§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information is currently collected by the Assessment of Performance Unit; and to what use it is put.
§ Dr. BoysonThe unit is currently conducting annual surveys of the performance of pupils aged 11 and 15 in mathematics and lanuage and of pupils aged 11, 13 and 15 in science. Pupils tested in each survey are drawn from a representative national sample of schools in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and cover the whole ability range. Each test covers a wide range of concepts and skills; practical testing takes place in mathematics and science; and children's attitudes to the subject being monitored are investigated.
For each survey information is collected about a number of background variables against which the performance data can be analysed: school size and type, location—metropolitan or non-metropolitan county; region; pupil-teacher ratio; percentage of pupils taking free school meals; and sex of pupil. The unit has now started to collect more detailed information about the locality of schools, and for the science surveys information has been collected about school resources. The language surveys identify whether or not English is the first language of those tested.
The reports on each survey—of which three have so far been published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office—provide a detailed picture of the processes by which children learn, their attitudes to the subjects and the performance levels achieved. Copies of reports are distributed free to all local education authorities, to an extensive list of educational and professional organisations and to every member of Her Majesty's Inspectorate with
236Wresponsibilities for primary or secondary school education. This material should be of immediate interest to teachers and those engaged in teacher training. As information is accumulated over a number of surveys, it will be possible to analyse the data in greater depth and so identify trends and questions which merit further investigation.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what future activities are planned to be undertaken by the Assessment of Performance Unit.
§ Dr. BoysonAnnual surveys of performance of pupils aged 11 and 15 in mathematics and language will continue until 1982 and 1983 respectively. It has been agreed in principle that thereafter monitoring in these areas will continue at less frequent intervals, perhaps in every third year.
Annual monitoring in science at the ages of 11, 13 and 15 will continue until 1982. No decision has been taken about the continuation of this programme thereafter, pending the receipt of reports on the first surveys at each age conducted in 1980.
Monitoring in foreign languages will begin in 1983, at age 13 only.
The unit has commissioned a survey, to be carried out during the next 12 months, of how far the average school curriculum provides for the development of pupils' abilities in the field of design and technology.