Changes To Statutory Assessment

Circular 2006/26 sets out the assessment requirements during the transitional period, i.e. from 2006/07 to 2008/09. Schools have to continue reporting  to parents and to Government on the assessment outcomes of pupils at the end of Key Stages 1,2 and 3 in Language and Literacy and Mathmatics and Numeracy using the pre-existing levels. Schools have been advised that their assessment of levels can be based solely on teacher assessment or on a combination of teacher assessment and the use of tasks/tests at Key Stage 3 conducted by CCEA. Information for parents on the pre-existing assessment arrangements for pupils at the end of Key Stages 1,2 and 3 is available using the links on the left hand side of this page.

Revised Assessment Arrangements

The Department has made an order specifying how pupils in Foundation stage and Key Stages 1,2 and 3 will be assessed each year, which can be accessed here:http://www.opsi.gov.uk/sr/sr2007/20070045.htm.

In the autumn term, pupils will be assessed in literacy and numeracy. Pupils in Years 4 to 7 will take the Incas computer - based tests in Maths, Literacy and "developed ability" The results of the autumn term assessments will be given to parents in writing and schools also have to offer parents a chance to discuss the results with their child's class teacher.

In the summer term, teachers will assess pupils in each of the areas of learning and the cross-curricular and other skills. For pupils in Years 3 to 11, teachers have to assess the cross-curricular skills using Levels of Progression, to be specified by the department. schools will then have to provide information on the assessment results in the annual Pupil Profile.

You can find more information about revised assessmernt arrangements, including Assessment for learning on the NI Curriculum website:http://www.nicurriculum.org.uk/index.asp.