Benton Park Primary School: Using national data to drive confident, evidence-based decisions
Benton Park Primary School has developed a highly strategic, data-driven approach to assessment.
With a diverse and evolving pupil population, the school places strong emphasis on ensuring every child achieves as highly as possible.
For Deputy Head Nick Shepherd, the key to this is simple: using robust, national data to remove uncertainty and drive improvement across the school. The school has used NFER paper-based tests for years and has more recently trialled NFER Online Assessments (NOA) for years 4 and 5.
Moving beyond assumptions with national benchmarking
At Benton Park, assessment is about understanding exactly where pupils sit nationally and what that means for teaching and outcomes, rather than simply tracking progress.
‘It’s the national data set – that’s the key. You have a national data set and you have a standardised score.’
Nick highlights that teachers can sometimes underestimate pupils based on classroom context alone. Without a broader benchmark, perceptions of a pupil’s ability can be skewed.
‘Without that data that chasm is huge.’
By introducing percentile ranks and standardised scores, staff can clearly see how pupils compare nationally, often revealing far greater potential than initially assumed.
‘You have powerful data, which makes you sit and go ‘this lot should get this.’’
This shift transforms conversations from opinion to evidence, giving teachers and leaders the confidence to set more ambitious, informed targets. In some cases, what once seemed like a significant gap becomes a much smaller, achievable step – helping staff recognise that pupils are often closer to expected standards than they initially appear.
Removing the guesswork and providing reassurance
For senior leaders, one of the biggest benefits of NFER Online Assessments is the ability to make informed decisions with confidence – particularly in the lead-up to statutory assessments.
Rather than relying on instinct or isolated classroom data, Benton Park draws on a consistent, trusted evidence base across multiple year groups. For Nick, this provides reassurance and ‘takes that guesswork out of the system.’
‘Because the NFER tests reflect the national curriculum, the assessments are really accurate predictions of what’s coming out in year 6.’
‘You want to sit there with the knowledge of you've done these NFER assessments, they look good in year three, year four, year five – they're going to be fine.’
Reliable, consistent data
The reporting tools within NOA enable Benton Park to quickly interpret and act on assessment data.
‘The reports give me everything I need, both when I have to speak to senior leaders and when I have to speak to the staff.'
This data has also helped shape their transition into the next academic year, ensuring focus is directed where it is needed most.
'The question level reports enabled us to identify gaps and view the actual question, as well as see the number of questions omitted for some learners who hadn’t performed as well as expected. Then the 'areas for development' report provided possible next steps.'
This reliability ensures that leaders can trust the data they are using to make decisions, and plan ahead with confidence.
'NFER gives you the tools to find out what you need to know as fast as you can.'
Streamlining processes and reducing workload
Alongside its strategic benefits, NOA has also made assessment more efficient for staff. Within just two terms it has become part of standard practice, with teachers confidently administering assessments independently.
‘It is surprisingly hassle-free. It’s really easy to navigate the system.’
Built-in reporting tools, along with 70% of tests being auto-marked, reduce the time spent on administration while ensuring consistency and accuracy.
‘The marking load is cut down massively. The teachers have found it much easier and much faster than marking papers.’
A trusted, high-integrity approach to assessment
For Benton Park, the credibility of assessment data is just as important as its functionality.
‘NFER has all the tools for the job and has a degree of integrity and professional independence.’
‘Both assessment systems are great. In terms of quality, both of them are very comparable.’
This trust underpins the school’s confidence in using NFER as a core part of its assessment strategy.
By embedding NFER Online Assessments, Benton Park Primary has created a more confident, evidence-driven approach to assessment – one that challenges assumptions, supports staff, and ultimately helps every pupil achieve their potential – while giving staff the confidence to make informed, evidence-based decisions at every level.
Find out more
Visit the NFER Online Assessments page for more information on using NOA in your school or MAT.