What Teachers Think Of Optional Tests

In Spring 2003 MORI was asked by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority to survey teachers, in order to gauge opinion on the Authority's Optional Tests. Issues explored by the research included:

• Almost all teachers (94%) say that it is useful for pupils to be assessed in a written test at the end of each year. Heads of Maths in secondary schools are particularly supportive of written tests, with 71% saying they are very useful compared with 56% of Heads of English. This is reflected in current practice: nine in ten schools (88%) currently have a policy of assessing pupils in a written test at the end of each year and this is consistent for both primary and secondary establishments.
• It is primarily headteachers who make the decision to use optional tests (57%), while two in five (40%) teachers say the decision is down to themselves. One in eight (13%) teachers were under the impression that the decision to use optional tests in their school was being made by their LEA.
• These overall findings hide variations between primary and secondary schools in terms of who makes the decision to use QCA optional tests: In primary schools the decision is invariably made by the head (75%), whereas heads of departments make the decision in secondary schools (72%).
• A range of reasons were mentioned as to why optional tests are used, with most teachers highlighting six or more reasons (86%). This seems to indicate that optional tests are not seen as having one single purpose. The top three are: to conduct analysis of year-on-year pupil performance (94%), to assess progress towards key stage outcome (92%) and to aid teacher assessment (90%).
• Over two in five (43%) schools do not report the results of optional tests to parents.
• According to teachers, the main advantages of the optional tests, when compared with other commercially available tests, are that they are the same format as the national statutory test (30%), they tie in with Key Stage work programmes (25%) and they report a level, set by QCA, that meets national standards (23%).
• Amongst users of optional tests, around half (53%) think that teacher assessment alone is a valid alternative to testing. However, a third (33%) do not feel this to be the case and a further 14% are unsure.
• Over a third of schools (35%) do not currently use other commercially available tests or are unsure about whether they do so. Amongst those who do use other tests, NfER (39%) and CATS (22%) are the most popular. It is important to note that these would probably become even more widely used if optional tests were to be discontinued.
• When asked what they would do if optional tests were discontinued, teachers said they would carry on testing, either by buying in commercially available tests (55% say so) or writing their own (50%). (Teachers were allowed to specify more than one alternative). The former option would be more popular in primary schools than secondaries (69% vs. 35%), whilst secondary school teachers typically say they would write their own (69% of secondary vs. 36% of primary).

Topline Results

• These results are based on 502 interviews carried out from 19 March -- 4 April 2003 with teachers in years 3,4,5 and Heads of Maths and English covering years 7 and 8.
• Base: All, unless stated.
• Figures expressed as percentages, except in the demographics section where they are expressed as numbers.
• Results are weighted by Government Office Region to reflect the profile of the sample of schools who use optional tests (provided by QCA).
• * signifies a percentage higher than zero but less than 0.5.
• At some questions figures do not add up to 100; this may be due to multiple answers being allowed or computer rounding.

Q1 Who decides whether you use the optional tests in your school?

Q2 Is it school policy to assess pupils in a written test at the end of each year?

Q3 To what extent do you think it is useful, if at all, for pupils to be assessed at the end of each year in a written test?

Q4 To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement? "As a method of assessing pupils, teacher assessment alone is a valid and reliable alternative to testing."

Q5 I am going to read out some reasons why people choose to use the optional tests. Can you tell me whether any of these reasons apply to your school?

Q6 Do you report the optional test level to parents?

Q7 What, if any, are the main advantages of using QCA optional tests, in comparison to other commercially available tests?

Q8 If optional tests were discontinued would you use any of the following?

Q9 Does your school currently use other commercially available tests? If so, which of the following?