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Progress Test Series

Subject attainment tests for English, maths and science

The Progress Test Series (PT Series) helps accurately measure how your school and your students are performing in English, maths and science against the national average – and measure both in-year, and year on year progress.

Standardised on over 100,000 children, the easy-to-use tests assess knowledge, understanding and application of the core curriculum subjects, helping you to understand current levels of attainment and identify any gaps in learning at both an individual and cohort level.

The tests can be used at the start of the year for baselining and at the end of the year to measure and track progress. Detailed reports analyse key dimensions of learning for each subject and provide a question-by-question breakdown to help identify those students who require more challenging targets and those who may need extra support.

The Progress Test Series comprises:

At a glance

Age ranges
4 – 14+ years (English and maths)
7 – 15 years (science)
Test duration
45 – 60 minutes, levels 5 -7
60 – 75 minutes, all other levels
Test format
Digital (Levels 7-15) laptop or PC (not currently available on tablets)
Paper (Levels 5-14)

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How the Progress Test Series can help you

Benchmark attainment

Progress Test in English (PTE), Progress Test in Maths (PTM) and Progress Test in Science (PTS) provide a consistent attainment measure that will show whether each student is at, below or above the expected level; all tests and reports are set within the context of national benchmarks. Benchmarks are regularly verified using test results from schools like yours, so you can be confident they are robust and reliable.

Accurately track knowledge retained over the summer break and progress made throughout the year with Form B.

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Group Report for Teachers

The Progress Test group report for teachers provides an overview of the standardised age scores (SAS) for each student in the group. The confidence bands around each score allow you to instantly see how each individual has performed in comparison to the average score range, shown in yellow

Measure progress

Testing year-on-year enables you to track progress at both an individual and cohort level. Individual reports show whether students are making and maintaining good progress, with specific suggestions for addressing areas for development. Group reports provide a higher-level view to inform class-wide activity as well as staff training and development needs.

Now you have more flexibility with Form B. This additional set of questions for each level allows for two in-year tests ideal for measuring progress over time and evaluating the summer dip.

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Group Report for Teachers

When Progress Tests are administered annually, the difference between the standardised age scores (SAS) of the most recent and previous administrations of the test are calculated. Progress categories are provided to enable quick and easy interpretation of scores over time, allowing you to identify those students who are progressing well and those who may be falling behind

Identify learning gaps

In-depth reports highlight any gaps in knowledge and understanding, helping you to understand and implement next steps. You can easily identify where specific cohorts are excelling or underperforming, to support planning for future teaching and learning strategies.

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Group Report for Teachers

Reports provide a group level analysis of attainment to inform curriculum planning as well as teaching and learning strategies for groups and individuals.

Save time

The digital version of the PT Series saves marking time by providing instant results and analysis which you can act on straight away. The reports have been designed to be easy to access, so there’s no need for any data-crunching.

Build a complete picture

Use Progress Test in English, Progress Test in Maths and Progress Test in Science together for a consistent and reliable picture of student attainment across core subjects. Together, they help you assess both knowledge and skills with greater confidence.

For deeper insight, you can combine Progress Test Series scores with data from the Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT4). This combination report reveals hidden strengths, uncovers potential barriers to progress and highlights where additional support may be needed.

Progress Test Series in action

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FAQs

What does the Progress Test Series do?

It measures your students’ knowledge, understanding and application of the core subjects:

  1. English: focuses on students’ technical English skills (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and reading comprehension, using age-appropriate fiction and information texts
  2. Maths: assesses key aspect of maths appropriate to the age of the pupil including mental maths for those aged 8 and over
  3. Science: measures two dimensions of science learning, understanding of science content, and working scientifically (application of skills)

Why use the Progress Test Series?

It’s statistically robust. The PT Series was standardised on a UK sample of over 100,000 students, with benchmarks verified every year based on analysis of half a million students.

What does the Progress Test Series tell you?

It supports school improvement initiatives by showing the relative performance of your students compared to national benchmarks. Testing year-on-year enables you to track individual and group progress. Transition tests, designed to be taken in the first year of secondary school, provide an accurate profile of your students and set a baseline from which to monitor progress.

To compare ability with current attainment, our Combination Reports combine data from CAT4 with Progress Test in Maths and Progress Test in English (and New Group Reading Test data). These valuable reports allow you to identify and compare results for any student or cohort of students who are under-achieving or exceeding expectations in English and maths.

How do I use the Progress Test Series?

The tests are designed for students aged 5 – 14+ years for English and maths, and 7 – 14+ years for science. They can be taken online (PC) or on paper. Results for digital tests are generated automatically on completion. Paper-based tests are supported by GL Assessment’s marking and standardisation service.

Easy to access reports are matched to the needs of different stakeholders, for groups, individuals, parents and clusters. The CAT4 Combination Report allows you to compare attainment and ability in both English and maths.

Who uses the Progress Test Series?

Over half a million students take the PT Series each year. Because the data is robust, it supports feedback and planning discussions with senior leaders, students and parents.

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