The date of the annual National Reference Test (NRT) has been announced by The Department for Education and The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual). It will be held between 28 February and 11 March 2022.
Letters regarding the arrangements for next year's test are being sent by Ofqual and NFER, to the schools designated as one of those in which students will take part. NFER will work closely with schools to make involvement in the NRT as easy as possible.
The first NRT was held in February and March 2017 and involved 341 schools and nearly 18,000 GCSE students. Each year, a sample of GCSE students will take the same test so it will show, over time, if there is any change in how students perform at a national level. In a typical year the results are considered by Ofqual and the exam boards prior to GCSEs being awarded. In 2022, the results will provide important longitudinal evidence about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education for school leaders, exam boards and policy-makers.
For more information about the NRT please visit the NRT document collection: