Briefing Note National Assessments of English Reading and Maths 2014 Summary

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1 Briefing Nte Natinal Assessments f English Reading and Maths 2014 Summary The Natinal Assessments f English Reading and Mathematics Natinal assessments f English reading and mathematics at Secnd and Sixth classes were cnducted in May 2014 by the Educatinal Research Centre in a representative sample f 150 primary schls using secure tests. The ERC reprt (published tday, January 12, 2015) fcuses n the perfrmance f pupils in Natinal Assessments 2014 (NA 2014) relative t the perfrmance f pupils wh participated in Natinal Assessments in 2009 (NA 2009). Strengths Overall perfrmance n reading and mathematics in Secnd and Sixth classes was significantly higher in NA 2014 than in NA These are the first significant imprvements in standards in reading and maths recrded by the natinal assessments in ver thirty years. (The last time imprvements were nted was 1980, when the 1980 data was cmpared t the 1972 data). There has been a reductin in the prprtin f lwer-achieving students and an increase in the prprtin f higher achievement students in bth English reading and mathematics. There has been an imprvement in the area f Shape and Space. This is encuraging, given the difficulties that Irish students have had with this element f maths in PISA. Gender differences in relatin t English reading and mathematics in NA 2014 were relatively small. All f the targets in the Natinal Literacy and Numeracy Strategy relating t attainment at primary level have been reached well in advance f the scheduled target date f Areas fr develpment While the results f NA 2014 are welcme, it is clear that there is much scpe fr imprvement, especially in the case f mathematics and DEIS schls. There is cnsiderable scpe fr pupils in Secnd and Sixth classes t imprve further n higher-level mathematical prcesses, including their ability t apply and prblem slve. While there have been imprvements in reading in DEIS schls since NA 2009, there has been n real reductin in the gap between pupils in DEIS urban schls and pupils in ther schl types. The large prprtin f very lw achievers in reading in DEIS urban Band 1 schls is a particular cncern. With sme exceptins, perfrmance in mathematics in DEIS schls is still well belw natinal standards 1

2 Actins The analysis f the cntext data frm questinnaires administered in NA 2014 is yet t be cmpleted. This means that it is difficult t cnfidently attribute the imprved perfrmance t any single factr. Hwever, the imprvement culd be attributed t the range f measures being implemented as part f the Natinal Literacy and Numeracy Strategy, particularly in relatin t teacher cntinual prfessinal develpment and the emphasis that has been placed n target setting in literacy and numeracy in schls. It is t be nted that while the perfrmance f sixth class pupils in NA 2014 was strng, they wuld nt have had the full benefit f the Natinal Literacy and Numeracy Strategy thrughut their schling. Greater imprvements were seen at secnd class level pssibly because pupils in these classes benefitted frm the Literacy and Numeracy Strategy when they were in the junir classes unlike their cunterparts in sixth class. The significant imprvements in pupils perfrmance are f curse welcme. Given that n significant imprvement had been achieved in reading r maths ver three decades, the targets fr imprvement in the Natinal Literacy and Numeracy Strategy in 2011 were thught t be ambitius. Hwever, given that these have nw been achieved fr the verall student ppulatin, there is scpe t recnsider these verall targets and seek further imprvement as part f an interim review f the Natinal Literacy and Numeracy Strategy. Mre imprtantly, there is need t cnsider the setting f separate new natinal targets fr literacy and numeracy fr sub-grups f pupils. These targets may fcus n particular schl types (such as DEIS Band 1 schls where perfrmance still lags behind natinal averages) r particular reading r mathematics prcesses. It will be necessary t supprt the teachers, parents and children in DEIS Band 1 schls and the teaching f mathematics generally even mre intensively ver the remainder f the Natinal Strategy. 2

3 Natinal Assessments f English Reading and Maths Backgrund and Cntext Natinal assessments f English reading and mathematics at Secnd and Sixth classes were cnducted in May 2014 in a representative sample f 150 primary schls. A reprt n the perfrmance f pupils in these assessments, (Vlume 1: Perfrmance Reprt) was published by the Educatinal Research Centre n behalf f the Department n 12 January This reprt fcuses n the perfrmance f pupils in Natinal Assessments 2014 (NA 2014) relative t their perfrmance t that f pupils wh participated in Natinal Assessments in 2009 (NA 2009). A secnd reprt, which will examine factrs relating t the teaching and learning f English reading and mathematics, will be published later in This secnd reprt will be based n an analysis f schl-level, classrm-level, pupil-level and parent-level data that has been drawn frm questinnaires administered in cnjunctin with NA What are the Natinal Assessments? The Natinal Assessments (NAs) are surveys f English reading and mathematics at primary schl level. They are cnducted n behalf f the Department by the Educatinal Research Centre. The NAs are an imprtant surce f infrmatin n natinal standards. The utcmes can cntribute t plicy initiatives that can make the educatinal system mre effective. The tests are based n the Primary Schl English and Mathematics Curricula. Achievement data are cmplemented by cntextual data btained frm questinnaires cmpleted by schl principals, teachers, parents and pupils. The NAs invlve the administratin f secure tests by class teachers, under the supervisin f inspectrs f the Department f Educatin and Skills, t pupils in a representative sample f schls natinally. They als invlve the gathering f cntext infrmatin frm pupils, schl principals, teachers and parents, and the subsequent analysis f the data and reprting f the utcmes. The tests used are secure tests; i.e. they are nt available t teachers and schls, unlike the standardised tests such as the Micra-T tests, Sigma-T tests, the Drumcndra Reading Tests and the Drumcndra Maths tests that are used by teachers in 2 nd, 4 th and 6 th classes in primary schls. Pupil perfrmance in the NAs is described in terms f fur prficiency levels. Prficiency levels represent clusters f skill-sets, and prvide descriptins f the types f tasks which pupils at different levels f perfrmance can cnsistently cmplete successfully. Pupils perfrming at Level 4 wuld be expected t cmplete the mst cmplex tasks expected f their grade level, while thse perfrming at Level 1 wuld be expected t be able t cmplete nly the mst basic tasks. Pupils wh d nt reach Level 1 are nt cnsistently able t successfully display the skills assessed by the simplest items n the test. 3

4 1.2 Hw ften are the Natinal Assessments Cnducted? The 2014 Natinal Assessments (NA 2014) are the eighth in a series which began in The NAs are administered at primary schl level in Ireland at intervals f apprximately five years. Prir t 2009, natinal assessments were administered at a range f grade levels r in different years. Fr example, in 2004, an assessment f English reading was administered in First and Fifth classes, and an assessment f mathematics in Furth class. Since 2009, natinal assessments have been administered in bth reading literacy and mathematics t pupils in Secnd and Sixth classes. The NA 2014, therefre, represent an pprtunity t cmpare perfrmance with perfrmance in The 2014 Natinal Assessments The NA 2014 were administered in a sample f ver 8,000 pupils in Secnd and Sixth classes in 150 primary schls. Perfrmance in reading was examined with reference t tw main cmpnents, vcabulary knwledge and reading cmprehensin. Reading perfrmance was als assessed in relatin t reading prcesses such as pupils ability t retrieve infrmatin, make inferences, and interpret and integrate text. In additin, sixth class pupils were assessed n their ability t examine and evaluate text. Pupils perfrmance in mathematics was assessed in a number f cntent areas namely Number and Algebra, Shape and Space, Measures, and Data. Pupils were als assessed n mathematics prcesses, namely their ability t understand and recall, implement, reasn, integrate and cnnect, and apply and prblem slve. 1.4 Attainment Targets in the Natinal Strategy fr Literacy and Numeracy The Natinal Strategy t Imprve Literacy and Numeracy amng Children and Yung Peple set ut specific natinal targets linked t the natinal assessments f English reading and mathematics t be achieved by 2020 namely: Increase the percentages f primary children perfrming at prficiency Level 3 1 r higher (i.e. at the highest levels) in the Natinal Assessment f Mathematics and English Reading by at least 5 percentage pints at bth Secnd class and Sixth class by 2020 Reduce the percentage f children perfrming at r belw prficiency Level 1 (i.e. minimum level) in the Natinal Assessment f Mathematics and English Reading by at least 5 percentage pints at bth Secnd class and Sixth class by The 2014 Natinal Assessments prvide an pprtunity t gauge prgress n the achievement f thse targets. 1 In NA 2009, pupils were assigned t prficiency levels n the verall reading and mathematics scales in Secnd and Sixth classes, such that, fr each dmain at bth class levels, 10% f pupils were assigned t level 4 (the highest level), 25% t level 3, 30% t level 2, 25% t level 1, and 10% t belw level 1. 4

5 1.5 Findings f Natinal and Internatinal Assessments prir t 2014 Natinal Assessments prir t 2014 With the exceptin f reading between 1972 and 1980, n natinal assessments prir t 2014 have shwn an increase in the average perfrmance in either English reading r mathematics. Essentially, the findings f NAs in English reading have indicated that the literacy skills f students in Irish primary schls had nt imprved in ver thirty years, despite cnsiderable investments in the reductin f pupil-teacher ratis, the intrductin f learning supprt and resurce teachers, the prvisin f better teaching materials and cnsiderable curricular refrm. Repeated assessments f mathematics at primary level have revealed weak perfrmance in imprtant areas f the mathematics curriculum such as prblem slving and measures. Studies in DEIS Schls prir t 2014 Studies in schls in the Schl Supprt Prgramme (SSP) under DEIS cnducted in 2007, 2010 and 2013 pint t small but significant imprvements in perfrmance in reading literacy and mathematics in bth urban and rural schls. There have als been large reductins in the prprtins f students perfrming at r belw the 10th percentile. Hwever, it has been unclear up t nw whether thse imprvements have led t a reductin in the perfrmance gap between DEIS and nn-deis schls, r if they mirrr general increases in perfrmance acrss the educatinal system. The 2014 Natinal Assessments prvide an pprtunity t cmpare perfrmance between schls in the SSP under DEIS and schls utside the prgramme. Internatinal Assessments prir t 2014 In 2011, Ireland participated in PIRLS (Prgress in Internatinal Reading Literacy Study) and TIMSS (Trends in Internatinal Mathematics and Science Study) 2. The utcmes f PIRLS 2011 reading literacy indicate that reading literacy standards amng Furth class pupils in Ireland are relatively high. Just five cuntries (including Nrthern Ireland) achieved significantly higher mean scres than Ireland. Hwever, 15% f pupils in Ireland perfrmed at r belw the Lw PIRLS reading benchmark, suggesting that these pupils may struggle with reading. Perfrmance n TIMSS 2011 mathematics, als administered t pupils in Furth class, was nt as strng as in reading, with Ireland ranking 17th f 48 cuntries. Irish pupils displayed relative strengths n number and their knwledge f facts, cncepts and prcedures, and relative weaknesses in relatin t Gemetric Shapes and Measures, and Data Display and Reasning. TIMSS 2011 als indicated that there has been n significant change in verall mathematics achievement amng Irish Furth class pupils since Ireland last participated in These are large, internatinal cmparative studies f achievement that assess, respectively, the reading, mathematics and science skills f primary schl pupils. TIMSS als has a pst-primary cmpnent. Cmbined, the tw studies frm the wrld s largest educatinal assessment at primary schl level. 5

6 2. Key Findings f the 2014 Natinal Assessments The fllwing are the key findings reprted in the perfrmance reprt: 2.1 Perfrmance n Reading Overall perfrmance n reading in Secnd and Sixth classes was significantly higher in NA 2014 than in NA 2009 At Secnd class 22% f pupils perfrmed at r belw prficiency level 1, n verall reading, cmpared with 35% in NA % perfrmed at Levels 3 and 4, cmpared with 35% in NA 2009 At Sixth class 25% perfrmed at r belw level 1 cmpared with 35% in NA % perfrmed at levels 3 and 4, cmpared with 35% in NA Perfrmance n Mathematics Overall perfrmance n mathematics in Secnd and Sixth classes was significantly higher in NA 2014 than in NA 2009 At Secnd class: Significant increases in perfrmance were bserved n three f the fur cntent areas assessed (Number & Algebra, Shape & Space, and Measures) and n all five mathematics prcesses (Understand & Recall, Implement, Reasn, Integrate & cnnect, and Apply & prblem slve. The exceptin was the Data cntent area, where the increase was just 4 scre pints. 26% perfrmed at prficiency level 1 r belw n verall mathematics, cmpared with 35% in NA % perfrmed at levels 3 and 4, cmpared with 35% in NA 2009 At Sixth class: There were significant increases n all cntent areas, and n fur f the five prcesses. The exceptin was Apply and Prblem Slve, where the increase was just 4 pints 27% perfrmed at r belw level 1 (35% in NA 2009) 42% perfrmed at level 3 r 4 (35% in NA 2009) 2.3 Gender Differences in Perfrmance As in NA 2009, girls in Secnd class significantly utperfrmed bys n reading verall At Sixth class, girls in NA 2014 achieved a mean scre n verall reading that was higher than that f bys but the difference was nt statistically significant. Althugh bys in Secnd class had a higher mean scre n verall mathematics than girls in NA 2014, the difference was nt statistically significant. Bys significantly utperfrmed girls n Data, Measures and Apply & Prblem Slve, and did nt differ significantly frm girls n any f the ther cntent areas r maths prcesses. At Sixth class level, bys in NA 2014 als had a higher mean scre than girls, but the difference was nt statistically significant. Bys had a significantly higher mean scre than girls n Measures (by 7 6

7 pints) and n Apply & Prblem Slve (by 8 pints), but there were n differences n the ther cntent areas r mathematical prcesses. 2.4 Perfrmance f Pupils in Schls in Schl Supprt Prgramme under DEIS The reprt cmpares the perfrmance f pupils in DEIS Band 1, DEIS Band 2, rural-deis, urban nn- DEIS, and rural nn-deis schls. It warns that the findings related t the perfrmance f pupils in schls in the SSP under DEIS shuld be treated with cautin, as they are based n small sample sizes, hence, precise estimates f perfrmance and change cannt be cmputed. Nevertheless, it cncludes that substantial prgress was made in bth DEIS Band 1 and DEIS Band 2 schls between NA 2009 and NA DEIS Band 1 schls: Pupils in bth Secnd class and Sixth class achieved a mean scre in reading in NA 2014 that was higher than in NA 2009, but the difference was nt statistically significant. 44% percent f pupils in Secnd class and 47% in Sixth class in Band 1 schls perfrmed at r belw level 1 in reading in NA In Secnd class mathematics, pupils NA 2014 had a mean scre that was higher than in NA 2009 but the difference was nt statistically significant. The perfrmance f Sixth class pupils in verall mathematics increased frm NA 2009 t NA 2014 but the difference was nt significant. DEIS Band 2 schls: Pupils in Secnd class had a significantly higher mean scre n verall reading, cmpared with NA There was a significant increase in verall mathematics at Secnd class. Pupils in Sixth class had a significantly higher mean scre n verall reading, cmpared with NA At Sixth class, pupils had a nn-significant increase in verall mathematics frm NA 2009 t NA DEIS Rural Schls The verall reading utcmes fr pupils in DEIS rural schls are mixed 3, with n change at Secnd class and a large change at Sixth class. There was n imprvement in mathematics perfrmance f pupils in Secnd class in DEIS rural schls althugh the pupils were cming frm a much higher mean scre in NA Pupils in Sixth class in DEIS rural schls achieved a mean scre in NA 2014 mathematics that was significantly higher than in NA These utcmes may nt be generalizable t all DEIS rural schls, as the numbers f rural schls in the NA 2009 and NA 2014 samples were small, and the numbers f pupils within such schls were als small. 7

8 3. Cnclusins The fllwing cnclusins are drawn frm the utcmes: 3.1 Perfrmance NA 2014 represents the first natinal assessment since 1980 in which there have been statistically significant increases in verall perfrmance n English reading and mathematics. These imprvements are welcmed particularly in light f the fllwing: Reductins in the prprtins f lwer-achieving students in Ireland in bth reading literacy and mathematics in NA 2014 are encuraging, with just 5-6% f pupils perfrming belw prficiency level 1, cmpared with 10% in NA It is significant that these prprtins changed withut an increase in either the numbers f exemptins frm testing granted by schls, r in absenteeism n the days n which the tests were administered. There are als indicatins f imprved perfrmance amng higher-achieving pupils, thugh t a lesser extent fr mathematics than fr reading. The strnger perfrmance in Shape and Space is encuraging especially as this is an area where Irish students have struggled in PISA. Gender differences in relatin t English reading and mathematics in NA 2014 were relatively small althugh there was a significant difference in favur f girls n verall reading in Secnd class and bys had significantly higher mean scres n Apply and Prblem Slve at bth class levels. Substantial prgress was made in bth DEIS Band 1 and DEIS Band 2 schls between NA 2009 and NA All f the targets in the Natinal Literacy and Numeracy Strategy relating t achievement have been reached well in advanced f the scheduled target date f It is especially ntewrthy that these imprvements were bserved in the cntext f a natinal educatin system, rather than in a small-scale interventin study. While the results f NA 2014 are welcme, it is clear that there is much scpe fr imprvement, especially in the case f mathematics in all schls, and English reading and mathematics in urban DEIS schls. There is cnsiderable scpe fr pupils in Secnd and Sixth classes t imprve further n higher-level mathematical prcesses, including Apply and Prblem Slve. Based n NA 2014, pupils in primary schls in Ireland shuld imprve their perfrmance n bth TIMSS 2015 and PIRLS Hwever, it is likely that perfrmance n reading literacy will cntinue t be strnger than perfrmance in mathematics. 8

9 While there have been imprvements in reading in DEIS schls since NA 2009, there has been n real reductin in the gap between pupils in DEIS urban schls and in ther schl types, except at Secnd class in Band 2 schls. In particular, the large prprtin f very lw achievers in reading in DEIS urban schls is a cncern. The data fr mathematics in DEIS schls als indicate that there is still cnsiderable scpe fr imprvement. With the exceptin f DEIS Band 2 schls in Secnd class, perfrmance is still well belw natinal standards. As nted earlier, the results in relatin t DEIS schls shuld be treated with cautin given the small size f the sample f such schls that participated in NA