In September 2012, new assessment arrangements were introduced to support the Northern Ireland Curriculum. These arrangements include the assessment of all three Cross-Curricular Skills of Communication, Using Mathematics and Using ICT in Key Stages 1, 2 and 3.

Since 2010, CCEA has been offering and providing guidance and support to schools in implementing the new assessment arrangements. They continue to avail of this support.

At Key Stages 1 and 2, teachers should assess and report pupils’ progress with reference to the Levels of Progression for Communication, Using Mathematics and Using ICT. At the end of these key stages, schools are also required to report numerical outcomes to parents and to CCEA. This means that they must state the levels achieved by each pupil at the end of Year 4 and Year 7.

Each school year CCEA conducts moderation of pupil work to quality assure outcomes for assessment in each of the three Cross-Curricular Skills. Schools only submit samples of pupil work for one of these skills each year, changing to a different skill on a yearly basis.