HC Deb 30 January 1987 vol 109 c425W
Mrs. McCurley

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what reports he has received on the continuing programme of research sponsored by his Department on the assessment of achievement in schools.

Mr. John MacKay

Two research reports have been presented to my right hon. and learned Friend and myself, one concerning performance in mathematics and the other performance in English language, both at primary 4, primary 7 and secondary 2. I have placed synopses of both reports in the Libraries of both Houses, along with a newsletter setting out the main purposes of the programme and its progress to date.

The aims of the programme are:

  1. i. to provide information on what pupils know and can do at selected stages in their education in certain curricular areas judged to be of fundamental importance;
  2. ii. to provide comparisons of standards of performance over time, by repeating tests at intervals where possible;
  3. iii. to investigate ways in which the findings can be used nationally, by education authorities, by curriculum developers and by teachers, to evaluate and develop educational policy and to improve learning and teaching.

The first two reports have successfully fulfilled these aims and will, I believe, promote better standards of teaching and learning in our schools.

The main findings on both mathematics and English were that in general pupils, at each stage of education tested, demonstrated appropriate competence in most of the tasks set for them. At each consecutive stage pupils were capable of undertaking the wider range of tasks and more complex problems expected of them.

Earlier studies were conducted in mathematics in 1978 and reading comprehension in 1971. Comparison with these studies has shown that generally the performance of pupils at all three stages has been maintained since 1978 for mathematics and since 1971 for reading comprehension.

The findings of the first stage of the mathematics project have been drawn to the attention of education authorities in the form of folders of notes for use in teacher training. Copies of the folders have also been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. Similar steps will be taken in the near future to disseminate the findings of the English language project.