§ Mr. RichardsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what arrangements he intends to make for the national curriculum tests in Wales in 1993; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir Wyn RobertsThe arrangements for the assessment of seven and 14-year-olds in schools in Wales will parallel those for schools in England as announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education. Additionally for schools teaching the subject of Welsh pupils will be assessed in their language skills in this subject where it is taught either as a first or as a second language.
The assessment of seven-year-olds will, in 1993, be extended to include the subjects of history and geography. Additionally provison is being made to extend the period in which teachers will be required to administer the tests until four weeks before the end of the summer term.
Next year's assessment of 14-year-olds will be the first under the statutory arrangements. They will cover the core subjects of English, Welsh, mathematics and science together with technology and Welsh second language. The key features will include:
assessment by means of a combination of teachers' own assessment and short, unseen written examinations. Pupils' oral skills in Welsh and their designing and making skills in technology will be tested by longer standardised tasks.all results, which will be reported to parents, will be subject to a rigorous audit by independent examining bodies.test results will be preferred to teacher assessments in determining overall subject scores but both are available in relation to the same attainment target with teacher assessments used in relation to those attainment targets which are not tested.the tests will be conducted over a two-week period beginning 7 and 14 June so as to provide organisational flexibility for schools and to minimise the clash with the GCSE timetable in Wales.