Baselining Procedures at Larkhill
Larkhill Primary School serves a highly mobile military community, and this will always be the case with the Military community we serve. Typically, we have an overall cohort stability factor of approximately 50%. This means that a significant proportion of pupils join the school outside of normal admission points and at different stages of the academic year. As a result, pupils often arrive with varied educational experiences, curricular coverage, and assessment histories.
We have developed our baselining assessment procedures to ensure that all pupils who join the school mid year are accurately, consistently, and promptly assessed so that their needs are swiftly identified and effectively met.
Ensuring continuity and equity
The baselining document provides a standardised and age appropriate framework for assessing pupils across all year groups from Reception to Year 6. This ensures that pupils who join mid year are not disadvantaged by gaps in prior data and are supported equitably alongside their peers. Given the frequent transitions experienced by military children, this consistency is essential in maintaining high expectations and continuity of learning.
Rapid identification of academic needs
Completion of the baseline assessments within the first week of arrival enables teachers to quickly identify:
• starting points in reading, writing, maths, spelling and phonics
• gaps in learning due to curriculum differences between schools
• children working below age related expectations who may require rapid intervention and/or catch up support
This is particularly important in a school with lower stability, where delayed or incomplete assessment could result in missed support and slower academic progress. This is something leaders have intentionally developed and implemented as we identified a rapid need to improve outcomes.
Supporting informed teaching and intervention
The document ensures that teachers gather both quantitative data (e.g. phonics checks, maths assessments, times tables) and qualitative evidence (e.g. moderated writing, reading behaviours, fine motor skills). This supports:
• accurate grouping
• appropriate pitch of lessons and adaptive teaching
• targeted interventions (both keep up and catch up) aligned to the school’s curriculum and “ready to progress” milestones
For pupils with disrupted schooling journeys, this approach enables teaching to be responsive from the outset.
Safeguarding and pastoral awareness
The baselining process also contributes to safeguarding and pastoral understanding. High pupil mobility can sometimes mask unmet needs or previous underachievement. The structured assessment of basic skills, presentation, engagement with learning, and communication supports staff in building a holistic picture of the child and identifying any concerns early.
Accountability and tracking over time
By establishing a clear and recorded baseline, the school can:
• track the progress of pupils accurately whenever they join the school
• demonstrate progress from starting points rather than time spent in school
• provide contextual evidence for internal evaluation, governors, and Ofsted, particularly when analysing attainment outcomes in a school with low cohort stability
Conclusion
In a school serving a military community with significant pupil mobility, robust baselining is essential. The baselining assessment procedure ensures that assessment is:
• timely
• consistent
• purposeful
• responsive to individual need
It enables the school to maintain high standards, support all pupils effectively, and ensure that mobility does not become a barrier to progress or wellbeing.
Reception Baseline Assessment
The Reception Baseline Assessment (RBA) is a short, practical assessment that takes place within the first six weeks of your child starting Reception. It is designed to give a picture of your child’s early development in areas such as communication, language, early maths and literacy. The activities are carried out one-to-one with a familiar adult and are often play-based, so children usually see them as games rather than tests. There is no preparation needed, and the results are not shared with children or used to label them. Instead, the information helps teachers understand each child’s starting point and supports schools in measuring the progress children make by the end of primary school.
Assessment from Years 1-5
Through the year, children will complete different assessments for phonics, reading and maths. These assessments will be completed at the end of a maths unit or term and will enable the teachers to track and monitor the children's progress.
All children at Larkhill Primary complete GL assessments for English and Maths at the end of every year. Children in Year 3-5 also complete NGRT assessments twice a year. This approach helps to support teaching and learning throughout the school.
National Tests
The Key Stage 2 SATs are national assessments taken by children at the end of Year 6 in primary schools across England. They assess pupils’ knowledge and understanding in English reading, grammar, punctuation and spelling, and mathematics, based on the national curriculum. The tests usually take place over one week in May and are administered in a calm, familiar classroom environment. There is no need for extra pressure at home—your child’s teacher will ensure they feel prepared and supported. The results help secondary schools understand your child’s attainment and, alongside teacher assessments, provide a picture of the progress they have made throughout primary school.
Performance Tables
The following link will take you to the most recent performance data published by the Government relating to Larkhill Primary School performance results at Key Stage 2.
Key Stage 2 performance data can be found here: