Guidance
Primary assessments: future dates
This page summarises future assessment dates in primary schools, to assist schools with their forward planning.
Change of https://www.gov.uk/guidance/primary-assessments-future-dates
Change description : 2025-10-13 09:30:00: Added assessment dates for the academic year 2027 to 2028. [Guidance and regulation]
Showing diff : 2025-09-29 08:30:57.526053271 +00:00..2025-10-13 08:31:33.073588497 +00:00
This page summarises future assessment dates in primary schools, to assist schools with their forward planning.
Assessment dates appear in chronological order. Schools must keep these periods free for administering the assessments. If there should be any changes as a result of the curriculum and assessment review, we will update this page accordingly.
Schools must complete the reception baseline assessment for each child in the first 6 weeks after they enter reception.
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.
ItThe is recommended thatadministration period for the optional key stage 1 tests areis administered during May 2026.
The statutory key stage 2 tests are timetabled from Monday 11 May to Thursday 14 May 2026.2026:
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| Monday 11 May 2026 | English grammar, punctuation and spelling |
| Tuesday 12 May 2026 | English reading |
| Wednesday 13 May 2026 | Mathematics |
| Thursday 14 May 2026 | Mathematics |
Schools must administer the multiplication tables check within the 2-week period from Monday 1 June 2026.
Schools must administer the phonics screening check within the 1-week period from Monday 8 June 2026.
To add a full list of all important dates to your calendar, you can download the:
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Schools must complete the reception baseline assessment for each child in the first 6 weeks after they enter reception.
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.
ItThe is recommended thatadministration period for the optional key stage 1 tests areis administered during May 2027.
The statutory key stage 2 tests are timetabled from Monday 10 May to Thursday 13 May 2027.
Schools must administer the multiplication tables check within the 2-week period from Monday 7 June 2027.
Schools must administer the phonics screening check within the 1-week period from Monday 14 June 2027.
Schools must complete the reception baseline assessment for each child in the first 6 weeks after they enter reception.
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.
The recommended administration period for the optional key stage 1 tests is during May 2028.
The statutory key stage 2 tests are timetabled from Monday 8 May to Thursday 11 May 2028.
Schools must administer the multiplication tables check within the 2-week period from Monday 5 June 2028.
Schools must administer the phonics screening check within the 1-week period from Monday 12 June 2028.
Added assessment dates for the academic year 2027 to 2028.
Removed past test dates. Added the detailed timetable for the key stage 2 tests in 2026. Added the 2 new downloadable calendars with important dates for key stage 1 and key stage 2 assessments in the academic year 2025 to 2026.
We updated the following dates in the downloadable 'Key stage 2 assessments calendar 2024 to 2025': MTC administration guidance published and MTC service available from 28 April 2025 (not 28 March), local authorities carry out KS2 monitoring visits between Tuesday 6 May and Friday 23 May 2025 (not between Tuesday 6 May and Tuesday 20 May 2025). Users who previously downloaded this calendar should delete and re-download it, or manually amend these dates in their current version.
Added the downloadable KS1 assessments calendar with key dates for the academic year 2024 to 2025
Dates added for the academic year 2026 to 2027. Detailed timetable confirmed for the key stage 2 tests in 2025. Downloadable calendar added for key stage 2 assessments in the academic year 2024 to 2025.
Added dates and links for schools carrying out the Department for Education's early years foundation stage framework profile assessment in primary schools.
Dates added for the academic year 2025 to 2026.
Added downloadable key stage 1 assessments calendar with important dates for the academic year 2023 to 2024.
Removed past assessment dates from the academic year 2022 to 2023. Added the downloadable KS2 assessments calendar for the academic year 2023 to 2024. Added the schedule of KS2 tests in May 2024.
Added two downloadable calendars with important 2023 assessment dates for: key stage 1, key stage 2
- Removed dates for 2021/2022 (as these tests are now in the past) - Updated KS2 test dates for the academic year 2022/23, to reflect the date changes following the announcement of a bank holiday on Monday 8 May 2023, and to include the full test timetable - Added test dates for the academic year 2024/2025 - Amended lines to reflect that KS1 tests will be non-statutory from 2023/2024 (applies to academic years 2023/2024 and 2024/2025) - Changed the multiplication tables check (MTC) period from a 3-week period to a 2-week period, as the third week is only applicable for timetable variations (applies to all academic years)
Line added to the information about the KS1 tests for the 2023/24 academic year.
Dates updated for the 2023/24 academic year.
Primary assessment dates updated.
First published.
2025-10-13 09:30
Added assessment dates for the academic year 2027 to 2028.
2025-09-29 09:30
Removed past test dates. Added the detailed timetable for the key stage 2 tests in 2026. Added the 2 new downloadable calendars with important dates for key stage 1 and key stage 2 assessments in the academic year 2025 to 2026.
2025-04-28 09:30
We updated the following dates in the downloadable ‘Key stage 2 assessments calendar 2024 to 2025’: MTC administration guidance published and MTC service available from 28 April 2025 (not 28 March), local authorities carry out KS2 monitoring visits between Tuesday 6 May and Friday 23 May 2025 (not between Tuesday 6 May and Tuesday 20 May 2025). Users who previously downloaded this calendar should delete and re-download it, or manually amend these dates in their current version.
2024-10-10 14:30
Added the downloadable KS1 assessments calendar with key dates for the academic year 2024 to 2025
2024-10-01 09:31
Dates added for the academic year 2026 to 2027. Detailed timetable confirmed for the key stage 2 tests in 2025. Downloadable calendar added for key stage 2 assessments in the academic year 2024 to 2025.
2024-02-12 09:02
Added dates and links for schools carrying out the Department for Education’s early years foundation stage framework profile assessment in primary schools.
2023-11-02 14:03
Dates added for the academic year 2025 to 2026.
2023-10-11 10:59
Added downloadable key stage 1 assessments calendar with important dates for the academic year 2023 to 2024.
2023-10-09 09:55
Removed past assessment dates from the academic year 2022 to 2023. Added the downloadable KS2 assessments calendar for the academic year 2023 to 2024. Added the schedule of KS2 tests in May 2024.
2023-03-09 10:58
Added two downloadable calendars with important 2023 assessment dates for: key stage 1, key stage 2
2022-12-12 09:00
Removed dates for 2021/2022 (as these tests are now in the past)Updated KS2 test dates for the academic year 2022/23, to reflect the date changes following the announcement of a bank holiday on Monday 8 May 2023, and to include the full test timetableAdded test dates for the academic year 2024/2025Amended lines to reflect that KS1 tests will be non-statutory from 2023/2024 (applies to academic years 2023/2024 and 2024/2025)Changed the multiplication tables check (MTC) period from a 3-week period to a 2-week period, as the third week is only applicable for timetable variations (applies to all academic years)
2022-04-07 15:55
Line added to the information about the KS1 tests for the 2023/24 academic year.
2022-03-21 17:00
Dates updated for the 2023/24 academic year.