Are the cat test scores truly accurate for dc with dyslexia?

[appleavocados]

I noticed no extra time is given for cat tests for dc with dyslexia so I'm also wondering why that is as it's a distinct disadvantage to someone who reads more slowly to take the tests. I'm wondering how they can thereafter be used as a tool for comparison and if they are accurate enough to be used as a prediction of future results at school.

Not judging by my dyslexic son. He got low CAT scores in year 6, went on to get 11 GCSE's and 3 A-levels, with an 'A' average score.

They are there to detect such things as dyslexia in the first place and can show to what extent its affecting a child, as well as showing areas of ability elsewhere (the classic spiky profiles).

Take away the comparisons and it looks as though there's nothing there - and there's already plenty of extra time built in: some will finish far more quickly than others.

DD has pretty severe dyslexia and does really well on CAT tests even with no extra time. She seems to get almost identical scores even years apart, so I am guessing they must be pretty accurate.

We have had problems where her target grades have been set based on those and without taking her SEN into account. Which has been a bit demoralising in that her targets are basically unachievable for her... but possibly better than her being written off as incapable.

@appleavocados You wouldn’t be given extra time for CAT, as this is a standardised test of underlying ability, rather than academic ability.

@YoungOnTheInside our school and the future secondary schools use them as an indicator of academic ability. I think quite a few schools do.

@OhCrumbsWhereNow my dc has the opposite experience, has wildly varying scores. Maybe it's an indicator of something else.

@appleavocados Yes, this is your child’s underlying academic ability. Someone with Dyslexia can have (sometimes) a Below Average score, an Average score, Above Average score, or even Well Above Average. Dyslexia would be diagnosed by comparing these scores with academic attainment scores and cognitive tests such as Working Memory & Phonological Awareness.

On things like VR and NVR she has really high scores (and always the same scores +/- 1 or 2 points), but she has incredibly low scores on cognitive tests for things like Working Memory and on tests that measure academic progress, or writing/reading speed.

So very spiky profile overall - like 7th centile for one and 99th centile for another - but always very similar for each section whether she was tested at 7 or 11 or 13 if that make sense.