Does anyone here know about CAT tests and scores?

[GratefulHead]

DS is autistic with ADHD and Dyspraxia, he is currently in mainstream Y7 and there have been lots of meetings between me and the school due to several issues since September.i have started to feel he needs a special school but the local authority are adamant he doesn't. The school feel that they can meet his needs at the moment and are adapting his support to try and meet his needs in a closer way.

During the last meeting I had, the SENCO mentioned a CAT test and talked about DS's results. He scored 97 for verbal expression (no surprise there as his vocabulary is brilliant) but he scored about 82 and 87 for the other bits (have estimated as cannot remember exactly). All in all his overall score was 84 which puts him in the mainstream SEN category. The SENCO said that special school pupils more often scored "in the seventies".

Anyway it all made sense at the time (I was overwhelmed by everything) but now I am wondering what the CAT test is, what DS's scores mean and if they predict his chances of future success etc.

Anyone know and understand them who could explain these scores?

They are Cognitive Ability Tests & test verbal, non verbal & numeric reasoning & they are averaged to give the overall score. 100 is always the average as they are standardised.

Sorry I mean 100 is always the average for all taking the test, that wasn't very clear.

Sorry, can't link, but look up NFER CAT tests or GL Assessments and there are some good, clear explanations of the results. Also put CAT tests into the search function on this site and there are many posts on the subject with links.

115 isn't exceptional. 115 is reasonably bright. Over 124 is very bright.

They are typically the standard age [adjusted] scores mentioned earlier. The range it reports is usually 60 - 140, the average score is 100 and roughly 15% of children get a score lower than 84.

I agree that 115 is not exceptional. I've taught pupils who sit around the 110-115 range and they are able, but not "exceptional".
But I've also taught pupils who sit in the 130-135 range - they are very able.

I have a relative with SEN who used to score around the 80 mark on CATs. It's really quite hard to cater for young people with that sort of score as they struggle horribly in mainstream school (and, indeed, in mainstream life) yet are bored and socially too sophisticated for schools and work places designed specifically for people with significant cognitive impairment.

In terms of CATs as a future indicator, you have to look at the range of scores, not just the final average.

If you look across the profile and there are huge swings and dips in the scores that signals to a school a possible SPLD. My son's dyslexic so that fits with him. His SATs levels (he's yr6 atm) are high, but his rounded up CAT total really wouldn't predict that.

A lot of secondaries seem to be better than primaries at helping kids with SPLD, so maybe a mainstream secondary is the right place for your son. I've been really impressed looking round our local schools at the SN provision. I hope you find somewhere that fits for him. It's all so baffling isn't it?!

Thanks for all the thoughts here, I suppose my concern is what Bonsoir describes. My DS has special needs, but they are not special enough for a special school. The issue is that he doesn't seem to fit into mainstream school either but it's perhaps a better fit, or the best fit I can hope for.
Meanwhile he has come out of school today looking pale and fed up all to do with PE and a kid telling him that he is the worst football player ever. Not good when DS is dyspraxia and uncoordinated and already feeling a failure at PE.

I know I can't protect him from life and crap comments by the desire to gather him up and home educate is overwhelming. He needs school though or he won't ever learn to deal with crap people who make crass comments.

Long term I don't know what to expect, there are times when it seems positive and then other times where I cannot see things changing and feel like I will never be able to work again.

I would interpret CATs scores with caution. My DS has dyslexia and has had a full IQ test admistered by a Clinical Psychologist as well as school CATs tests and the CATs results were a lot lower. A friend's son had very very low CATs results and he's just finished school with two A*s and an A at A Level. They may be a good rough guide for your average student but I wouldn't take them to be 100% accurate, especially if any kind of SEN is involved.

There are independent special schools which cater for thethose within the average cognitive range. Your son's score isn't great but he can get GCSEs with the right support so investigate in your local area. Schools are hopeless about knowing about such places.

I don't know anything about private schools, but go and talk to the local state secondaries. They are incredibly good at SN provision where we live (inner city London). I have no idea if that's true nationwide, but go and talk to the schools he might get a place at. You might be pleasantly surprised.