These assessments were chosen specifically with transition in mind, to help you to baseline your new pupils accurately and then track progress through Junior Cycle. Together they provide a whole pupil view to inform teaching strategies.
Included are: Cognitive Abilities Test 4, Irish Edition (CAT4) Level E, New Group Reading Test (NGRT) A and B, Progress Test in Maths (PTM) 11T, and the Pupil Attitudes to Self and School survey (PASS).
CAT4 provides data on a pupil’s verbal, non-verbal, spatial and quantitative abilities. Assess and monitor a pupil’s reading attainment and progress with NGRT and their attainment level in mathematics with PTM. PASS identifies barriers to learning (such as low self-esteem) during the crucial 1st year.
Choose from three options:
Package 1: CAT4 Level E, NGRT A & B, PTM 11T, PASS
Package 2: CAT4 Level E, NGRT A & B, PTM 11T
Package 3: CAT4 Level E, NGRT A & B
These assessments have been specifically chosen to enable you to baseline your new pupils on arrival, giving you a whole pupil view of their abilities, attainment, potential, and possible areas requiring support. The assessments can be used to monitor progress during the 1st year.
CAT4 is standardised on 6,500 pupils in Ireland, and is already used by two thirds of Irish secondary schools each year. All of these assessments are curriculum-independent and standardised, so reports are set within the context of standard age scores gathered from impressive pupil numbers and validated by annual test results.
The New Group Reading Test is fully adaptive, responding to each child’s answers to provide a true reflection of their ability on entry, and can then be administered again at the end of the year (tests A and B). Progress Test in Maths (11T) tests knowledge on entry in areas such as number, shape, data handling and algebra. You can choose to add a follow up maths test to your package if you wish to track progress later.
Reports follow a consistent format and are easy to follow. They help you to deliver personalised learning through setting meaningful targets for each pupil and allow you to monitor progress reliably. Individual pupil reports also support conversations with parents.
Digital assessments generate reports instantly so you can act straight away and they save you time when planning for meetings with governors, parents or inspectors. If choosing the paper version of CAT4, analysis is provided by our marking and standardising service, so there is no extra workload to worry about.
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It depends which option you choose, but all three versions include CAT4 Irish Edition, Level E and NGRT A and B (for administering at the start and end of 1st year). Package 2 also includes PTM to test maths on entry to 1st year. Package 1 includes both PTM and PASS, giving the extra option of screening for hidden attitudinal barriers to learning. All options are specifically designed to support transition and the crucial 1st year.
Using the Post-Primary Assessment Package can save you and your school time in reporting and tracking progress. Most of the assessments are digital so reports are generated instantly. Both group and individual pupil reports are available for all the assessments.
If choosing the blended option with CAT4 in paper version, there is a marking service which means we take number-crunching off your hands.
They’re designed for use on entry to 1st year to enable you to set an accurate baseline for all pupils, and then to support pupils during the remainder of the year. We recommend:
CAT4 prior to or on entry
NGRT and PTM on entry
PASS at the end of the first term
NGRT at the end of the school year to check progress.
Yes, reports can be shared with senior leaders and governors. CAT4 also has reports specifically for parents. CAT4 has been fully standardised for Ireland from ages 10 years 6 months to 17+ years on a sample of 6,500 pupils, providing accurate, up-to-date data, so you know that your recommendations have a sound basis to support those conversations too.
Of course, as there is for all of our assessments. Your subscription automatically includes support, via a one to one consultation with a member of our Assessment Insights team. Many of our consultants and trainers have been teachers themselves, so you can trust them to give really sound advice. And we have a local consultant who works exclusively with schools in Ireland.