Pobble Statutory Assessment Services

This FAQ answers common questions from MAT leaders exploring Pobble’s statutory assessment and moderation service.

Our service is built on three core principles: Consistency, Confidence and Celebration.

About the service

What is Pobble’s statutory assessment and moderation service?

Pobble offers a comprehensive, statutory assessment and moderation service designed specifically for multi-academy trusts (MATs), delivered in partnership with Hackney Local Authority. The service provides consistent, rigorous end of Key Stage 2 assessment validation, professional development (CPD), year-round support, monitoring arrangements and unlimited access to Pobble’s remote moderation tool.

The service covers:

• delivery of statutory moderation at the end of Key Stage 2
• Phonics Screening Check monitoring visits
• Key Stage 2 SATs monitoring visits

Our service meets all the statutory requirements and is delivered with a focus on continually upskilling teachers and celebration.

Do I also need to have an agreement in place with my geographic LA for moderation and monitoring?

No, the agreement with Pobble, delivering on behalf of Hackney LA, replaces any contract you may have previously had in place with your geographic LA.

Is this just for Year 6?

No. We believe strong moderation practice should exist across the whole school, not just in Year 6. Although the statutory activities focus on key checkpoints such as Phonics Screening Check (Y1/2), KS2 SATs (Y6) and KS2 writing moderation (Y6), our approach is centred on building moderation expertise and confidence across all year groups through professional development, moderation training and access to Pobble’s online moderation tool.

What makes Pobble’s approach different?

Pobble’s approach is built around consistency, confidence and celebration, with remote moderation and wider support designed to help schools and MATs work together more effectively.

Why trusts choose Pobble

Why should our MAT choose Pobble over our local authority (LA) for statutory moderation?

Many MATs, particularly those working across multiple local authority boundaries, face differing processes, inconsistent guidance and limited opportunities for schools to moderate together. Pobble provides one joined-up statutory assessment service across your trust, helping to ensure national expectations are applied consistently and giving leaders greater clarity, alignment and assurance in assessment decisions.

Alongside statutory responsibilities such as phonics screening check monitoring, KS2 SATs monitoring and KS2 writing moderation, our approach is designed to build confidence across schools through ongoing moderation support and professional development. We also place professional dialogue and celebration at the heart of moderation, creating collaborative and supportive experiences that start with what children can do.

Trusts also benefit from one contract and one clear point of contact for all schools throughout the process.

How does Pobble ensure consistency across all schools in our trust?

Pobble’s experienced moderation team works closely together despite geographic spread. The Head of Assessment and Moderation personally samples moderation sessions across every trust and also reviews the judgments made by moderators at the point of validation. An open-door policy means trust leaders and regional leads can join any moderation session across their schools.

We are a geographically spread trust. Can Pobble still work for us?

Absolutely. Pobble delivers statutory assessment services to schools located anywhere in England.

Training and ongoing support

What CPD is included in the service?

The service includes a comprehensive CPD package with content tailored for all stakeholders, including governors, English leaders, phase leaders and Year 6 teachers, whether experienced or new to the year group. Delivered through a blended model, the offer includes live and on-demand sessions, allowing teachers to access support flexibly, including during scheduled PPA time where release can be difficult. MATs can also use the on-demand content to support groups of teachers across multiple schools. All CPD is included as part of the service, so there are no hidden training costs.

What ongoing support is available throughout the year?

Any member of your team, school-based or central, can book 15-minute one-to-one Q&A calls with Pobble’s Head of Assessment and Moderation at any point during the year. These sessions cover anything related to statutory assessment and have been highly valued by schools. Support is not limited to the moderation window.

Our CPD programme also spans the entire academic year, rather than frontloading everything into the Autumn Term. We believe this is important as it gives schools time to embed ideas into practice, while also ensuring new staff and teachers changing year groups can access support at the point they need it most.

Can Pobble help us build a moderation plan that goes beyond Year 6?

Yes. Pobble works with each trust to build a bespoke moderation plan for the whole academic year, covering all year groups, not just Year 6. This means your investment supports a culture of consistent, high-quality moderation across the entire trust.

Trusts can also choose to purchase additional services, such as external validation sessions, to provide further assurance and support professional development across schools. You can explore our services here, or request bespoke support by contacting us.

Remote moderation and the online tool

What is the remote moderation tool and who can use it?

Pobble’s remote moderation tool allows teachers to create and share a writing portfolio file in under two minutes. It was built by teachers, for teachers, with input from the Standards and Testing Agency. Crucially, access is not limited to Year 6, the whole trust can use the tool across all year groups, supported by training and coaching on how to embed it effectively into your moderation processes.

How does Pobble approach moderation sessions differently to other statutory moderation delivery models?

Pobble’s moderation sessions keep professional discussion at the heart of the process. Delivered remotely through live dialogue between teachers and moderators, the model removes geographical barriers and the need for staff to travel to central moderation venues. Schools can choose session times that work best for them, while MAT leaders can join sessions across different regions without the time and cost challenges of travel.

Moderation always begins from a place of celebrating what children can do, with teachers leading discussions around pupils’ writing and evidence. National expectations are applied rigorously and consistently, but in a way that feels collaborative, purposeful and supportive. The online approach also supports greater collaboration, consistency and year-round moderation opportunities across all year groups.

What are the benefits of a remote moderation model?

A remote moderation model removes geographical barriers and gives schools and MATs greater flexibility during the statutory assessment window, while still keeping professional dialogue at the heart of the process. Schools can choose session times that work for them, and MAT leaders can join sessions across different regions without the time and cost challenges of travel. The online approach also allows us to recruit moderators from across the country.

Planning and next steps

What is the deadline for academies to engage a moderation provider?

Academies have until January to decide on their statutory moderation provider. The exact date will be set by the STA. Independent schools have an earlier deadline, usually before the end of the Autumn term in December. We recommend reaching out as soon as possible to allow time to plan your trust-wide moderation programme for the year ahead.

How do we find out more or get started?

You can book a call directly with the Pobble team to discuss your trust’s specific needs and explore how the service can work for you. Pobble will then work with you as a strategic partner to plan a positive and powerful moderation programme for the year.