Reception baseline assessment (RBA): Key Facts and Dates

Everything teachers need to know about the reception baseline assessment, with dates and links from GOV.UK.

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A short one-to-one check in the first 6 weeks of reception covering early maths and literacy, communication and language. It is not a pass/fail test and the score is not shared with schools.

Key dates

Autumn term 2026 (first 6 weeks of reception)

Good to know

• Areas: mathematics; literacy, communication and language (LCL)
• Area share: each area is 40% to 60% of the marks
• Total marks: 40
• Min marks presented: 31
• Routing: Yes
• Typical minutes: 20
• Typical minutes note: usually less than 20 minutes per pupil
• Mode: one-to-one with a practitioner, using practical resources and 2 digital devices
• Language: English; British Sign Language or sign-supported English allowed for pupils with hearing impairments
• Results: Raw score not given to schools or parents; schools get short narrative statements. Scores feed a school-level KS2 progress measure.
• Framework updated: Tue, 1 April 2025

Official documents

• Assessment framework (GOV.UK)
• Assessment guidance (GOV.UK)

Facts checked against: gov.uk · last checked 2026-10-20.

Year group packs

Reception

Other assessments: Phonics screening check · Key stage 1 tests (optional) · Multiplication tables check (MTC) · Key stage 2 national curriculum tests (SATs) · Key stage 2 teacher assessment (English writing, science).