Standardised Tests
Standardised tests are one of an array of tools used by schools to assess the progress of children in particular areas, particularly literacy and numeracy. In our school we administer the Drumcondra Test from 1st to 5th class to assess literacy and the Sigma T test from 2nd to 6th class to assess numeracy.
It is important to remember that the scores attained in these tests provide a snapshot of a child's performance in certain limited areas and in no way reflect a child's overall engagement in school. The results of these tests help our teachers to identify children who may need particular help in certain areas and also identify parts of the curriculum which may need revisiting on a class or school basis.
When reporting scores to parents we principally use the standard score. This expresses a test result on a common scale where a score of 100 is the average and anything above or below 100 is above or below average for that test. The table below provides an indication of how standard scores are interpreted.
| Standard Score | Described | Range |
|---|---|---|
| 115 and above | Well above average | Top one sixth of pupils |
| 108 - 114 | High Average | One sixth of Pupils |
| 93 - 107 | Average | Middle third of pupils |
| 85 - 96 | Low Average | One sixth of pupils |
| 84 and below | Well below average | Bottom sixth of pupils |
Occasionally teachers may also refer to a pupil's percentile rank. This indicates a child's standing in relation to other pupils. A pupil achieving a Percentile Rank of 66 did as well as or better than 66% of the pupils in an average group of 100. This does not mean that the child got 66% of the questions in the test correct.
The above tests form part of the discussion at annual parent/teacher meetings and this is always a good opportunity to answer queries or concerns regarding such tests.
