Key Stage Test Results 2008
The DCSF schedule of publications http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000782/index.shtml includes the following entries for August:
National Curriculum Assessments at Key Stage 2 in England, 2008 (Provisional). This SFR will be published on the first Tuesday in August (5th August 2008)
National Curriculum Assessments at Key Stage 3 in England, 2008 (Provisional). This SFR will be published on the second Tuesday in August (12th August 2008)
Since National Curriculum tests were introduced over a decade ago, there have been a number of changes to the process by which the tests are run and marked. The profile of national tests can be affected by such changes.
Readers will be aware that the National Curriculum tests are a measurement of achievement against the precise attainment targets of the National Curriculum rather than any generalised concept of ability in any of the subject areas. Pupil performance can be affected by a number of factors which mean that small year on year changes should not necessarily be considered to be significant.
Administrative changes to the 2008 National Curriculum tests, which include the removal of borderlining, were announced recently by the National Assessment Agency (NAA). The NAA press notice can be found here. For 2008 the removal of borderlining is the change which is likely to have the biggest impact on the national results profile. A document listing the changes over the last decade to the testing process and an assessment of the impact of those changes can be found here.
Analysis of results data for previous years by NAA allows us to estimate the impact of the process changes. This analysis indicates that the removal of borderlining in 2008 is expected to cause a fall in the proportion of pupils achieving the expected level by up to two percentage points. The impact will vary by Key Stage, level and subject with English being affected more by the removal of borderlining than either mathematics or science.
The SFRs to be published in August will include a guide to interpreting the national and LA figures and year on year changes. This will cover both the process changes mentioned above and the impact of other factors such as the reduction in absence levels.
Latest Information
- 3 July 2008
DIUS: Destinations of leavers from HE in the UK for the academic year 2006/07 - 2 July 2008
DCSF: School Workforce in England (including pupil: teacher ratios and pupil: adult ratios), January 2008 (Provisional)
ADDED - Tables showing the numbers of support staff, teaching assistants and pupil: teacher ratios by Local Authority, based upon final January 2008 School Census data. 2nd July 2008. - 2 July 2008 Further Education (FE) Book of Facts
FE Book of Facts updated following the publication of the 16-18 year old participation SFR. - 26 June 2008
DCSF: The Composition of Schools in England (Internet Only)
- 26 June 2008
DCSF: Youth Cohort Study and Longitudinal Survey of Young People in England: The Activities and Experiences of 16 Year Olds: England 2007
Coming soon
- Available 16 July 2008
DCSF: Neighbourhood Statistics - Announcement of the release of small area Pupil Absence by Pupil Characteristics in England, 2006/07
- Available 24 July 2008
DCSF: Children Accommodated in Secure Children's Homes, Year ending 31 March 2008 England and Wales - Available 31 July 2008
DCSF: Pupil Absence - Spring 2008 Term Report (Provisional)
