Academic year 2025 to 2026

Reception baseline assessment

Schools must complete the reception baseline assessment for each child in the first 6 weeks after they enter reception.

Early years foundation stage profile assessment

Schools must complete the early years foundation stage profile assessment between April and June of the academic year in which children turn 5, which is usually the reception year.

Optional key stage 1 tests

It is recommended that the optional key stage 1 tests are administered during May 2026.

Key stage 2 tests

The statutory key stage 2 tests are timetabled from Monday 11 May to Thursday 14 May 2026:

The national curriculum sets out the programmes of study and attainment targets for all subjects at all 4 key stages.

All local-authority-maintained schools in England must teach these programmes of study.

The majority of this national curriculum was introduced in September 2014, with English and maths coming into force for all year groups from September 2016.

The exception is the science curriculum, which came into force for year 10 pupils in September 2016, and applies to year 11 pupils from September 2017.

See the National Archives website for information about the pre-2014 primary and secondary curriculums.

Future Dates for Testing: Primary assessments: future dates - GOV.UK