Connecting Steps assessment frameworks for schools in England

We have developed a range of assessment content to help show progress for students from birth into early adulthood.
Our frameworks are organised into four categories:
Academic Frameworks for Students with SEND
Preparing for Adulthood Frameworks
Specialist Frameworks
FREE Frameworks

Preparing for Adulthood (PFA)

Preparing for Adulthood (PFA) covers the 4 PFA areas. It uses the same level structure as Progression Steps, so goes from a developmental stage of around 18 months up to around the developmental stage of a typical 15-year-old. It has been created to be used alongside a subject based curriculum to the end of key stage 3. It works well with our Primary Steps or Progression Steps frameworks. For schools already using Connecting Steps, this framework can be added from just £75 for up to 30 students.

Steps 4 Life

Steps 4 Life is our framework for pupils with SEND who are working towards independent living, and is primarily designed to be used from Key Stage 4 onwards. It includes 7 levels below Entry Level 1, and is available in 3 packs: Academic Skills Pack (English, Maths, PSD, Digital Skills), Life Skills Pack (Food, Independence, Self Care, Travel), and Employability Skills Pack (Identifying a Job, Getting a Job, Your Rights, Workplace Routines, Workplace Skills). For schools already using Connecting Steps, this framework can be added from just £500 for up to 30 students.

Engagement Steps

Engagement Steps is our assessment framework for pupils not yet engaged in subject-specific learning. Updated in 2022, it supports schools to use the Engagement Model and covers five areas: Communication, Functional Movement, Making Connections, Self and Emotions, and Sensory. For schools already using Connecting Steps, this framework can be added from just £175 for up to 30 students.

Autism Progress

Autism Progress is based on SCERTS, and is designed to be used alongside your academic assessment to help profile a pupil’s autism. It has progressive levels in Communication, Flexibility of Thought, Social Interaction, and Emotional Regulation, from level 1 (around birth) to level 17 (early adulthood). For schools already using Connecting Steps, this framework can be added from just £250 for up to 30 students.

Communication & Interaction

Communication and Interaction is designed to be used by teaching staff and the Speech and Language team. It covers Spontaneous Verbal Communication, Recorded Verbal Communication, Non-Verbal Communication, and Using Technology to Aid Communication, with levels from level 1 (birth – 3 months) to level 16 (13–15 years). For schools already using Connecting Steps, this framework can be added from just £175 for up to 30 students.

Executive Function

Executive functions are the mental processes that help us manage time, regulate emotions, prioritise, focus and adapt to new challenges. Our Executive Function framework, developed with Connections in Mind, covers from age 4 to preparing for university/employment, across 11 areas and 5 levels of development. These include Attention and Cognitive Control, Flexibility and Adaptation, Planning and Organisation, Goal-Directed Behaviour, and Emotional Regulation. For schools already using Connecting Steps, this framework can be added from just £175 for up to 30 students.

Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH)

The SEMH framework supports schools in assessing and developing pupils’ social, emotional and mental health skills, covering areas such as recognising emotions, managing feelings, building positive relationships and making social decisions. It is grouped into three areas – Emotion, Social, and Social & Emotional Cognition – with each area running from level 1 (birth–1 year) to level 11 (13–15 years). For schools already using Connecting Steps, this framework can be added from just £250 for up to 30 students.

Personal Development (Alternative Provision)

Personal Development (Alternative Provision) uses the Personal Development Assessment Model (PDAM), created by Philip Parker of InspirEd, and is designed specifically for Alternative Provision settings to help identify barriers, track progress and support successful reintegration into mainstream education. It is assessed across five domains: Emotional Self & Identity, Personal Management & Independence, Relationships & Communication, Thinking & Achievement, and Society & Citizenship. For schools already using Connecting Steps, this framework can be added from just £50 for up to 30 students.

• Pre-Key Stage Standards – the government-specified standards for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, already built into our Progression Steps, Primary Steps and Early Steps content.
• Primary Curriculum – covers all primary subjects from Year 1 to Year 6, for mainstream pupils working at Age Related Expectations (ARE).
• Development Matters – based on Development Matters, for mainstream pupils in the early years making typical rates of progress.
• Phonics for Pupils with Special Educational Needs (SEN) – created by Ann Sullivan, helps pupils with SEND find reading and spelling success.
• English as an Additional Language (EAL) – created by The Bell Foundation, tracks pupils’ English language development.
• Maths for Life – created by Karen McGuigan, assesses functional, real-life maths skills. Requires an active Maths for Life subscription.

If you use the Primary Curriculum and Primary Steps together, you can analyse the data together in Analytics by choosing the framework Primary Data. This will combine the Primary Curriculum data and the Primary Steps data into a single data set.

If you use the Early Steps and Development Matters together, you can analyse the data together in Analytics by choosing the framework Early Years Data. This will combine the Development Matters data and the Early Steps data into a single data set.