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Northern Ireland: 11-plus Transfer Test

Answer

Arrangements already exist to validate and quality assure the 11-plus transfer tests and the development of the pupil profile and therefore the Government have not adopted the standards of the American Educational Research Association or the American Psychological Association.The 11-plus transfer tests are conducted by the Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) on behalf of the Department of Education. CCEA commission an external agency to develop the tests which undergo extensive and rigorous testing and analysis to ensure their validity in terms of the elements of the subjects specified for the tests, that they reflect the relevant programmes of study and that the standard is consistent from year to year. In addition a series of reliability measures are used to ensure internal consistency of the tests. The agency is recognised internationally for its expertise in test development and its staff adhere to a code of practice governing all aspects of test development. CCEA also employs a number of additional quality assurance procedures.The pupil profile currently being developed will provide a range of useful information on each child’s progress, aptitudes, interests and aspirations. It will be based on well-supported teacher assessment rather than a regime of annual testing. CCEA has been developing and trialling the pupil profile over the last two years to ensure that it is robust, manageable and useful for parents, pupils and teachers. Details of the evaluation of the trials to date will shortly be published on the CCEA website. Development work will continue in 2005–06. CCEA will ensure that the pupil profile will meet standards of validity and reliability by bench-marking them against the Assessment Reform Group’s principles for effective teacher assessment.The pupil profile is not an alternative to the 11-plus transfer tests: Its purpose is to provide a holistic picture of a pupil’s progress, aptitudes, interests and aspirations that will help to inform choices throughout a pupil’s education. It will also help parents to make informed choices about the post-primary school which best meets their child’s educational needs, supported by other information available from the primary and post-primary schools. The pupil profile will not be used to determine a rank ordering of pupils for use by schools to determine which pupils to admit. Where schools are over-subscribed, admissions criteria will be used by schools to determine which pupils are admitted.Government announced on 26 January 2004 that the last transfer tests will be held in autumn 2008. Detail of the new arrangements will be announced after the responses to the recent consultation have been analysed.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

673 c223-4WA; 915

Session

2005-06

Subjects

Assessments Admissions Northern Ireland Pupils Standards Psychology Secondary education Transfer procedure tests

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk