed, from Tuesday 6 May.

If you need additional modified tests, or to discuss options for acquiring any additional papers during test week, contact the national curriculum assessments helpline on 0300 303 3013.

You can order additional stationery by completing the ‘Order additional stationery’ form in the ‘Available activity’ section of the PAG from Monday 28 April. If your order does not arrive within 48 hours, contact the national curriculum assessments helpline on 0300 303 3013.

Jersey schools

Contact the Children, Young People, Education and Skills Department on 01534 445504 for additional test papers and stationery. If they are unable to help, contact the national curriculum assessments helpline on 0300 303 3013.

Ministry of Defence schools

You will receive spare stationery items within your test materials consignment. If you need more, contact the national curriculum assessments helpline on +44 (0)300 303 3013.

Attendance registers

STA uses completed attendance registers to understand which pupils took a test and why any did not. Section 5 ‘Test participation’ of the 2025 KS2 assessment and reporting arrangements (ARA) explains which pupils should take the tests. STA may contact you by email or telephone to resolve any discrepancies between the test scripts received for marking and the registers.

Checking the attendance registers

The attendance registers delivered with consignments are printed with your school’s name, Department for Education (DfE) number, the test details, and the pupil details that were available from your pupil registration data on Friday 7 March.

The attendance registers will list all pupils regardless of any non-assessing codes you entered during pupil registration. This is in case a pupil’s status changes and they sit a test. Check the details are up to date on each attendance register as soon as possible after receiving them.

Updating your pupil registration data

If there are any changes, before amending your attendance registers, please update your pupil registration data in the ‘Manage pupil registration’ form in the ‘Available activity’ section of the PAG. This will remain open until Friday 23 May, after the end of the timetable variation (TTV) period.

This will help STA match your test scripts and attendance registers to your school and produce your pupil results file. It will also help to reduce errors when you submit your teacher assessment data in June.

Manually amending the attendance registers

You can write the details for 5 additional pupils in the empty rows on each register. If you add pupils, add them in surname order and complete all pupil information columns. You may also amend other pupils’ details.

Replacement attendance registers

You can request replacements for damaged or missing attendance registers using the ‘Order additional stationery’ form in the ‘Available activity’ section of the PAG or by calling the national curriculum assessments helpline on 0300 303 3013.

From Friday 25 April, STA will send updated attendance registers to schools who make 6 or more changes to their pupil registration data. This includes adding new pupils, amending registered pupils’ details, or changing pupils’ assessment status.

You should store previous versions of paper attendance registers securely until Friday 23 May, when they can be destroyed.

Schools based in England

We will send replacement paper attendance registers until Wednesday 7 May. After this date, we will send them as PDFs in an encrypted email, which will also include access instructions.

Jersey schools and Ministry of Defence schools

We will send all replacement attendance registers to you as PDFs in an encrypted email, which will also include access instructions.

Completing attendance registers

The attendance registers follow a common design, where the details of the test paper are printed above the colour coded box containing the text “Key stage 2: attendance register”:

• English grammar, punctuation and spelling Paper 1: questions (orange heading)
• English grammar, punctuation and spelling Paper 2: spelling (orange heading)
• English reading (yellow heading)
• Mathematics Paper 1: arithmetic (blue heading)
• Mathematics Paper 2: reasoning (blue heading)
• Mathematics Paper 3: reasoning (blue heading)

The English grammar, punctuation and spelling template is provided below:

Use a blue or black pen to record each pupil’s attendance status as follows:

• For each pupil who sat a paper, mark the ‘Attended’ box with a tick ‘✔’.
• For each pupil who did not sit a paper, write the appropriate code (refer to Non-attendance codes) in the ‘Non-attendance’ box.
• To amend a status, clearly cross out the code and either write the correct one within the same box or as close to it as possible on the same row.

Schools where no registered pupils sit a test

Some schools, particularly special schools, may have registered whole pupil cohorts for the tests, even though the pupils will not go on to take them. If this is the case, there is no need to return the attendance registers – instead:

• update your pupil registration data with the appropriate non-assessing code for each pupil, using the ‘Manage pupil registration’ form on the PAG
• complete your headteacher’s declaration form (HDF), using ‘Submit KS2 HDF’ in the ‘Available activity’ section of the PAG from Thursday 15 May

STA will use this information to cancel your package collection attempts.

Non-attendance codes

The below table details the non-attendance codes to use when completing the attendance register:

Code	Category	Additional guidance
B	Below the standard of the test	A pupil can be working below the standard for a subject and not take that test but still be working at the standard for other subjects and take those tests.
L	Left the school before the test period	A pupil who has left your school permanently. If necessary, update your pupil registration data by Friday 23 May.
A	Absent for the test and TTV period	Only mark a pupil as absent if they should sit a test but cannot, or do not, attend school until after the final TTV date for that test. They should take the test if they return in time and you have an approved TTV.
U	Unable to access the test, even though working at the standard	A pupil who is working at the standard of a test but is unable to access it, even with appropriate access arrangements in place.
J	Just arrived at the school	A pupil should not take the test if they have recently arrived in school and there is not enough time to determine whether they are working at the overall standard of the test.
F	Future administration	A pupil who is taking all papers for a subject in a future academic year. They should take the tests for the remaining subjects in the current year, unless another non-attendance code applies.

Packing test scripts for collection

We recommend at least 2 test administrators work together to package the test scripts.

The diagram below shows how you need to pack the test scripts. You can also watch the returning test scripts video, which includes step by step instructions.

Returning test scripts video

Do not open the bags or envelopes once you have sealed them. You will have to package any additional test scripts separately.

On the scheduled day during key stage 2 test week

After each paper sitting (for example, Mathematics Paper 1), take the test scripts to your secure area. Once all sittings for that paper are complete, follow these steps:

1. Arrange the papers by the pupils’ surnames.

2. Check the pupils’ details on the test script covers:
   • If the name a pupil wrote differs from the attendance register, write their registered name next to it on the test script cover.
   • Fill in missing information – for example, date of birth, school name, or DfE number.
3. Attach any additional paper containing pupils’ answers to their test scripts:
   • Ensure any extra paper with pupils’ answers has the pupil’s registered name, school name and DfE number written on it.
   • Attach it securely to their test script with a staple or treasury tag.

4. Remove items that do not contain pupils’ answers, such as test instructions or printed confirmation of access arrangements.

5. Complete the attendance register:
   • Mark pupils who sat the test as ‘Attended’ with a tick ‘✔’, and check that you have their test scripts.
   • Do not record a status if the pupil may return for a TTV. Only record pupils as ‘A’ (Absent) if they would have taken the test but will not return by the final TTV day for that paper. Record the appropriate non-attendance code for all other pupils.
   • If the attendance register is complete for the whole cohort (all pupils have either taken the test or have a non-attendance code added), keep a note of the number of test scripts your school is returning, as you will need this for the HDF.
6. Put the register in an attendance register return envelope (AR-ENV):
   • If the attendance register is complete for the whole cohort, seal the envelope.
   • If any pupils may take a TTV, do not seal the envelope yet – refer to Procedures where administration is not complete on the scheduled date.
7. Separate the test scripts by standard, modified and braille type:
   • Standard tests: Put these in a clear inner bag (TSCB) and seal it.
   • Modified tests including enlarged print, modified large print, scripts modified in school, scripts with additional paper, photocopied scripts, transcribed scripts, translated scripts, damaged scripts and where word processor or other technical or electronic aids have been used: Fasten these securely as per point 3 above, where necessary, and put them into a green panelled inner bag (TSGB-M). There are only 4 green panelled inner bags provided, so do not seal it until all test scripts for that subject have been added (for example, all 3 mathematics test scripts) – refer to Procedures where administration is not complete on the scheduled date.
   • Braille tests: Put these in a padded envelope. You only have one padded envelope for each test subject, so do not seal it until all test scripts for that subject have been added – refer to Procedures where administration is not complete on the scheduled date.
8. Put the inner bags and envelopes in a white script return bag (WRSB):
   • If you have a large cohort and need to use more than one return bag, distribute the test scripts evenly. On each white script return bag, write the bag number and the total number, such as “1 of 2” or “2 of 2”. Do not overpack the bags, as this may cause them to split during the collection and delivery process.
   • The Parcelforce labels have a letter for each subject: ‘G’ for English grammar, punctuation and spelling, ‘R’ for English reading, and ‘M’ for mathematics. Apply one label per return bag and:
     • if all administration is completed, seal it
     • if you expect a TTV or have pupils taking a modified paper or braille paper, do not seal it yet – refer to Procedures where administration is not complete on the scheduled date.

9. Stick the peel-off tracking numbers which correspond with your used labels from the Parcelforce label sheet to the dispatch log (PFWPOP). You can enter the tracking numbers on the Parcelforce website to trace your packages.

10. Store the return bags securely until your next Parcelforce collection, or until administration is complete.

11. On collection, ask the Parcelforce driver to sign the dispatch log. You will need it during monitoring visits or if you have collection queries.

12. Only our approved courier, Parcelforce Worldwide, must collect and return test scripts.

Procedures where administration is not complete on the scheduled date

In some cases, you should not seal your outer white script return bag or attendance register envelope straight away. You should wait if:

• you are administering a modified or braille version of Papers 2 or 3 for a subject
• you are administering a test after the scheduled day using an approved TTV
• an absent pupil does not return by the end of the TTV period

In those cases, follow steps 1 to 9 listed in the section On the scheduled day during key stage 2 test week, keep any unsealed white script return bags and attendance register return envelopes secure, and then follow these steps:

1. After the administration of English grammar, punctuation and spelling Paper 2, and the administration of Mathematics Papers 2 and 3, put any:
   • modified test scripts into the green panelled inner bag for the subject
   • braille test scripts into the braille envelope for the subject

2. After each TTV sitting for a paper, put the completed test scripts directly into their subject’s white script return bag. These additional test scripts do not need to be put into an inner bag.

3. Mark the pupils who sat the test as ‘Attended’ with a tick ‘✔’ on the attendance register.

4. If an absent pupil does not sit the test by the last TTV day for a paper, or the TTV application is rejected by STA, mark the pupil as ‘A’ (Absent) on the attendance register.

5. When the attendance register is complete for all pupils, keep a note of the number of test scripts your school is returning, as you will need this for the HDF. Then put the register in the attendance register return envelope and seal it. Put the sealed attendance register in the script return bag and seal that too.

6. Store the sealed bags securely until your next Parcelforce collection and ask the driver to sign the dispatch log. Your next collection could be either:
   • one of your scheduled days during test week
   • the day after your final approved TTV for each subject
   • the day after the final TTV date for a subject
   • the day after you have requested an additional collection via the national curriculum assessments helpline

Additional instructions for Jersey schools

Pack the test scripts as described above. Then place your sealed white script return bags into the pre-addressed oversized outer bags (JSELOB) and seal them.

The Children, Young People, Education and Skills Department will collect your packages on Friday 23 May and will forward them to STA’s Test Operations Service for marking.

Additional instructions for Ministry of Defence schools

Pack the test scripts as described above. Then place your sealed white script return bags into the pre-addressed oversized outer bags (BFPOLOB) and seal them.

You must then take the packages to your local BFPO and get a dispatch receipt.

If you are in Ramstein or Brunssum, your BFPO will not accept packages for return to the UK. Schools in these areas must also:

• put the BFPOLOB packages into an additional over-bag – you could use one of the spare bags provided, but you must re-address it to:

British Forces Post Office
SNCO IC
UK NSE
SHAPE
Rue Grande
7010 S.H.A.P.E BELGIE
Belgium

• send the packages by recorded delivery, overnight courier or national postal service

BFPO 26 will open the outer packaging and forward all BFPOLOB packages to BFPO Northolt.

The team at BFPO Northolt will open all BFPOLOB packages and transfer the white script return bags to Parcelforce for onward delivery to STA’s Test Operations Service for marking.

If you have any queries, contact the national curriculum assessments helpline on +44 (0)300 303 3013.

Test script collections

Store your sealed test script return bags in a secure location until Parcelforce arrives to collect them. Please do not take test script packages to the post office or use any other courier. Please ensure that:

• the Parcelforce driver can access your site promptly
• your reception staff know about the planned KS2 test script collection and understand how to record dispatch details – refer to On the scheduled day during key stage 2 test week
• if your site has multiple receptions or school offices (for example, for primary and secondary), ensure they are all aware of the KS2 test script collection and can direct the driver to the correct location if needed

For any queries or concerns about a collection, please contact the national curriculum assessments helpline on 0300 303 3013.

Scheduled collections during test week

Parcelforce cannot collect from every school every day, so STA has scheduled collections between 9am and 4pm as follows:

Group A – if your school’s DfE number ends with an even digit	Group B – if your school’s DfE number ends with an odd digit
Monday 12 May	Tuesday 13 May
Wednesday 14 May	Thursday 15 May
Friday 16 May	Friday 16 May, if necessary

Parcelforce will collect any packages that are available on any day, but if they:

• arrive before you have packaged the test scripts, tell the driver this and they will return on the next scheduled collection day
• visit your school on a non-scheduled day for any reason, they could still collect any packages you may have, provided the driver has capacity

Collections following a timetable variation

Parcelforce will collect test script packages from approved TTVs completed during KS2 test week on your next scheduled collection day, up to Friday 16 May.

Otherwise, STA will send Parcelforce to your school on the day after your final approved TTV for each paper, up to Friday 23 May.

Uncollected packages

STA estimates the number of packages each school will dispatch, using the latest pupil registration data and HDF submissions, and tracks the actual number collected. Taking known approved TTVs into account, STA will ask Parcelforce to make further collection attempts from Friday 16 May until STA determines no more are required.

If you find a test script that should have been sent for marking after dispatching a subject’s packages, or you have an uncollected package, contact the national curriculum assessments helpline on 0300 303 3013, particularly if it is after:

• Friday 16 May, and you have completed all test administration
• Friday 23 May, following completion of your approved TTVs

Recycling unused test materials and packaging

You must keep any unused test materials, stationery items and packaging secure until Friday 23 May, after all administration is complete.

You can then dispose of them as follows:

• All plastic wrapping for the stationery materials and test papers, as well as the script return bags, are low-density polyethylene (LDPE4), which is recyclable. If your local authority or recycling service will not accept it, many of the larger supermarkets offer plastic wrapping recycling facilities.
• The test materials delivery boxes are made from recycled cardboard and can be recycled again after removing any tape.
• Unused test papers and their accompanying delivery notes can be recycled at any paper recycling point.
• Surplus copies of attendance registers must be shredded securely before recycling them with other paper, because they contain pupils’ data.

STA handles the recycling of test scripts, attendance registers and packaging received at the scanning bureau as follows:

• All script packaging is recycled.
• All attendance registers and scripts are scanned, then securely shredded and finally recycled.

Any test scripts marked on paper are returned to their schools.