Towards a Better Future

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Chapter Four: Assessment: Primary and Junior Cycle Participation in both national and international surveys of attainment provides another perspective on achievement at this level. These surveys confirm that there are positive indicators of improvements in both Reading Literacy and Mathematics at primary level as evidenced in the most recent National Attainment survey of Second and Sixth Classes. Significant “ improvements were reported in Reading Vocabulary and Comprehension for both class groups and in all the process areas, but less so in the case of Examine and Evaluate. A similar pattern emerged for Mathematics where significant increases were reported for Second Class in all areas except for the Data content area, and for all content and process areas at Sixth Class. On the basis of the above findings, the targets set for 2020 in literacy and numeracy for both Second and Sixth Classes Inspection reports indicate that the majority of schools have policies on assessment that influence and encapsulate the approaches taken by the teachers at individual classroom level. ” have already been met. However, Shiel et al. (2014, p. 40) add a note of caution in relation to the relatively large increases reported in this survey and add that the norms for the existing tests may overestimate pupil performances and may not be suitable for setting targets. They suggest that tests at this level may need to be re-normed. A follow-up report examining factors associated with the main findings of the assessments raises issues with the broad range of purposes for which standardised test results are currently being used. It is also recommended that there is a need to separate the evaluative purposes of the tests, such as in submitting aggregated results to the DES,and the use of the same test results to monitor progress and plan future teaching. In addition to re-norming current tests, separate tests need to be developed for monitoring progress and guiding future teaching (Kavanagh, et. al, 2015, pp. xxii-xxiii). In the 2015 TIMSS survey, a significantly higher mean score and an improvement in ranking was recorded in the case of Mathematics. An improved performance among the ‘below-average’ and ‘above- average’ pupils was noted in the case of this subject. Improvements have also been noted in the case of Science, with again substantial improvement among the ‘lowest-achieving’ pupils and little change in the performance of the higher-ranking group. There is still some scope for improvement in both subjects in the case of higher-achieving students and in the content areas, particularly in Geometry and Physics. There was no equivalent PIRLS reading survey conducted in Ireland prior to 2011 on which comparisons could be made. Equally impressive performance was also noted for Science, with students performing significantly above the international average on the overall test. — 75 —
Towards a Better Future: A Review of the Irish School System Primary schools are also required to conduct standardised assessments at Second, Fourth and Sixth Classes, and to submit the findings to the Inspectorate. We are informed that there is total compliance with this request. Inspectors consult the findings as part of the background data when conducting school evaluations. In this way, shortfalls in policy and practice are identified and appropriate action advised. Follow-up inspections then can find if the appropriate action has been taken. An improvement in the transfer of assessment data at the transition phase to post-primary school (with the support of guidelines provided by the NCCA) has been reported. This should enable a smoother transition to this level, although there is little evidence to indicate how well the data are used to ease the transition and plan instruction at this early stage in the new schools. (b) Performance Patterns at Junior Cycle At post-primary level, assessment practices were judged to be satisfactory or better in the majority of schools. Examples of good practice included the maintenance of good records, ongoing monitoring of pupils’ progress, and analysis of state examination results. However, practices were deemed unsatisfactory in almost one quarter of the schools (DES, 2013a, p.77). The main focus on assessment at Junior Cycle level has largely been on the public examination held at the end of the programme. Over the period under review, some success has been achieved in broadening the range of assessment modes and thereby reducing total reliance on the end-of-cycle terminal written examinations, and with this, a redistribution, if not a reduction, in the stress experienced by the candidates. However, these changes have been modest and the terminal written examination has remained the dominant mode of assessment. For many years, going back to the mid- 1970s, the Department of Education was reluctant to entertain change proposals, even though it established the Intermediate Certificate Examination Committee, the Public Examinations Evaluation Project, and the Curriculum and Examinations Board to examine the system of assessment and “ propose reforms. It is interesting to speculate the benefits that could have been gained if the current reform proposals were taken on board and seriously considered at a much earlier stage. Now, when the DES is actively promoting and supporting reforms, resistance has emerged from other sectors, more especially from representatives of those with ultimate responsibility for implementation. As a result, in the case of the The main focus on assessment at Junior Cycle level has largely been on the public examination held at the end of the programme. ” Junior Cycle, progress has been painfully slow and revised reform proposals, after protracted negotiations, are modest and far removed from those originally proposed by the NCCA and thereafter by the DES. It is generally accepted that reform is necessary if congruence is to be established across the curriculum, and a range of assessment modes, including various forms of coursework assessment — 76 —
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Towards a Better Future

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