CATs tests

[icecreamvan]

Do these need to be typed?

If they do, are the answers just multiple choice?

DS can only use one hand due to his disability and so is a very slow typer. I'm wondering whether this will get in his way when he does the CATs.

Thank you.

As far as I'm aware, they are multiple choice. My children's school use an IPad I think to administer them. If your child is less physically able, they should have a system in place to support them through the tests.

They don't have to be typed. Ours are done the old fashioned way.

they can be done on paper

but what are you stressing about anyway? They are nothing, irrelevant, and you will probably never even get the results,

I'm not stressing.

It would be a shame though, wouldn't it, if he was put into the wrong groups/sets or if school had lower expectations of him because he was unable to answer the questions properly due to not being able to type.

Gosh how times have changed...when I did mine, they were multiple choice and you had to mark the answer with pencil on one of those sheets that gets read by a machine, like registers used to be.

The school should surely accommodate his disability, just speak to them about your concerns?

Yes. I will. Thank you.

They can be done on computer/tablet or on paper. Most schools seem to use computer now, but not all. They are multiple choice whatever format you take them in. On the computer you are just clicking the correct choice and can move back and forward between questions within that section of the test. So all done using a mouse, no typing required.

Don't stress about them at all. Schools take all sorts of information about the pupils, CATs are only a small part of the data we collect and most teachers barely look at the results.

we do them on paper, where do you think we would get 400 computers from, for a whole year group to do at once.

Neither children nor parents nor teachers ever see the results

It would be a shame though, wouldn't it, if he was put into the wrong groups/sets or if school had lower expectations of him because he was unable to answer the questions properly due to not being able to type.

no, getting lower marks is a GOOD thing.

The ONLY use of the CATS is to statistically analyse the value added of the school but it is a very blunt tool, not considered accurate to the level of an individual student, but in actual fact not statistically meaningful in any way at all.

No one uses them to make any professional judgments, they certainly don't limit a child in any way.

They are not a fair assessment of the ability of a child at all, they are largely an assessment of the way a child has been brought up. Puzzle books and failed tutoring for private school entrance exams? HUGE advantge in the CATS. They are similar to the 11+ in some ways, so students that have tried 11+ papers do far better than students who have never seen an 11+ paper just sit there bewildered, and frequently don't even understand what they are being asked.

The best thing all round is for students to perform poorly. Many schools deliberately arrange for this. Teachers are then able to easily show progress and value added, without spending the normal hours and skills on contorting the statistics, so more time on planning, teaching and marking, so the children benefit.

Happier teachers, and more time to concentrate on the children, win, win.

( and please don't underestimate the length of tie teachers have to spend cooking their statistics and faking evidence)

so tie your child's good hand behind his back and make him answer with his nose. The lower he gets, the better.

Why on earth would you encourage your child to perform poorly on a CAT test that might be used to set or stream them in Year 7?
The best thing all round is for students to perform poorly..... Teachers are then able to easily show progress I bet they are!
Happier teachers, and more time to concentrate on the children, win, win Why would the teachers bother with your child though if they have already reached their targets for value added? Instead they will be concentrating on the children who scored highly in their CAT test and should be aiming for high GCSE grades.