There is no formal examination at the end of primary education. Primary school teachers in Ireland currently carry out their own assessment of children's performance, either through standardised tests or their own tests based on areas of the curriculum. 10
A significant feature of the current primary school curriculum (The Primary School Curriculum (1999)) is the central position given to assessment in the teaching and learning process. Assessment strategies are directed towards the identification of children's needs with the aim of improving the effectiveness of the teaching and learning process. Each subject in the curriculum therefore contains a statement on appropriate assessment procedures and their use.7
Since 2007, as part of the range of assessment approaches used in primary schools, all students have been required to take standarised tests in reading (English) and mathematics at given points during primary education.73 Further details are provided in the sections below.
To complement the introduction of standardised testing in all primary schools, a separate programme of national monitoring is to be undertaken by the Education Research Centre (ERC). It is envisaged that this monitoring will be based on the model currently used to conduct national surveys of reading and mathematics in primary schools. The purpose of national monitoring will be to identify changes in trends over time for particular categories of school and to inform ongoing policy development. The assessments will be targeted at a nationally representative sample of schools. 73
National agencies
National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA)
The NCCA was established in November 1987. Its brief is to advise the Minister for Education and Science on matters related to curriculum and assessment for early childhood, primary and post-primary education. The tasks given to the NCCA under the terms of the Education Act 19982 include:
In this context, NCCA is involved in:
The Minister for Education and Science appoints the Members of the Council for a three-year term of office. Currently, there are 22 members in all, coming from the various bodies that represent teachers, school managers, parents, employers and trade unions. Other members include Department of Education and Science (DES) representatives and nominees of the Minister. In addition, the NCCA has a small, full-time executive, professional and administrative staff, and is assisted by a number of part-time Education Officers. The latter are mainly subject specialists, usually appointed on a secondment basis to the NCCA. The NCCA works in close cooperation with officials of the DES.5
The work of the NCCA is carried out by a number of specialist committees with the guidance of the Executive. The committees comprise teachers, inspectors, representatives of teacher unions and school managerial bodies, parent and subject associations and higher education interests including universities and other colleges. These committees draw up the syllabus or course for each subject, curriculum area or programme.5
The NCCA has set out a series of publications aimed at 're-envisioning ' assessment in primary schools. The publications seek to support the development of a school policy on assessment which provides for assessment for learning (information to guide a student's future learning) and assessment of learning (information on a student's achivement at that point in time). The documentation is available on the NCCA website.
General
Through assessment, the teacher constructs a comprehensive picture of the short-term and long-term learning needs of the child and plans future work accordingly.7
Assessment is also used to identify children with specific learning difficulties so that the nature of the support and assistance they need can be ascertained, and appropriate strategies and programmes put in place to enable them to cope with the particular difficulties they may be encountering.7
Assessment assists communication about children's progress and development between teacher and child, between teacher and parent, and between teacher and teacher. It helps the child to become more self-aware as a learner and to develop powers of self-assessment. It also helps to ensure quality in education.7
The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) has identified six key principles that should underpin assessment of children in primary level education:
In NCCA's view, assessment is an integral part of the teaching and learning process. Assessment of students is carried out so as to facilitate improved performance and to provide accurate information to appropriate interests. Assessment of students can contribute to the overall improvement of student achievement by providing information:
Drawing on the above principles, the current Primary School Curriculum (1999) proposes a broad range of assessment modes and techniques, including:
Assessment is seen as a continuous, dynamic, formal and informal process which is carried out by the child's own teacher for formative, summative and diagnostic purposes.38
Formative assessment is used to inform decisions on teaching and learning. Such assessment, which may be formal or informal, also provides valuable information to the child on his/her own progress and learning, as well as to the teacher and parents.38
Summative assessment usually takes place at the end of a course or a unit of work and provides information on what the child has learned and the effectiveness of the course or unit of work.38
Diagnostic assessment - which is closely linked to formative assessment - is used to identify learning difficulties, whether associated with specific learning disabilities or a particular range of skills or understanding. Assessment for formative or summative purposes may have diagnostic outcomes - problems may be evident through teacher observation or through a series of poor test scores.38
Standardised tests from 2007
The standardised testing introduced in 2007 is recognised as one of a range of modes of assessment that can help teachers make informed decisions in relation to teaching and learning. The standardised tests aim to be informative for teachers, parents and students. Results will be maintained by the school and made available for inspection by Department of Education and Science (DES) officials. Tests will also be reported to parents in respect of their own children in accordance with a reporting template currently being piloted.73 Details of the template are available on the NCCA website.
Although the results of standardised testing have to be made available to inspectors conducting evaluations, inspectors must not make reference to test data in their reports that might facilitate school comparisons or the compilation of school performance ('league') tables.73
All children are assessed by their teachers during primary education.38
Standardised tests from 2007
The standardised tests in reading (English) and mathematics, which were taken for the first time in 2007, are taken by all children aged 7 and 10. It is for schools to decide whether the tests for 7-year-olds are taken at the end of Year 1 (first class, age 6 - 7) or at the beginning of Year 2 (second class, age 7 - 8) and, for 10-year-olds, at the end of Year 4 (fourth class, age 9 - 10) or the beginning of Year 5 (fifth class, age 10 - 11). All children in the cohort take the tests. Children are only excluded from the tests if, in the view of the school principal, they have a learning or physical disability which prevents them from attempting the test, or in the case of newcomers whose level of English is such that attempting the test would be inappropriate. 73
The Primary School Curriculum (1999) (see Curricula age 3-19, section 5.2) contains a varied range of assessment tools. These range from informal tools such as teacher observation, classwork, homework, and discussion with children, to more formal tools such as diagnostic tests and standardised tests. Assessment tools such as projects, portfolios and curriculum profiles that can be used to link formal and informal approaches are also recommended. It is intended that, in planning teaching, learning and assessment procedures, schools and teachers will select those that best meet their needs at a particular time.7
Standardised tests from 2007
The tests being used with all 7- and 10-year-olds from 2007 onwards are selected by schools from a range of standardised tests. These tests are normed for the Irish population and are consistent with the primary curriculum. Examples of the tests available for use in primary schools include the Drumcondra Primary Reading Tests and the Drumcondra Primary Mathematics Tests. Further information on these tests is available via the Education Research Council website).
Assessment in primary education is seen as a continuous, dynamic, formal and informal process which is carried out by the child's own teacher, using such methods as:
Each teacher is responsible for assessing the children in his or her own class in primary schools. All teachers follow some method of continually assessing their students. End-of-year tests are given in most classes.10
NO INFORMATION AVAILABLE.
There is no formal examination at the end of primary education. Continuous assessment is the responsibility of teachers who use their own or standardised tests. Formal tests are generally taken at the end of each year at primary level. Progression is automatic and only in exceptional cases do children repeat a year.9
General
Reports (normally in writing) are provided for parents. A formal report card is completed by each teacher for each child at the end of primary education - normally age 12 years.10
Under the Education Act 19982, students aged 18 or over have a right of access to their own school records. The rights of students younger than 18 are exercised by their parents.21
The Government has proposed the introduction of a 'student profile card' for recording and reporting comprehensive information about a child's progress in relation to the entire curriculum.38
Although the results of the standardised tests in reading and mathematics first implemented in 2007 must be made available to inspectors conducting evaluations, inspectors must not make reference to test data in their reports where these might facilitate school comparisons or the compilation of school performance ('league') tables.73
Although repeating a year in primary education in Ireland is unusual, in 1996, just over 10,000 children repeated classes in primary schools. The largest numbers who repeated a class were either in Standard VI (the final year, aged 11-12) or in infants classes (aged 4-6). The majority of those who repeat do so because of learning difficulties of one form or another.10
Progression to compulsory secondary education is usually automatic.
Number of children in ordinary classes in the school year 1997/98 who were retained in the same grade/year as the previous year
| Children retained in: | Number of children retained in the same year/class who were in the same school in the previous year | Number of children retained in the same year/class who were in another school in the previous year | Total | (Total number in year group) |
| Junior infants (age 4-5) * | 898 | 30 | 928 | 52,944 |
| Junior infants (4-5) ** | 1,989 | 68 | 2,057 | 52,944 |
| Senior infants (5-6) | 1,303 | 78 | 1,381 | 54,552 |
| First class (6-7) | 832 | 65 | 897 | 54,558 |
| Second class (7-8) | 684 | 66 | 750 | 53,982 |
| Third class (8-9) | 616 | 58 | 674 | 53,973 |
| Fourth class (9-10) | 626 | 54 | 680 | 57,258 |
| Fifth class (10-11) | 697 | 58 | 755 | 59,140 |
| Sixth class (11-12) | 856 | 174 | 1,030 | 58,965 |
| Total | 9,152 | 446,359 |
* Children had spent less then two terms in junior infants in the previous year
** Children had spent at least two terms in junior infants in the previous year
Source: GOVERNMENT OF IRELAND. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE (DES) (1999h). Statistical Report 1997/8. Dublin: The Stationery Office.