By David Crossley – Associate Director of Whole Education
Every day, teachers add value to students’ learning. CAT4, by helping teachers be better data informed, can really aid what teachers do best – making a difference for every young person in their care.
The Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT4) is well known for providing robust indicators of future GCSE and A level results - but to solely use it for this purpose misses out on its potential.
As a system, we are data driven and have become increasingly over-focussed on national examinations which act as a ‘post-mortem’ on each student’s progress. The alternative is more closely aligned to what teachers do best: helping their students to improve and take the next steps in their own learning. Assessments like CAT4 help teachers to really understand the potential of each of their individual students.
CAT4 data can be triangulated with other forms of data and teacher assessment for the benefit of the whole school. This is particularly useful at transition and especially at uncertain times like these when the data can also aid identifying how best to respond to gaps in learning. The tests can also be used to identify trends and subtle differences between intakes each year.
For a year leader or tutor, if CAT4 is used alongside Pupil Attitudes to Self and School (PASS), it can help identify a range of specific issues such as loss of motivation or confidence and can often help flag the students who might otherwise be missed. Learning, motivation and attitudes are, of course, closely connected. Where loss of motivation is due to a factor that a teacher can control, such as the student’s experience of learning, the data can help us be better informed and adapt accordingly.
For a curriculum or subject leader, the four elements in CAT4 - verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, spatial reasoning and quantitative reasoning – also act as useful indicators of likely strengths in specific subjects. This allows subject leaders to analyse and reflect on plans and schemes of work and how far they really meet students’ learning needs. Most importantly of all, CAT4 acts as an aid for each teacher to really know each learner: their potential, their strengths, weakness and areas where improvement is most likely to occur.
CAT4 can enable teachers to be more proactive and better informed. As a proponent of the value of teacher assessment - assessment by the person who knows the student best - I also know teacher assessments are stronger when validated and informed by easy-to-administer standardised tests, underpinned by large scale use, such as CAT4.
Every day, teachers add value to students’ learning. CAT4, by helping teachers be better data informed, can really aid what teachers do best – making a difference for every young person in their care.
So, don’t just leave this valuable data in the hands of the senior team or data analyst at your school, and don’t just use it to forecast the future. Instead use it to help improve the present and to play its part by helping teachers do what they do best.
Visit www.gl-assessment.co.uk/CAT4 to find out more.