Assess Pupil Progress Across a Variety of Curriculums 

Primary Steps

Primary Steps is designed for pupils in primary settings working outside of their year group or below Year 1. Our Primary assessment breakdown containts end of year outcomes taken directly from the 2014 National Curriculum. We have broken these down into smaller steps so that teachers can show progress and identify next steps.Primary Steps includes the first 3 Progression Steps levels for pupils working below Year 1.

Our Primary Steps assessment content is available in 3 packs and covers the following subjects:

Preparing for Adulthood

We have created a small Preparing for Adulthood framework that covers the 4 PFA areas. It uses the same level structure as the Progression Steps, so goes from a developmental stage of around 18 months to around the developmental stage of a typical 15-year-old.

It is not a big framework, it is not designed to be used on its own to support older learners. 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.

Our Steps 4 Life framework is a fuller framework designed for pupils in key stage 4 and above to support functional academic skills, life skills and employability skills. Pupils can transition from the PFA framework to Steps 4 Life and all the skills they have already acquired are automatically transferred.

Engagement Steps

Engagement Steps is our assessment framework for pupils not yet engaged in subject-specific learning. It supports schools to use the Engagement Model. If you are unsure what the Engagement Model is, if it applies to your pupils or how you are supposed to embed the Engagement Model, please read our blog Who isn’t confused by the Engagement Model?

The original approach had more areas and there was a lot of duplication. A skill might appear in Exploration, Receptive Communication, Social Affection and Auditory Operation. The skill is linked and only needs recording once, but the number of skills might seem intimidating.

The new approach has no duplication so the number of skills seems significantly reduced. All skills appear in both approaches.

From December 2022, all schools purchasing Engagement Steps will receive our new approach. All existing schools will find the new approach added on and can decide to use either approach.

Progression Steps

Progression Steps is designed for pupils who are engaging with subject-specific learning. This framework covers an ability range from pupils working at pre-key stage standards up to pupils working towards the lower GCSE grades. It is ideal for pupils in specialist settings or for pupils with SEND in secondary mainstream settings.

The Progression Steps covers a wide ability range and is designed for both primary age and secondary age pupils. The Progression Steps level structure was created by B Squared, but fits in with expectations set by the DfE.

The Preparing for Adulthood (PFA) is our latest pack. It is designed to be used up to Year 9 to help pupils prepare for life beyond education.

The Progression Steps assessment content is available in 5 packs and covers the following areas:

Steps 4 Life

Steps 4 Life is a broad and flexible assessment framework designed to prepare learners with SEND for adulthood. It covers a wide range of academic skills, life skills, and employability skills, supporting young people as they move towards greater independence, further education, or the world of work.

The framework is built around real-world learning, helping learners develop the practical knowledge and confidence they need for everyday life. Steps 4 Life can be used with individuals aged 14 to 25 and beyond, and is ideal for schools, colleges, alternative provisions, and care settings. Whether students are working towards full independence, semi-independent living, or supported living, Steps 4 Life provides a clear structure to recognise and celebrate every step of progress.

The Steps 4 Life assessment content is available in 3 packs and covers the following areas:

Steps 4 Life Guide

Autism Progress

Autism Progress is a profiling tool designed to help schools, colleges, and care settings better understand how autism presents in each individual. It focuses on four key areas — Communication, Social Interaction, Flexibility of Thought, and Emotional Regulation — recognising that autistic individuals often have very spiky profiles, with strengths and needs across different areas.

Autism Progress allows staff to build a detailed, personalised profile, whether or not a formal diagnosis is in place. It provides clear descriptors and practical strategies to reduce barriers, promote wellbeing, and support learning and participation at every stage of development.

Autism Progress helps build a profile of an individuals autism in the following areas:

• • Communication
  • Flexibility of Thought
  • Social Interaction
  • Emotional Regulation

Each area goes from level 1 (around birth) to level 17 (early adulthood). A significant benefit of Autism Progress are the strategies that it contains, we have worked with experts to create a list of strategies for each area and each level to help support your students.

Autism Progress Guide

Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH)

The SEMH framework supports schools in assessing and developing pupils’ social, emotional, and mental health skills. It breaks SEMH down into clear areas like recognising emotions, managing feelings, building positive relationships, and making social decisions — skills that are critical for learning, wellbeing, and life beyond school.

Designed to be used alongside our other frameworks, the SEMH framework helps staff identify specific strengths and needs, plan targeted support, and track meaningful steps of progress. It promotes a proactive, strengths-based approach to supporting pupils’ emotional wellbeing and social development, not just reacting when difficulties arise.

The framework covers the following areas:

• • Emotion
    – Recognition
    – Expression
    – Regulation
    – Recognition in Others
  • Social
    – Developing and Maintaining Relationships/Friendships
    – Communicating with Others
  • Social & Emotional Cognition
    – Social Decision Making
    – Moral Reasoning
    – Attention and Social Expectations
    – Social Awareness

Each area goes from level 1 (birth – 1 year) to level 11 (13 – 15years). The levels are based on typical development and students are likely to be working across a number of different levels, based on their needs.

SEMH guide

Communication & Interaction

The Communication and Interaction framework supports schools in assessing and developing how pupils express themselves, understand others, and interact socially. It breaks communication down into clear, manageable areas, recognising that individuals can communicate in many different ways — through speech, signing, symbols, gestures, or behaviour.

Designed for use alongside our other frameworks, Communication and Interaction helps staff pinpoint where support is needed, plan targeted interventions, and track small but important steps of progress. It provides a flexible, strengths-based approach to communication development, whether pupils are using emerging language skills or working towards more complex social communication.

• • Speech and Language
  • Use of Communication
    – Social Communication
    – Functional Communication
  • Total Communication & AAC
    – Use of AAC
    – Access to AAC
  • Written Communication
    – Decoding
    – Encoding
    – Phonics Appendix
    – Spelling Appendix
  • Non-Verbal Communication
    – Communicating with Faces, Bodies & Sounds
    – Self-Expression

Each area goes from level 1 (birth – 3 months) to level 16 (13 – 15years). The levels are based on typical development and students are likely to be working across a number of different levels, based on their needs.

Communication & INteraction guide