How can teachers best use writing assessment information?

The Department for Education’s writing framework highlights how national assessments offer a snapshot of pupils’ writing, but that they’re only one part of the picture.

The power of assessment lies in how you use the information. When schools approach assessments thoughtfully, they can highlight strengths, identify gaps and make meaningful changes to the writing curriculum. The aim isn’t to teach to the test, but to use what you learn to help every pupil move forward as a confident writer.

The recent Curriculum and Assessment Review (2025) also highlights that national assessments should be used thoughtfully, as just one part of your wider approach to teaching and learning. It’s easy to let assessment frameworks or tests shape the writing curriculum or classroom practice, but the review encourages you not to fall into that trap. Instead, it suggests using assessment information as a chance to reflect, work with colleagues, and grow professionally.

By looking beyond scores and checklists, you can support every child to grow as a writer and create a rich, engaging curriculum that encourages real progress.

Early years foundation stage profile

The early years foundation stage (EYFS) profile is the first formal check on a child’s development which is done at the end of Reception. It looks at how children are getting on across 17 early learning goals (ELGs), including literacy. For writing, the main thing is whether children can “write simple phrases and sentences that can be read by others.” But it’s important not to let these goals take over and become the whole curriculum.

Writing in the early years is about much more than just putting words on a page. Personal, social and emotional development, communication and language, and physical development all play a huge part in preparing children to write. Building confidence, motivation, speaking and listening skills, and fine motor control all feed directly into writing progress.

When it comes to assessing writing in the EYFS, there are a few things to keep in mind:

• Children don’t have to come up with phrases or sentences all by themselves – dictation is fine too.
• Judgements should stick to the ELG criteria and not add extra things, like checking phonic knowledge.
• These assessments are there to help Year 1 teachers plan what comes next, like spotting children who might need more help with handwriting or fine motor skills.

The key is to use the EYFS profile as one part of the bigger picture, making sure the curriculum stays broad and balanced. By recognising how different areas of development feed into writing, schools can give every child the best start and help them build the skills they need to move forward with confidence.

Reflection prompts:

• How does your school ensure consistency in assessing writing against the EYFS profile?
• How do Year 1 teachers use this information effectively to plan for pupils’ transition?

Action steps:

• Plan activities that support personal, social and emotional development, communication and language, and physical skills – not just literacy – so all areas feed into writing.
• Make sure teaching isn’t driven only by the ELGs but uses them to support a rounded approach to child development.

Phonics screening check

The phonics screening check is a statutory, short assessment for pupils in Year 1. It helps teachers find out how well each pupil can use their phonic knowledge to decode words. During the check, each child reads aloud a list of 40 words, made up of both real words and made-up words (sometimes called pseudo-words).

The phonics screening check might be all about early reading, but it’s a useful tool for writing too. If a child struggles to match letters and sounds, it’s a sign they may need extra help with spelling. The check helps teachers spot who is finding these basics tricky, so they can step in early.

It’s also worth remembering that passing the phonics check doesn’t mean a child is finished with phonics. Children need to be secure with their phonics, in line with what’s expected in the school’s systematic synthetic phonics programme. Some pupils might pass the check but still find certain words or spelling patterns difficult when they’re writing. Keeping an eye on this helps make sure no one slips through the net.

Use the phonics check to spot who needs more practice and who is ready to move on. The goal is to build strong foundations in phonics, so every child can read confidently and use those skills in their writing. It’s all about giving pupils the support they need, for as long as they need it, so they can keep growing as readers and writers.

Reflection prompts:

• How does your school use the results of the phonics screening check to inform writing instruction?
• In what ways does your school support pupils who find grapheme phoneme correspondences challenging, particularly to help them with spelling?

Action steps:

• Keep an eye on pupils’ development with phonics and spelling, and adjust teaching or interventions as needed.
• Let the next teacher know which pupils need extra practice, so support can continue smoothly as children move up through the school.

Key Stage 2 writing assessments

At the end of Key Stage 2, writing isn’t assessed with a single test. Instead, teachers make their judgements based on evidence they’ve gathered throughout the year. They look at pupils’ writing from different subjects and styles – not just one-off pieces.

It’s important to remember that the assessment framework – and the moderation process – shouldn’t shape or narrow the curriculum. The priority should be giving pupils a broad and rich writing experience. Pupils who can write well across different subjects, showing creativity and skill with various types of texts, are much more likely to meet the standard. It’s about communicating ideas clearly, organising thoughts, and adapting writing for different audiences.

Help pupils become confident, flexible writers who can tackle whatever comes their way – not just during assessments, but throughout their learning journey.

Reflection prompt:

• How does your school prepare pupils for the end-of-Key Stage 2 writing assessments?
• To what extent do teachers feel confident in applying the teacher assessment framework?

Action steps:

• Work with colleagues to share best practice and make moderation straightforward, avoiding unnecessary paperwork or extra workload.
• Prioritise evidence that shows pupils’ progress, creativity and ability to write for different audiences, rather than ticking boxes.

English grammar, punctuation and spelling test

The Key Stage 2 grammar, punctuation and spelling test checks how well pupils know the rules and content set out in the curriculum. It’s useful for seeing where pupils are with spelling patterns, punctuation marks and grammar terms. But this test only shows part of the picture.

A high score doesn’t always mean a pupil can put together great sentences or communicate their ideas well. Writing is much more than ticking boxes for grammar and spelling – it’s about organising thoughts, making writing flow, and adapting language for different audiences and purposes. That’s why the test shouldn’t shape your curriculum or drive what happens in the classroom. Focus on helping pupils become confident, thoughtful writers who use grammar, punctuation and spelling as tools – not just things to memorise for a test.

Reflection prompts:

• How does your school ensure that grammar teaching supports broader writing skills, rather than focusing solely on test preparation?
• What opportunities do pupils have to apply their grammar knowledge in meaningful writing tasks?

Action steps:

• Plan opportunities for pupils to practise new grammar skills while writing stories, reports or reflections, helping them see how grammar supports clear communication.
• Don’t let the grammar, punctuation and spelling test shape your teaching – make sure lessons include creativity, planning, and opportunities for pupils to express their ideas. Look at how pupils use grammar and punctuation in their writing, not just how they perform on tests, to get a true sense of their progress.

The role of internal moderation

Moderation is vital for keeping writing assessments fair and consistent. Internal moderation gives teachers the chance to discuss what good writing looks like, compare notes and make sure judgements are in line across classes and year groups.

One of the best things about moderation is that it helps teachers spot where pupils need more support. By looking at a range of work together, they can see patterns – maybe lots of pupils are struggling with sentence structure, or maybe spelling needs a boost. These insights help shape future lessons and make sure teaching really meets pupils’ needs.

Internal moderation is also a great way to highlight what teachers need for their own development. If moderation shows that a team could use more training on a particular aspect of writing, leaders can plan professional development that makes a difference. Plus, it builds confidence and consistency, so everyone’s on the same page about what progress looks like.

Reflection prompt:

• How often does your school conduct internal moderation of writing?
• To what extent do teachers feel confident in moderating writing judgements?

Action steps:

• Treat these meetings as a chance to share best practice, swap ideas and learn from each other’s approaches to teaching writing.
• The Curriculum and Assessment Review stresses the importance of moderation and professional conversations. When you moderate, look at pupils’ progress over time and use examples to show development. Keep assessments inclusive and focused on real progress, so you can use them to support teaching and build a rich writing curriculum for every pupil.

This explainer is part of a series for teachers and school leaders on how to navigate the writing framework. Explore the other articles.