National Reference Test

[lilgreen]

DD has been selected at random to take this test for Ofqual. It’s a 1 hour English or maths test to gauge how pupils nationally are attaining so that the men in suits can decide whether standards are being maintained. I’m not happy that DD has just finished mocks, has more in March, then the real GCSEs start in May. DD is stressed and would be missing a maths lesson. She needs EVERY maths lesson. AIBU to request that she doesn’t take part? The letter says it is not voluntary.

I would insist that she doesn't take it, in writing to the chair of governors if I didn't get anywhere with the school.

Looking at assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/667605/6331_-_The_National_Reference_Test_in_2017.pdf suggests that there is some scope for selected pupils (who are chosen at random by NFER) not to do the test the discretion of the head teacher.

Thanks. I’ve already emailed but good to know.

Have you considered that it might be helpful to your child? It's a low-stakes assessment of her knowledge that may help her understand where her gaps in knowledge are and give her experience of different questions. It requires no preparation and allows Ofqual to ensure she and all the others taking GCSEs this year are treated fairly when it comes to grades.

Suggest you might like to think a little further before firing off a demanding email.

I haven’t fired off a demanding email. Not sure why you’ve assumed I have. I have absolutely considered whether it was good for my DD. She does not need exam practise as she has mocks just understand her belt and more in March. Her school have been using a GCSE style exams in the gymnasium since year 9 so that isn’t a concern. Suggest you read my op before firing off an ill considered post.

*under

Goodness, its one hour out of her life spent doing something for the common good. Why is that so stressful?

Missing one Maths lesson being such a huge issue, plus having an extra round of mocks, makes me think that the school may never have heard the saying, You don't fatten a pig by weighing it.

Exactly. Enough already! Her stress is not just about school but rather not go into that. I have requested that she doesn’t take part and wait to hear. I’m not in any way inclined to jump to Michael Gove’s demands. If they want data they can use the mock results.

As for understanding where her gaps may be, neither she or or the school will get the results.

I’ve never heard of that test. Is it new? It does seem an extra thing to dump on students who already have enough to prepare for. I agree that there must be enough data available from last year’s GCSE results and the mocks this year.

If they want data they can use the mock results.

You completely misunderstand the tests. They are kept secret, and the same tests are used every year so that each year group can be compared to the previous year group to see whether they are better or worse at maths as a cohort.

That information will be then used to set grade boundaries - if the national reference tests show that the cohort is better than the previous year, then the grade boundaries will be set so that they get better results than the previous year.

At the moment KS2 results for each cohort are used to do this but there are lots of problems with this, particularly that the KS2 SATs were completely overhauled and we can’t compare the results of the group that sat the old SATs to the group that sat the new SATs.