12 November 2009
401.This section describes the types of assessment that Ofqual has the duty to keep under review. “Regulated assessment arrangements” means the arrangements made for assessing pupils in England in respect of each key stage of the NC; and the arrangements for assessing children in England. (This equates currently to NC tests at Key Stages 1 and 2, teacher assessment as part of Key Stages 1-3 and the EYFS Profile.) As noted above the purpose of NC assessment arrangements is “ascertaining what [pupils] have achieved in relation to the attainment targets for that stage”, and for the EYFS assessment arrangements “ascertaining what [children] have achieved in relation to the early learning goals”; and there is a new provision in the Act for the Secretary of State to specify additional purposes by order. These defined specified purposes provide Ofqual with a policy framework within which it is to monitor and report upon regulated assessment arrangements, and it is required to “have regard to” these purposes.
402.The NC assessment arrangements are made under the Education Act 2002, setting out the arrangements for assessing pupils at each key stage of the NC. The EYFS assessment arrangements are made under the Childcare Act 2006.