Foundation phase outcomes and National Curriculum teacher assessment of core subjects at Key Stages 2 and 3: 2018

Changes to the Foundation Phase Areas of Learning

The revised Foundation Phase Areas of Learning (AoL) were introduced on a statutory basis from September 2015. This means that the cohort of children that started Reception in September 2015 were the first children to be formally assessed against the revised outcomes at the end of the Foundation Phase in the summer of 2018.

Comparisons of Foundation Phase outcomes with previous years should, therefore, be avoided as they are not measured on a comparable basis.

Changes to the publication of these statistics below national level

Following consultation on future publication of teacher assessments, this statistical report will no longer publish Foundation Phase, Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 data at a school, local authority and consortia level.

Main points

Foundation Phase outcomes

The majority of pupils achieved the expected Outcome of 5 or above in each area of learning. From 93.4% in 'Personal and social development, well-being and cultural diversity' to 84.0% in 'Language, literacy and communication skills (English)' in 2018.

Key Stage 2

The vast majority of pupils achieved at least the expected outcome of Level 4 or above in each subject, from 92.1% in Science to 89.7% in Welsh in 2018.

Key Stage 3

More than 9 in every 10 pupils achieved at least the expected level of Level 5 or above in each subject, from 93.8% in Welsh to 91.2% in English in 2018.

Gender differences

Girls outperformed boys in all core subjects/areas of learning at the end of Foundation Phase and in both Key Stages.

Further data

A further breakdown of all the data shown in this release by gender and attainment level is available on StatsWales.