CAPS assessment is how South African schools gather evidence of learning from Grade R to Grade 12. It sits inside the National Curriculum Statement (NCS) Grades R–12. Teachers use informal (daily) assessment and formal assessment. Formal evidence feeds School-Based Assessment (SBA). End-of-year examinations apply only in some phases, and the balance with SBA is set in national policy.
CAPS123 is not an official DBE site. Always prefer the live file on education.gov.za.
Need this now
- CAPS hub (all subjects): DBE CAPS documents
- Recording and reporting policy: National Protocol for Assessment Grades R–12 (PDF)
- Programme and promotion policy: National policy pertaining to the programme and promotion requirements (PDF)
- Abridged Section 4 amendments hub: GET and FET abridged CAPS documents
- Short CAPS definition: What is CAPS?
- Foundation Phase classroom focus: Foundation Phase CAPS assessment
Where assessment sits in the NCS
The NCS Grades R–12 has three parts that work together:
- Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) for each approved subject. Section 4 of each subject CAPS sets the programme of assessment for that subject and phase.
- National policy pertaining to the programme and promotion requirements of the NCS Grades R–12 (subjects offered and progression or promotion rules).
- National Protocol for Assessment Grades R–12 (how schools record and report learner performance).
Do not treat a blog summary, a provincial circular alone, or another school’s mark sheet as national policy. Start from the subject CAPS Section 4 and the two national assessment policies above.
Informal and formal assessment
Classroom assessment is both informal and formal.
| Type | Also called | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Informal assessment | Assessment for learning; daily assessment | Ongoing monitoring during teaching. Builds towards formal assessment. Teachers need not record every informal activity. |
| Formal assessment | Assessment of learning; Formal Assessment Tasks (FATs) | Planned, systematic tasks used to judge progress. Recorded tasks contribute to the SBA mark for progression or promotion. |
Examples of formal assessment forms named in national guidance include projects, oral presentations, demonstrations, performances, tests, examinations and practical demonstrations. The exact forms and counts for a subject come from that subject’s Section 4, not from a one-size list.
Teachers must submit an annual formal programme of assessment to school management, as set out in the National Protocol for Assessment.
School-Based Assessment and end-of-year examinations
School-Based Assessment (SBA) is a compulsory component for progression and promotion in all phases. The National Protocol for Assessment sets the phase balance between SBA and the end-of-year examination as follows:
| Phase | School-Based Assessment | End-of-year examination |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation Phase (Grades R–3) | 100% | 0% |
| Intermediate Phase (Grades 4–6) | 75% | 25% |
| Senior Phase (Grades 7–9) | 40% | 60% |
| Further Education and Training (Grades 10–12) | 25% | 75% |
What goes into SBA for each subject is outlined in Section 4 (Chapter 4) of that subject’s CAPS. Some FET subjects also include Practical Assessment Tasks (PATs). Do not apply one subject’s weighting or task list to another subject.
How to use Section 4 safely
- Open the official CAPS PDF for the subject and grade band you teach from the DBE CAPS hub.
- Read Section 4 (programme of assessment, forms of assessment, and any mark weightings for that subject).
- Check whether an abridged Section 4 amendment applies to your phase or subject on the GET and FET abridged CAPS documents page.
- Align term dates with your school’s assessment calendar and any current ATP or circular your province or district uses.
- Keep evidence in the teacher file and learner records as required by the National Protocol for Assessment and your school.
Task numbers, cognitive levels and mark splits differ by subject and phase. Use only figures that appear in the subject CAPS Section 4 or the published amendment for that subject.
Recording and reporting (high level)
The National Protocol for Assessment standardises recording and reporting for Grades R–12.
- Recording documents the level of a learner’s performance against assessment tasks.
- Reporting communicates performance to learners, parents and the school (report cards plus meetings, conferences and other school tools).
- Foundation Phase (Grades R–3): record and report in national codes and achievement descriptions.
- Intermediate and Senior Phases: national codes, descriptions and percentages.
- Grades 10–12: record in marks and report in percentages.
Schools must report regularly. Formal report cards are required. Extra channels (parents’ meetings, phone calls, letters) support, but do not replace, the formal report.
For phase maps on this site, see four phases and grades.
Practical habits that stay policy-safe
- Plan formal tasks from the subject Section 4 before the term starts.
- Spread formal assessment so teaching time is protected.
- Use informal assessment every day to adjust teaching.
- Moderate formal tasks inside the grade or phase team where your school requires it.
- File marking guidelines, mark lists and samples of learner work as your school and district expect.
- Check provincial or district circulars for administration dates. Circulars do not replace national CAPS Section 4.
Related CAPS123 pages
- What is CAPS?
- Foundation Phase CAPS guide
- Foundation Phase CAPS assessment
- Foundation Phase hub
- Four phases and grades
Check the live official page for the current file or circular. This page does not replace a subject CAPS Section 4, the National Protocol for Assessment, or promotion policy.