§ Charlotte AtkinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what steps he has taken to encourage schools with able children to take up the opportunity to sit level 6 tests in English, Mathematics and Science at Key Stage 2 SATS; [88833]
(2) what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the numbers of children who attained level 6 at Key Stage 2 SATS in 1998 in English; what conclusions were reached; and what future work is planned on this subject area. [88834]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeIt is the role of the teacher to assess which children are working within Level 6 in a subject and therefore which pupils should be entered for both the Levels 3-5 tests and the Level 6 extension test. Level 6 is awarded in a subject only when a child has attained a Level 5 on the main Levels 3–5 National Curriculum tests in addition to achieving sufficient marks on the extension test.
The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) is currently reviewing National Curriculum extension tests and is taking full account of the recommendations in the recent Select Committee Report on Highly Able Children. The Government will ensure that any changes are consistent with its commitment to improve the education of gifted and talented children.
The QCA has commissioned research, on behalf of the Secretary of State, from the University of Leeds and the National Federation of Educational Research (NFER) to look at the design of the Level 6 test. Their job will be to incorporate comments received by the QCA about children's performance at Level 6 and how future tests can be designed to make them more accessible to pupils.
59 pupils achieved the Level 6 English extension test in 1998.