Standards and Testing Agency Framework
Roles and responsibilities of the Standards and Testing Agency (STA), an executive agency of the Department for Education.
Documents
Details
This framework is accurate as of September 2025.
Following the publication of the Curriculum and Assessment Review Final Report and the associated government response in November 2025, future assessment arrangements are under review in line with the relevant recommendations.
We will review this framework again later in 2026.
The Standards and Testing Agency (STA) has responsibility, on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education, for the development and delivery of primary school statutory assessments and tests in England.
This framework sets out the arrangements for the governance, accountability, financing, staffing and operation of STA. It includes:
- aims and objectives
- roles and responsibilities
- governance
- accountability to parliament
- financial management and reporting
- audit and assurance
- staffing
- shared services
Updates to this page
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Updated framework for 2025.
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Updated framework for 2022.
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Updated framework for 2020.
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First published.