Education Minister Paul Givan has unveiled plans for new Key Stage assessments to be implemented across Northern Ireland, covering a three-year period beginning in the 2025-26 academic year.
The initiative, aimed at evaluating literacy and numeracy skills among pupils, will be rolled out by the Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA).
The system-level sample assessments will target pupils at the end of Key Stages 1, 2, and 3—covering ages 5-7, 7-11, and 11-14 respectively. Designed to provide a snapshot of educational performance across the region, the assessments will involve a representative sample of pupils rather than every child, with results used to identify national trends rather than individual school or pupil outcomes.
Speaking on the announcement, Minister Givan emphasised the critical role of literacy and numeracy as the “essential foundation of all education.”
He highlighted a gap in Northern Ireland’s current system, noting, “Northern Ireland is currently without any measures of how our system is performing in both these areas at primary school and Key Stage 3. This is not acceptable and makes us an outlier internationally in being without basic performance data.”
The new assessments, he added, will offer “a clear, evidence-based understanding of how well our pupils are developing essential knowledge and skills in reading, writing, and mathematics.” The data gathered will provide an “authoritative picture on our national educational performance,” informing curriculum development and supporting teacher training.
The move aligns Northern Ireland with high-performing education systems worldwide, such as those in Canada, the USA, Finland, Japan, and Singapore, where similar system-level sample assessments are already in use.
“These new arrangements have been developed in consultation with CCEA and key stakeholders, including school leaders,” Givan said, pledging close collaboration between his Department, CCEA, and schools to ensure a smooth rollout.
He added, “My Department and CCEA will work closely with schools and stakeholders to ensure the smooth implementation of the new arrangements. Further details, including timelines and guidance for schools, will be provided in the coming months.”
CCEA Chief Executive Gerry Campbell welcomed the initiative, stating, “In response to the Department of Education's requirement to introduce interim arrangements to assess system-wide performance in literacy and numeracy, CCEA will create and administer the new written assessments, effective from the 2025-2026 academic year.”
He stressed that the approach aims to “minimise the workload on schools and provide a clear, evidence-based understanding of how well pupils are developing essential skills in reading, writing, and mathematics.”
The first assessments are scheduled for March 2026, with a sample of schools participating annually. Results will remain confidential at the school and pupil level, focusing instead on broader system-wide trends.
The introduction of Key Stage assessments is a cornerstone of the Department of Education’s TransformED NI strategy, underscoring its commitment to enhancing educational outcomes across Northern Ireland.
- The new arrangements commence in the 2025-26 academic year, with initial assessments in March 2026.
- CCEA, the statutory body overseeing curriculum, examinations, and assessment in Northern Ireland, will design and deliver the written assessments.
- Key Stage age groups: Key Stage 1 (ages 5-7), Key Stage 2 (ages 7-11), Key Stage 3 (ages 11-14).