What are QCA tests for ??

[CrackerOfNuts]

Both dd's have just sat these 2 weeks ago, but I have on idea what they are for.

I don't know but why don't you ask the school?

how old are the dd's?

here. Ours do CATS and Pips every few years.

ah, that must have been what dd1 was doing then! Did I read somewhere that level 3 in yr 2 and yr 3 are different? Do schools normally give you the QCA rsults or is it all in-house?

my school does them in house - no results to parents..to aid tracking of children's progress across KS2.

Sometimes children are given level 3 in year 2 when they are not quite there, it is all to do with target setting for the year group (school has been given a percentage target for level 2 and level 3 at the end of year 2 when it has to be reported to education authority and they will get it by fair means or foul ie booster classes or getting child to rewrite piece of work till it is of level 3 standard)

in year 3 it is purely in house standards so the assessment is probably closer to the child's true achievement as there is no need for grade inflation

should give you results at end of year 2 many schools will give results at end of every year, ours did DD seemed to fall back from year 2 to year 3 until I heard about the grade inflation for the targets

Thanks

Dd's are age 8 (yr3) and age 10 (yr5).

All teachers use assessment all the time to plan for children's learning needs the optional QCA tests are just one way schools know where children are and what steps they will need next.