Identifying underachievement using the CAT4

Phil WilemanGroup Training Manager, GL Assessment

CAT4 Webinar

Cognitive Abilities Test – 4th Edition____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• Published in September 2012• Major re-structure to allow separate reporting of Spatial

scores, based on established research demonstrating the value of including discrete tests of Spatial Ability when assessing students in other domains such as Verbal Ability and maths

• Differentiates between Non-verbal Reasoning and Spatial Ability

• New model for reporting on individual students• Test content review – particularly verbal items for relevance• New standardisation

• A spatial thinker is someone who thinks most easily by using images and afterwards converts these thoughts into words

• Verbal skills are often emphasised in school situations

• Standardised tests conducted in schools do not typically include spatial measures

‘The government will fail to drive economic growth through education and hi-tech industries unless it takes immediate action to ensure young people study STEM subjects and recommend that Maths is compulsory for all pupils post 16’

House of Lords Science and Technology Committee

‘10% of people in the UK study STEM subjects beyond the age of 16, when 60% of UK jobs over the next decade will require STEM skills’

Nigel Whitehead, Group Managing Director BAE systems

CAT4 structure

2 Verbal

Verbal Classification

Verbal Analogies

2 Quantitative

Number Analogies

Number Series

2 Non-verbal

Figure Classification

Figure Matrices

2 Spatial

Figure Analysis

Figure Recognition

Why use CAT4

• The Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT) assesses students in the four key areas that underpin intellectual development and are proven to be reliable indicators for academic success.

• The students ability is expressed as a score referenced to the UK national sample (SAS) and from this score indicated future attainment or performance levels can be generated.

• Attainment or performance assessment will never identify ‘hidden underachievement’ where students are not performing to their ability.

Using CAT4 alongside attainment data

• Using the CAT4 in combination with an assessment of student attitudes and tests of current attainment or performance it is possible to evaluate both current attainment alongside ability and potential for attainment to identify possible underachievement.

• Further, by including an assessment of a student’s attitudes to their learning and thoughts and feelings about school, some of the possible obstacles to them fulfilling their potential may be identified.

• Particularly pertinent to Pupil premium PPG students who may not be performing currently (or in the past) near their ability level

Assessing to maximise a student’s potential

Progress in English

Reading assessmentseg. NGRT

CAT4

Progress in Maths

PASS

“Like most people in education, I

am in this job for a reason. I want

all our young people to have a

chance of reaching their

potential, and it is my job to

remove obstacles to their

progress and provide them with

the support they need to move

ahead”.

Leighton Andrews, extract from

speech, 8 March 2012: All Nations

Centre, Cardiff

Current attainment compared with ability indicators

• One straightforward way of spotting under achievement is to compare current levels of performance say National Curriculum levels or GCSE grades and the indicators produced by the CAT assessment.

A few examples of attainment tests:

Curriculum tests

- „Progress in Maths‟ series

- „Progress in English‟

Screening reading tests

- „Suffolk Reading Scale‟

- „New Group Reading test‟

Individual Reading tests:

- „YARC‟

The CAT4 reports:

• CAT4 Group report for teachers

1. CAT4 Summary report for senior leaders

2. CAT4 Summary presentation for senior leaders

3. CAT4 Individual report for teachers

4. CAT4 Individual report for parents

5. CAT4 Individual report for students

6. CAT4 Excel report

7. CAT4 Cluster report

Using the Group report for teachers to:

Baseline new students in secondary school referenced to the national distribution of ability

Spot underachievement

Identify gifted and talented/SEN students

Using the Group report for teachers to:

Inform target setting

Using indicators for targets

• The pupil has ‘ownership’ of their targets;

• Sets high yet achievable targets (realistic expectations);

• Quantifies the amount of challenge involved;

• May be used strategically to identify students’ at borderline grades;

• one piece of information to inform subject choice (specific aptitudes and interests can be far more important).

Examples of focus areas at a pupil/teacher target setting meeting

• What level appear to be easily within your reach? How do your expectations compare to the outcomes shown in the progress chart?

• What level could be achieved with a little more effort/support? Negotiate a 'target for attainment'.

• What aspects of the work do you find difficult or relatively easy? Where would you benefit from extra help? How can I better support you?

• What are the learning steps over the next half-term if we are to achieve this target (‘targets for learning‘)? All the principles of ‘assessment is for learning’ apply.

Using the Group report for teachers to:

Identify learning ‘bias’ via the spatial/verbal profiles.

Using the Individual report for teachers to:

Focus in on the extended profile descriptionFor example with students with ‘biased’ learning profiles

Help set more challenging target levels for students

using the detailed breakdown of probabilities of future attainment indicators in national tests and exams

Inform and encourage support for a ‘holistic’ home/school partnership approach to maximise student performance.

Using the Parent and Student reports to:

Using the Senior Leaders report for teachers to:

Monitor intake ability against national standards and to monitor any change over time and to set a Baseline for the ‘value added’ by the school

Track and monitor special interest groups within the main cohort.

In Summary:

Possible uses of the CAT in school

• To identify students, or groups of students, who may be underachieving and require additional support/stretching.

• To inform target setting in national tests and public examinations.

• To identify individual pupils’ cognitive strengths and weaknesses (Learning Profile) to inform teaching & learning.

• To monitor intake ability against national standards and to monitor any change over time and to set a Baseline for the ‘value added’ by the school.