Parent guide
Understand what KS1 means in England, which ages and years it covers, what children learn, and how assessments work now.
How KS1 maps to age, year group and common assessment notes in England.
| Age | Year group in England | Stage | Assessment note |
|---|---|---|---|
5 to 6 | Year 1 | Key Stage 1 | Phonics screening check (Year 1) |
6 to 7 | Year 2 | Key Stage 1 | Optional end-of-KS1 tests may be used by the school (England policy) |
Current answer
In England, the Year 1 phonics screening check remains statutory; end-of-KS1 national curriculum tests in Year 2 are optional for schools. Exact dates change each year — confirm on GOV.UK for the current academic year.
Phonics screening (Year 1): Schools administer the statutory check in line with the annual assessment and reporting arrangements published by the Standards and Testing Agency (STA).
End of KS1 (Year 2): National curriculum tests became optional for schools from the 2023/24 academic year; schools decide whether to use them. Parents should not assume every school will run “KS1 SATs” in the old universal sense.
Dates: assessment windows and future dates can move — use the official pages below rather than memorising a single week.
A light-touch comparison of what families often notice between Year 1 and Year 2.
| Year | What parents usually notice | What to ask school if unsure |
|---|---|---|
Year 1 | More structured phonics, reading, writing and maths than Reception; stronger routines and independence expectations. | How are phonics and reading progressing, and is anything needed ahead of the phonics screening check? |
Year 2 | Broader writing and maths, more sustained tasks, and schools may use optional end-of-KS1 tests where they choose to. | Will optional Year 2 tests be used, and how will the school explain results and next steps into KS2? |
Support ladder
Start with low-pressure routines: reading together, talking about stories, counting and measuring in everyday life, and short practice recommended by school.
If concerns continue, ask the class teacher what they are seeing in reading, writing, maths, phonics and confidence — and what would help at home.
If difficulties are persistent, specific, or linked to wider learning needs, ask whether the SENCo should be involved. Keep questions exploratory — this page does not diagnose.
Tutoring can help when there is a clear goal and school context — for example consolidating phonics, maths confidence or routines. It should complement school, not replace professional advice.
Related Latimer guides: Homework help for parents · Dyslexia tutor guide. If you want to explore matching support in principle: Find a tutor.
Escalate promptly if your child is distressed, avoiding school, regressing sharply, or if school agrees progress is far below expectations despite support — ask what formal routes apply locally.
Parent script
- How is my child finding reading, phonics, writing and maths compared with your expectations for this point in the year?
- Are there particular skills we should practise at home — and how often?
- Will the school use optional KS1 tests in Year 2, and how will you explain results to parents?
- Is this within normal variation for this age, or would extra support help?
- Should we involve the SENCo, or is ordinary class support enough for now?
Short, neutral wording helps you collect facts without turning the conversation into a diagnosis — or a sales pitch for tutoring.
Related guidance
Pages from elsewhere in the Ed Centre that share the most ground with this one — picked by keyword overlap rather than position in the navigation tree.
Understand the main routes, what to check officially, and how to prepare without assuming there is one national process.
A practical UK parent guide to choosing books that fit your child’s age, interests, confidence and preferred way of reading.
Choose a sensible starting point for reading, maths, homework, revision or home learning, and know when to ask school or seek more tailored support.
Support and clarity
Straight answers to the questions people ask most often.
In England, Key Stage 1 (often shortened to KS1) is the stage of the national curriculum that typically covers Year 1 and Year 2 — broadly ages 5–7 — after Reception.
For many children in England, Year 1 is broadly ages 5–6 and Year 2 is broadly ages 6–7. Ages depend on when birthdays fall within the school year — treat school confirmation as the anchor.
Yes — in England, Year 2 is the second year of KS1. Children usually move into Key Stage 2 starting from Year 3.
End-of-KS1 national curriculum tests are optional for schools in England from the 2023/24 academic year onward; schools decide whether to use them. The Year 1 phonics screening check remains part of KS1 assessment arrangements — confirm details on GOV.UK for the current year.
No. This page focuses on the England picture first. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland use different curriculum structures and labels, so year/stage mapping is not interchangeable.
Not automatically. Most families start with school feedback, consistent home routines and extra practice where needed. Tutoring can make sense when there is a clear need, school agreement and a plan that supports — rather than replaces — what school says.
Sources and references
England key stages, curriculum framing and parent-facing overview.
Subject breadth expectations across KS1 and KS2 in England.
Parent-facing guidance on optional end-of-KS1 tests.
Official publication dates and assessment windows.
Statutory phonics screening arrangements and annual guidance.
Academy freedoms and curriculum responsibilities.
Free school freedoms and curriculum responsibilities.
Wales curriculum transition context for families.
Scotland curriculum levels parent overview.
Northern Ireland statutory curriculum overview.
Official foundations for reading and early literacy teaching.
Evidence-informed literacy support themes for early primary.
Inspection perspective on early primary foundations (non-statutory).
Third-party parent context; not statutory policy.
