The 'CAT' assessment in private schools- is there a state school equivalent?

[pippitypoppitypoo]

Heard lots of private school parents talking about 'cat' scores. Have DC in state primary and they get 'standardised scores' based on taking termly tests which are put in their end of term reports. These are scored <95 working towards expected level 95-111 expected level, 112+ greater depth. Would this be comparable to the CAT or should I just assume they are different! Wondering based on the scores DC gets if they are comparable with good CAT scores or not

I don't think they are comparable. I have dc in state school (primary) and one in private secondary (year 7). I think the termly tests are easier than what the CAT tests are. I would say if your dc is getting GDS, they are off to a good start, but does not mean they would get high CATs. Not that any of my dc took CATs, but just from what I have seen from 11+ prep compared to where the state schools are at. Maybe someone else will come along with more knowledge on this.

You’re not comparing like with like

I don't have any in depth knowledge but that scoring lines up with CATs - ie 100 is average cat score, 80-100 below average, 100-120 above average. 130-140 ish exceptional

Some schools use Midyis in year 7 to predict what grades children will likely get in year 11 - a bit bonkers really as a lot can change in 5 years. It’s not as long as CAT assessments but it measures ‘potential’ kind of like an IQ (obviously not an actual but similar) average score is 100.

My dcs state secondary used CATs (cognitive ability) tests) at the bridging of year 7 - they are more about underlying abilities iirc rather than anything taught per se, so not comparable I wouldn’t imagine.

Our local state school uses CAT to assess all pupils when they enter year 7- I had the impression that was fairly standard practice.

I was about to say this! Here too, state school.

And here too

Agree @MissDollyMix : I was told secondaries think sats are not a good indicator so develop their own (our school had a separate test to assess ability in learning foreign langurs (or at least pick in g patterns/decoding an unknown language) too.

Our state primary does CATs in Y5. They use them to identify gaps ahead of SATs.

My kids did cats and sats at the end of their primary school, quite a few years ago, they’re at uni now.
They measure different things, my kids scored ok in sats, but exceptionally well in cats. One measures natural ability, the other teaching!

Brill thanks for replies. Should probs just be brace and ask the primary teacher!

Most state secondaries do some sort of test at the beginning of Yr 7. CATs used to be the more popular one but now lots of schools do MIDYISS instead.

Yes DC did CAT's in Y6 of primary (grammar area) then a MIDYIS in Y7 of private school. Very similar results of 118 and 119. MIDYIS was better at recognising her dyslexia with the skills sections being markedly lower which didn't come across with the CATs at all, interestingly.

CATs were taken in Y8 at DD's secondary.

They are completely different from SATS.

I have a DD who is severely dyslexic and would almost certainly have failed all her SATS had she taken them (covid cohort), but she aces CAT tests and has very high scores.

It was very useful as school have set her in classes that are suitable for her natural ability but also take into account her learning difficulties.

@OhCrumbsWhereNow We have had the same experience! She was in middle sets in Primary and got in top 10% in the country for CATs just before passing the 11+ (just!). We hadn't planned for Grammar partly because we had no idea she was that able. She's now in top sets for everything and getting great SEN support for English and loving it for the first time in years! Certainly changed the direction for her.

CAT tests things like verbal and non verbal reasoning, mathematical pattern and spatial reasoning so not comparable.

Ah that's brilliant!
SEN can make them feel incredibly stupid when they are anything but.

DD was diagnosed as soon as it was possible to officially do it (her dyslexia was rather glaringly obvious), so we knew that she had the potential, but I was very glad that secondary were able to look at the whole picture.