Key stage data collection

Information on Key stage data collection

Key Dates

Please take note of the following key dates for submission of your assessment return:

Assessment Type Submission to the School Data Team by: 
EYFSP Friday 19th June 2026
Phonics (YR1 & 2) Wednesday 17th June 2026

SIMS Assessment Wizards

Wizards have been provided for SIMS guidance notes are below, these are also available from SIMs Knowledge Base.

Getting your assessment returns to the local authority

All assessment submissions to the LA for the 2026 reporting period must be made through Perspective Lite via file request

Further guidance on Perspective Lite, including Logging in, Setting up a new user can be found here: Perspective Lite.

Head teacher's declaration forms / Permission to Check Forms

Schools are required to submit a Permission to Check form to the Schools Data Team for each of your assessment submissions at the time of submission, this includes resubmission of data.  

The Permission to Check form requests a headteacher signature confirming that the Schools Data Team can check and submit the assessment results on behalf of the school.

   
However, this does NOT replace and is in addition to the requirement to submit a Head teacher Declaration Form (HDF) via the NCA Portal for your Phonics submission as detailed in Article 5A(1)(c) of the 2004 Order.

Timely submissions

Your support in meeting the Schools Data Team returns dates is essential.  This will allow time for any work with schools to ensure that the data fully represents their children’s achievements before a timely submission to the DfE on your behalf.  

You will note that the recommended LA submission dates are slightly in advance of the final ARA deadlines, this is to allow us to support schools that may be experiencing difficulties.

Schools that submit by these dates will also benefit from early reports detailing the outcomes at school and pupil level.

Further information

Schools Data Team

The Schools Data Team is Staffordshire County Council’s point of contact for all submission and data quality related issues.  

The Schools Data Team can support with queries such as:

  • UPN Queries
  • Starters and leavers queries – finding about if a pupil should be included in submissions
  • Submitting data via Perspective Lite
  • Changes in submission marks

Schools Data Team

Entrust MIS Team:

Schools supported by Entrust for MIS systems SIMS and Arbor can contact the MIS Team for assistance with queries such as:

  • Issues importing and using SIMS Assessment wizards
  • Ensuring the correct version of SIMS is installed
  • Setting up pupil cohorts for use in Assessment wizards 
  • Assistance with Assessment File exports and imports

Entrust MIS Team

Schools who are not supported by Entrust should contact their own MIS support provider.

Contact for Early Years Foundation Stage Profile Assessment:

The Early Years Team are the Staffordshire County Council point of contact for Early Years Foundation Stage and related queries.  

Please use the dedicated inbox: 
earlyyears.eyfspassessment@staffordshire.gov.uk

Via the inbox, the Early Years Senior Improvement Consultants can support with queries such as:

  • Children transferring schools
  • Children who are remaining within EYFS
  • Specific queries around EYFSP assessment

Contact for KS1 and KS2 Assessment, Monitoring & Moderation:

Entrust assessment team are the point of contact for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 related queries.  

The Entrust Assessment Team can support with queries such as:

  • Phonics (test administration, participation)
  • Key Stage 1 (test administration – please remember these assessments are voluntary)
  • Key Stage 2 (test administration, teacher assessment, moderation procedures, participation) 
  • Support on marks 
  • Access arrangements (all tests and checks)

Phonics Screening Check and Key Stage 1 – Sara Cairns

Key Stage 2 – Sarah Luty