How we implemented a trust-wide assessment strategy at E-ACT

E-ACT is one of the largest Multi-Academy Trusts in the UK, with 38 academies and over 25,000 students. As part of a strategic drive to improve consistency and impact across its schools, the trust undertook a comprehensive review of its assessment practices. In this blog, Peter Davies, Director of Trust Performance at E-ACT, shares how the trust implemented a MAT-wide assessment strategy using GL Assessment tools, the principles that guided their approach and the lessons learned along the way.

When we began reviewing our assessment strategy at E-ACT, we knew we needed a system that was consistent, scalable and, above all, meaningful. With 25,000 students across 38 academies – including 17,500 in our secondary phase – the challenge was clear: how do we ensure that every student, in every classroom, is supported by reliable and valid data?

Our first step was to define what we wanted to achieve. We weren’t just looking for data – we were looking for insight. We wanted to:

• Promote consistency across the trust
• Benchmark performance both internally and nationally
• Support transition between key stages
• Identify SEND needs and student wellbeing
• Enable strategic decision-making at every level.

Previously, our assessment systems were applied inconsistently, which undermined their reliability. We needed a uniform approach that would allow us to compare like-for-like across our academies and support our improvement planning processes.

We formed a working group, including myself and three of our board leads, to identify the principles that would guide our selection. We agreed on three key pillars: reliability, validity and the ability to drive purposeful action.

GL Assessment’s tools stood out. We were already using the Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT4) and New Group Reading Test (NGRT) as part of our Fluency Network, which focuses on developing outstanding reading, writing and literacy strategies. These assessments were easy to administer and interpret, so we knew we could scale them up.

We introduced the Progress Test Series (PT Series) in English, Maths and Science for Years 7-9. These gave us a national benchmark to validate our own in-house assessments and helped us understand performance across different student groups.

We didn’t want this to be a top-down initiative. We worked closely with our Curriculum Assurance Board and Progress Assurance Board – both made up of senior leaders from each academy – to shape the rollout. We also recruited and trained Key Stage 3 Assessors to develop and deliver our internal assessments.

GL Assessment supported us every step of the way. Their team attended our Fluency Network and Learning Assurance Board meetings, provided demos, helped with trust-wide reporting and delivered CPD tailored specifically to our needs. Their platform, Testwise, made it easy to administer assessments and access data at scale.

We agreed on a clear calendar: CAT4 in Year 7, NGRT from Years 7-11 and PT Series in Years 7-9. Importantly, this was a collaborative decision with our academies, not something imposed from the centre.

For us, success is about more than just numbers. It’s about whether the data is understood and used – by teachers, leaders, parents and students. We’ve already seen an impact on raising our achievement practices, with more precise resource allocation and tailored support.

We’re still early in our Key Stage 3 assessment reformation, and we expect the full impact to become clear over the next two academic years. But already, we’re seeing how consistent, high-quality data can drive meaningful change.

If you’re considering a similar journey, here’s what I’d recommend:

• Start with your goals: Be clear on what you want to achieve and why
• Build a network: Identify assessment leads in each school and bring them together
• Invest in training: CPD is the bedrock of consistency
• Communicate the value: Make sure everyone understands why this matters
• Be flexible: Different schools have different needs – adapt your support accordingly.

Above all, take your time. This is a big job, and it’s worth doing right. For us, the partnership with GL Assessment has been instrumental in building a system that supports every student to reach their full potential.