Curriculum and Assessment Review: Maths FAQs - Year 8 Diagnostic Assessment - DfE expectations and GCSE implications

Oct 20, 2026

Uploaded by SANS

Curriculum and Assessment Review webinar FAQs focusing on mathematics assessment policy. Covers Year 8 diagnostic assessment arrangements, including standardisation expectations, reporting intentions, and how SEND learners should be supported through inclusive, accessible assessment design. Explains how the Year 8 diagnostic differs from SATs, its role in placing interventions for core skills ahead of GCSE preparation, and links to curriculum planning across Years 7–9. Also addresses GCSE content and assessment changes, including reduced exam time and teaching approaches for two-tier qualifications.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time28 min

AccessFree to download

Year 8 Diagnostic Assessment

Standardisation, reporting, and inclusion (SEND)

Relationship to SATs and purpose of diagnosis

Closing gaps and resequencing in the UK curriculum

Planning time across Years 8 and 9

GCSE Content and Assessment

Teaching duration and curriculum time use

Two-tier qualifications and future assessment range

Reduction of examination time and implications for content

Curriculum and Assessment Review: Maths FAQs This document shares the common questions from our Curriculum and Assessment Review webinars. Year 8 Diagnostic Assessment Is the proposed diagnostic in year 8 planned to be standardised across the country? And reported? This information hasn’t been shared yet. The DfE has confirmed its expectation that schools will assess progress in Maths in Year 8 and shared that they will support schools to ‘draw on a range of high-quality products’ to do so. We’ll share further details once they’re released. What about special needs year 8 students? In their response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review, the DfE stressed the importance of an inclusive curriculum and high expectations for all learners, including those with SEND – so we’d expect any recommendations within the review to reflect this, including diagnostic testing. At AQA, we recommend that every assessment is designed with accessibility built in from the start and follow this principle when creating our assessments. Is the year 8 diagnostic the same idea as SATS? No. The DfE has confirmed its expectation that schools will assess progress in maths in year 8 in a diagnostic form rather than as a standardised formative assessment. I have heard the year 8 diagnostic test is not going to be standardised and schools could make their own. Why would this be if we are all aiming towards the same goals? The DfE has shared that the purpose of the year 8 diagnostic assessment in maths is to identify where interventions can be placed to ensure all students are secure in the fundamental maths skills in preparedness for their GCSE maths course. The DfE have recommended that teachers can draw upon a range of high-quality tools in order to avoid the need to bring in brand new platforms; centres therefore have the choice of what provision will best support their learners. What is the purpose of the year 8 assessment other than the broadly worded 'closing the gap'? The DfE's response shares that teachers are required to use a range of high-quality tools to support consistent understanding of progress. Many schools already adopt this approach and so we wouldn’t expect to see a significant change where this is already working well. Could the diagnostic in year 8 be similar to ELC? The DfE hasn’t yet confirmed any details surrounding the content of what the year 8 diagnostic will assess. The government's response to the curriculum and assessment review identified that the diagnosis should come from a range of high-quality tools. Given what we expect from resequencing and the recommendation not to reteach KS2 content, how do you anticipate the gaps between SATs andY7 to be closed? We’re expecting the DfE to publish the National Curriculum content for public consultation in September 2026 and the final curriculum will then be published in Spring 2027. This information will then allow us to identify how learners will transition from year 6 into year 7. What does resequencing mean in the context of UK curriculum? Will we all be expected to have the same starting point? The DfE is working across subjects (horizontal coherence) to ensure that the National Curriculum addresses key skills and knowledge in maths before needing to apply the concept in other subjects. We’ll also expect to see the curriculum focus more on number skills at KS1 and KS2 before moving onto more abstract maths like algebra. The Curriculum and Assessment Review shared that more coherent content will support prioritisation to help avoid overcrowding and rushed coverage. The starting points for mathematical understanding should align to allow for students to master key skills before moving on to higher order mathematical concept If we are doing the diagnostic assessment in Year 8, will the curriculum have time set out for schools to address the areas in Year 9 considering Year 9 is also part of KS3? We’re expecting the DfE to publish the Natio

FAQs

Is the Year 8 diagnostic assessment standardised across the country, and will it be reported consistently?

No further details have been shared yet. The DfE expects schools to assess progress in Maths in Year 8 and to use high-quality products, but the information on standardisation and reporting has not been confirmed in the FAQs.

How does the Year 8 diagnostic differ from SATs, and what is its purpose?

The DfE expects Year 8 progress to be assessed in a diagnostic form rather than as a standardised formative assessment. Its purpose is to identify where interventions can be placed so students secure fundamental maths skills ahead of GCSE preparation.

What changes are expected for GCSE assessment, including examination time and potential qualification structure?

The DfE aims to reduce overall examination time by an average of 2.5–3 hours across subjects for the average student taking eight or nine GCSEs. There is no indication that the DfE is planning to remove the two-tier qualification, and reduced assessment time is expected in some areas regardless of changes in content.

Oct 20, 2026

Uploaded by SANS