Baseline assessment (school entry assessment), aged 4/5 years.

Takes place at any time during a child's first year in primary school, but must be completed before the end of this first year of compulsory education.

Key stage 1 assessment, end of key stage , aged around eight years.

Statutory assessment in English and mathematics involves:

Externally provided short informal tests (Assessment Units) which are internally marked and externally moderated.

Teacher assessment against the key stage 1 attainment targets in English and mathematics.

In Irish-speaking schools, children are assessed in Irish, not English.

Key stage 2 assessment, end of key stage , age around 11.

Statutory assessment in English and mathematics involves:

Externally provided short informal tests (Assessment Units), which are internally marked and externally moderated.

Teacher assessment against the key stage 2 attainment targets in English and mathematics.

In Irish-speaking schools, children are assessed in Irish in addition.

Key stage 3 assessment, end of key stage , 14 years.

Students are formally assessed by their teachers in English, Irish (in Irish-speaking schools only), mathematics and science during the final two terms of key stage 3.

In addition, students are required to sit formal, end of key stage tests in the above subjects. The tests are externally set and marked.

Following the review of the Northern Ireland Curriculum, baseline assessment is being abolished and the end of key stage statutory assessment arrangements are being replaced by annual teacher assessment.  Results will be reported to parents using a standardised annual report, known as the ‘Pupil Profile' . 

Key stage 4 assessment, end of key stage , age around 16.

Assessment is usually by General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE ) examinations in general curriculum subjects. There is also an increasing range of specialist or vocational (applied) qualifications available at this level, alongside Entry Level qualifications for students performing below the level of GCSEs or similar qualifications.

Achievement of students not entered for any of the above external examinations is by teacher assessment at the end of the key stage .