Primary Assessment & Moderation
Maintained Schools
If you are a maintained school in Surrey, your statutory assessment, monitoring visits and external moderation will be delivered by SAfE as the representative of your local authority.
Surrey maintained schools are entitled to the fully funded statutory assessment support service, including email and telephone access to a team of advisors able to give advice relating to assessment including statutory teacher assessment and statutory testing.
Key Stage 1
You can access optional test materials and apply the non-statutory teacher assessment framework to support your in-school assessment.
National curriculum assessments: optional key stage 1 tests – GOV.UK
The Phonics Screening Check remains statutory and schools may be subject to a monitoring visit the week prior to the screening, the week of the screening or the week after the screening. Local authorities have a statutory duty to provide monitoring visits to at least 10% of maintained schools that are administering the Phonics Screening Check.
Phonics screening check: 2025 materials – GOV.UK
PSC Briefing: Phonics Screening Check Briefing
Key Stage 2
The Multiplication Tables Check remains statutory in Year 4 and schools will be expected to follow STA guidance on how to administer the check.
Multiplication tables check – GOV.UK
There are no monitoring visits for the administration of the Multiplication Tables Check.
Local authorities have a statutory duty to provide monitoring visits to at least 10% of maintained schools that are administering the Key Stage 2 tests.
External Key Stage 2 moderation remains statutory to ensure that teacher assessments are accurate and consistent with national standards. Teachers should assess all relevant pupils using the Teacher Assessment Frameworks and exemplification materials: Key stage 2 teacher assessment – GOV.UK
Local authorities conduct external moderation on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education and they are required to externally moderate at least 25% of schools every year at the end of Key Stage 2. Selected schools will have a sample of their English writing outcomes moderated and participate in a professional discussion with a Key Stage 2 moderator. This is a dialogue between teachers and moderators to discuss judgements, use the Teacher Assessment Frameworks and ensure consistency with national standards. If your school is chosen for an external moderation visit, you will be invited to a briefing session where the process is fully explained.
If you are interested in training to be a moderator for Surrey, please contact us at primaryassessment@schoolsallexcel.com for further information.
Monitoring Visits
Monitoring visits for both the Phonics Screening Check and Key Stage 2 tests are unannounced visits during the test window. These visits will be carried out by School Improvement Advisors who will be checking to ensure that schools have followed the guidance regarding:
- keeping the Phonics Screening Check/KS1 (if using) and KS2 test materials secure
- administration of the check/KS2 tests
- scoring the Phonics Screening Check
- packing up of Key Stage 2 tests
If your school receives a monitoring visit, you must allow those monitoring to:
- see where materials are stored and check delivery notes
- observe any checks/KS2 tests being administered
- see copies of any correspondence with the STA regarding the administration of the test
Primary Assessment Guidance
For all STA guidance relating to primary assessment please visit:
Tests and assessments (key stage 1) – GOV.UK
Tests and assessments (key stage 2) – GOV.UK
Additional Services
SAfE provides a suite of professional learning products to support schools with assessment and moderation. These events are open to all schools.
Understanding the IDSR Autumn 26
Securing Greater Depth in Key Stage 2 26-27
Headteacher Assessment Briefings Spring 27
Assessment Leader Briefings 26-27
Year 6 Cross-School Writing Moderation 28th January 2027
Year 6 Cross-School Writing Moderation 17th March 2027
Year 3-5 Writing Standardisation Spring 27
