“NFER is a great choice”: embedding assessment rigour and reliability with Long Ridings Primary

We spoke with Dave Tullett, Deputy Head and Assessment Lead at Long Ridings Primary School in Brentwood, Essex, to understand how the school has embedded NFER Tests into its assessment strategy and the impact this has on pupil progress, teacher confidence, and data consistency. 

Building confidence in assessment results

Long Ridings Primary School has been using NFER Tests as a core part of the school’s assessment approach since 2016. Mr Tullett first encountered them at a previous school and introduced them to Long Ridings when he joined. 

“The tests are underpinned by a rigorous standardisation process involving thousands of pupils, which gives us confidence in the results. We’ve tried other providers, but their tests didn’t always feel age-appropriate or consistent.”

Benchmarking pupil progress against the NFER standardisation sample

One of the most valuable aspects of NFER Tests, according to Mr Tullett, is their use of standardised scores. “Because the scores are based on a national bell curve, we can make meaningful comparisons across year groups and with national expectations. That level of standardisation is something we really rely on.” 

 “It’s not always easy to compare [between different scoring systems], but NFER’s approach gives us a solid benchmark.”

NFER Assessments are easy to use and inspire teacher confidence 

 “The NFER Tests Analysis Tool and teacher guides are clear. It usually takes me about 15 minutes to explain the process to a new teacher, and they’re off and running.” 

“We enter the raw scores and get the standardised results quickly. It’s efficient and doesn’t add unnecessary pressure on staff.” 

While teacher judgement remains central to reporting, NFER Tests provide a crucial layer of objectivity and rigour. “We use the tests as a guide alongside our main assessments. If a teacher’s judgement differs significantly from the NFER score, we’ll have a conversation to understand why. It’s not about questioning their judgement; it’s about ensuring consistency and fairness. Without something like NFER, you risk relying too heavily on subjective assessments, which can vary widely.” 

Cost-effective tool, driving whole-school improvement 

Long Ridings uses Insight alongside NFER to track pupil progress and support reporting. “We input the NFER scores into Insight, which we also use for our main assessments. This gives us a comprehensive view of each pupil’s progress and helps us report clearly to parents.” 

Mr Tullett believes that the consistent use of NFER Tests has contributed to improved outcomes across the school. “Our results have really improved in recent years, and I think that’s partly due to the rigour we’ve introduced - not just in Year 6, but across all year groups.” 

 “The tests don’t change often, and the teacher guides remain relevant year after year. Once you’ve made that initial purchase, the ongoing costs are manageable.” 

Thinking about assessments for your primary school? 

Mr Tullett encourages other schools to consider NFER Tests for their reliability and clarity. “If you’re looking for a consistent, standardised approach that supports both teacher judgement and pupil progress, NFER is a great choice. Just make sure everyone is on board and understands how to use the data effectively.” 

Find out more 

Visit the NFER Tests page for more information on using NFER Tests in your school or MAT