Grade R to Grade 7 · rating codes 1 to 7School assessment and report cards: a guide for parents
Under the CAPS curriculum, your child's teacher sets formal assessment tasks through the year. From Grade 4, most schools add exams in June and November. Marks are turned into a rating code from 1 to 7 on the report card. At the end of the year, the school decides whether your child progresses, based on minimum levels per subject.
Assessment in each phase
Primary school covers the Foundation Phase, the Intermediate Phase and Grade 7, the first year of the Senior Phase.
| Phase | Grades | How your child is assessed | Wider tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foundation Phase | R to 3 | Mostly by the teacher in class: reading aloud, written tasks and short tests | Systemic Evaluation in Grade 3 (sample). Western Cape: every Grade 3 learner. |
| Intermediate Phase | 4 to 6 | Formal tasks through the year, plus exams in June and November in most schools | Systemic Evaluation in Grade 6 (sample). Western Cape: every Grade 6 learner. |
| Senior Phase | 7 to 9 | Formal tasks and exams. Grade 7 is usually the last year of primary school. | Systemic Evaluation in Grade 9 (sample). Western Cape: every Grade 9 learner. |
The Systemic Evaluation tests a sample of learners at about 400 schools and reports on the system, not on individual children.
Assessment through the year
Schools set their own dates within each term.
End-of-year exams
From Grade 4 in most schools. The Foundation Phase is mostly assessed in class.
Final report card
Shows the rating code per subject and whether your child progresses.
First report card
Marks from the term's formal tasks.
Mid-year exams
From Grade 4 in most schools. Results go in the Term 2 report.
What is assessed?
Home language and first additional language
- Reading and understanding texts
- Writing and language use
- Listening and speaking
Mathematics
- Numbers and operations
- Patterns and functions
- Space, shape, measurement and data
Other subjects
- Life Skills in Grades R to 6
- Natural Sciences and Technology, and Social Sciences, from Grade 4
What do the rating codes mean?
Report cards turn your child's mark for each subject into a rating code from 1 to 7. Move the slider to see which code a percentage gives.
The minimum codes needed to progress differ by phase. Ask the school which rules apply to your child's grade.
More test guides
Sources
- Department of Basic Education (opens in a new tab)
- Department of Basic Education: the new model of Systemic Evaluation (opens in a new tab)
- Western Cape Education Department: systemic test results (opens in a new tab)
- TIMSS 2023 Encyclopedia: South Africa (opens in a new tab)
Updated on 12 October 2026. Spotted something out of date? Let us know.