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Australia : Assessment arrangements

Last updated: 12-Aug-2010
6.2 Second phase: Primary, age 5/6 - 12/13
6.2.1 Control
6.2.2 Purpose(s)

6.2.3 Participation
6.2.4 Nature
6.2.5 Administration
6.2.6 Grading process
6.2.7 Consequences
6.2.8 Use of results
6.2.9 Output statistics

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6.2 Second phase: Primary, age 5/6 - 12/13 [see 3.2.2]

6.2.1 Control

National

Since the late 1980s, there has been an increasing focus on student assessment and the development of education indicators, with State and Territory governments tending to shift their attention away from monitoring resource inputs to monitoring student outputs. For example, States now use standardised pencil and paper tests to assess the achievement of students in the areas of basic literacy and numeracy. ⁵⁴

Assessment arrangements are the responsibility of individual States and Territories. However, research has shown that all are using the National Framework of Statements and Profiles (see sections 5.2.1 and 5.2.2) as a basis for curriculum development and consequently as a basis for assessment. ²,

To date, most States and Territories do not have a specific system of school entry (baseline) assessment. The State of Tasmania, however, tests children in their first term in Kindergarten (children aged 4/5+, see 3.2.1). Further details are provided in section 6.1.2, ⁴⁵ and, in Victoria, school entry assessment is now compulsory. See below.

National Literacy and Numeracy Plan - literacy and numeracy benchmarks

See 1.2.2 also.

Agreement was reached in March 1997 on a national testing programme for Australian primary children in Years 3 (aged 8-9), and 5 (aged 10-11) and in Year 7 (aged 12-13, the primary/secondary transition year), as part of the National Literacy and Numeracy Plan. At a meeting of State, Territory and Commonwealth Education Ministers it was agreed that an annual, national literacy and numeracy testing programme would aim to assess the reading, writing, spelling and arithmetical abilities of children. All States and Territories have agreed to assess students against these benchmarks. Roman Catholic and independent schools are also taking part. ^{38, 33}

National benchmarks for literacy (reading, writing and spelling) in Years 3 and 5 were approved in April 1998 and published in October 1998. (These are provided in full in Appendix 1.)  In April 2000, national benchmarks for literacy and numeracy for Years 3, 5 and 7 were approved by the Education Ministers of the States and Territories.  Assessment against these national benchmarks has been progressively introduced since 1999. Further information is available at http://online.curriculum.edu.au/litbench/default.htm.

Discovering Democracy

In line with a Commonwealth Government initiative introduced in 1999, 'Discovering Democracy', all students in all schools in Australia (from the mid-primary to upper secondary phases) have to study civics and citizenship. Students learn about democracy and citizenship and are examined each year to test their knowledge of the history and workings of government and the nation's democratic foundations. ³⁷

Queensland
Prior to July 2002, the Queensland School Curriculum Council (QSCC) had some responsibility for assessment at this level. It:

• acted as an intersystemic advisory committee to the Minister for Education,
• with the Board of Senior Secondary School Studies, developed and endorsed the strategic plan for Preparatory to Year 12 (students aged 4/5 to 17/18) curriculum development,
• provided advice on curriculum projects,
• was responsible for the development of curriculum and supportive materials in the State (including the Curriculum Development Handbook and the Curriculum Framework), and
• was responsible for coordinating the development of assessment and reporting mechanisms and for monitoring system-wide student outcomes. ⁵³

On 1 July 2002, the Queensland School Curriculum Council (QSCC) merged with the Queensland Board of Senior Secondary School Studies (QBSSSS) and the Tertiary Entrance Procedures Authority to form the Queensland Studies Authority (QSA).  The aim is, through the creation of this single statutory body, to streamline statutory arrangements for the State's curriculum, assessment and tertiary entrance, and to offer a coordinated approached from pre-school to Year 12 and beyond. The new Authority is modelled on the best practice of the three previous bodies.  ¹⁵²  Its website is accessible at http://www.qsa.qld.edu.au

Tasmania
The Secretary (the most senior official in the State Department of Education) is responsible for carrying out any review that is appropriate:

• to assess the quality of educational instruction in government (state) schools; and
• to evaluate the educational plans and programmes provided in government schools. ⁶

Victoria
In Victoria, students are assessed against the requirements of the Curriculum and Standards Framework (CSF).  Prior to the review of the CSF (which took place during the period 1998 to 2000) the formal State-wide assessment component of the CSF was known as Learning Assessment Project - LAP - assessment. Following the CSF review it has become known as AIM assessment. See below.

LAP/AIM assessment

In line with the National Literacy and Numeracy Plan (see 1.2.2 and above) and the Curriculum and Standards Framework (CSF), there is State-wide assessment under what was previously known as the Learning Assessment Project (LAP) and, since 2001 has been known as the Achievement Improvement Monitor (AIM), for all students in Years 3 (aged 8-9) and 5 (aged 10-11) in English (literacy) and mathematics. (Previously, under LAP, students were also tested in either science or SOSE, in addition - in alternate years; science was tested in 1998 and 2000, for example, and SOSE in 1999 and 2001.) ⁷⁰  LAP was first introduced in primary education in Victoria in 1995. ⁷²    Further information on AIM is available below and via the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) website at http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au

School entry assessment

In addition, since the 1998 school year, all 5-year-old children starting compulsory education in Victoria have had to take compulsory literacy tests (reading and writing) in their first month at school. ³⁵

Responsible agencies

During the period 1994 to March 2001, the Board of Studies was responsible for curriculum, assessment and accreditation from Preparatory (the first full year of education prior to Year 1 of primary school, children aged 5-6) to Year 12 (age 17-18). Since March 2001, the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) has replaced the Board of Studies and, as such, has taken over its responsibilities in this area which include the maintenance of the Curriculum and Standards Framework (CSF) and the conduct of statewide testing - now known as the Achievement Improvement Monitor (AIM). Further information is available below and via the VCAA website at http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/

6.2.2 Purpose(s)

National
School level assessment is treated mainly as a basis for reporting to parents. It may figure in decisions about promotion to the next grade, but promotion depends predominantly on social considerations. ³³

Nearly all States and Territories implement system-wide assessment to capture a snapshot of overall achievement in Key Learning Areas. Assessment of student learning usually consists of a combination of formative and summative procedures. ⁵⁴

Where States/Territories use relatively generic basic skills tests on certain students, these are not intended to test the extent to which specific competencies contained in profile statements are met. Where States/Territories use these tests, the results are usually sent to parents, as well as to the school and the individual Departments of Education, and consist of a summary in terms of broad performance bands, which indicate where the student is located within the State-wide group, hence serving comparative purposes. Some test results also provide an item-by-item analysis of correct and incorrect responses by individual students and the State results on each item. ⁵⁴

Assessment under the National Literacy and Numeracy Plan - literacy and numeracy benchmarks

The national literacy and numeracy benchmarks introduced under the National Literacy and Numeracy Plan (see 1.2.2 and 6.2.1) aim ultimately to provide data, through the comprehensive assessment of all students in Years 3, 5 and 7, on the achievement of students in relation to the national benchmarks. Students will often be assessed as soon as possible following entry to Years 3, 5 and 7 to identify those at risk of not making adequate progress towards the nationally agreed literacy and numeracy goals and benchmarks for the end of these years. ⁸

Queensland
Since 1996, a State-wide diagnostic 'net' involving Year 2 children (aged 7-8) in government schools (and non-government schools that wish to take part) has acted as a screening device to:

• identify children experiencing difficulties in literacy and/or numeracy learning;
• diagnose the cause(s) of children's learning difficulties;
• provide children with appropriate experiences to address their difficulties; and
• keep parents well informed about their child's literacy and numeracy learning. ⁵³

Further information on the diagnostic 'net' is available from the Queensland Studies Authority website at the URL which follows:

http://www.qsa.qld.edu.au/yrs1to10/y2net/index.html 

In addition, all schools in the state sector participate in a mandatory testing programme for students in Year 3 (age 8-9), Year 5 (age 10-11) and Year 7 (age 12-13). Almost all schools in the non-state sector participate in the programme too. The specific purposes of the Queensland Testing Programme are to:

• collect data from the population of Years 3, 5 and 7 students for reporting to parents/carers and schools and for systemic reporting; and
• accommodate the assessment of students against national benchmark standards for literacy and numeracy (see above for further information.)

Further information on the Years 3, 5 and 7 Testing Programme is available from the Queensland Studies Authority website:

http://www.qsa.qld.edu.au/testing/357tests/index.html 

Tasmania
There is literacy (10R) and numeracy (10N) assessment for all 10-year-olds. ¹³ System-wide literacy and numeracy assessment of students in Years 3 and 7 (ages 8/9 and 12/13 respectively) was also introduced in spring 1998. ²⁴ (All Year 3, 5 and 7 students will also eventually be tested in literacy and numeracy in accordance with the National Literacy and Numeracy Plan, see above.)

Victoria
LAP assessment to 2001

The Learning Assessment Project (LAP) provided benchmarked assessment of the achievement of Year 3 (aged 8-9) and Year 5 (aged 10-11) students in mathematics and English and one other Key Learning Area each year. Assessment tasks were designed to assist schools in monitoring student learning outcomes in specific strands and modes of the Curriculum and Standards Framework (CSF). Year 3 tasks assessed learning outcomes from Levels 1-4 of the CSF, while Year 5 tasks assessed learning outcomes from Levels 2-5. Each student's achievement was reported against the levels of the CSF in the strands or modes assessed (that is to say, assessment was criterion referenced). ⁷³ Benchmarks grouped 'like' schools (that is to say, those with similar levels of students receiving economic maintenance allowance and students with a non-English-speaking background) to measure added-value. ⁸⁴ (Two forms of LAP assessment were used in mathematics: a written, multiple-choice test which was 'machine-scored'; and 'performance assessment', which was assessed by the teacher.) ⁷⁰

Students were assessed in Year 3 to identify individual student achievement at the end of the early years of schooling. They were assessed again in Year 5 to monitor their achievements before transition to secondary school. At both points, the assessment aimed to assist teachers in identifying students who would benefit from enrichment activities, or who may require further development in specific aspects of the curriculum. ⁷²

AIM assessment 2001 onwards

LAP assessment has been replaced by the Achievement Indicator Monitor (AIM).  The Achievement Indicator Monitor (AIM) programme includes five key components:

• classroom assessment
• homework guidelines
• comprehensive reporting
• learning improvement, and
• statewide testing

each of which aims to complement the other as part of a comprehensive programme to boost student learning, improve teaching skills and better inform parents. AIM also aims to identify students having difficulty at school, provide expertise to assist such students in their education, allow teachers to develop and improve learning programmes for children, and enable resources to be targeted where they are most needed.  The standardised literacy and numeracy tests assess how students perform in mathematics and English in relation to other children in the same age group or year level. They also measure student achievement against the standard expected for that age group in Victoria and nationally. ¹⁶¹  Further information on AIM is available via the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) website at http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au

Baseline assessment

In addition, since the 1998 school year, all 5-year-olds commencing compulsory education in schools in Victoria have had to take compulsory literacy tests (reading and writing). The aim is to assist teachers to identify children in need of special assistance. ⁵³

6.2.3 Participation

National
Teachers usually maintain ongoing records of children's progress for all students. ⁵⁴

Assessment under the National Literacy and Numeracy Plan - literacy and numeracy benchmarks

Since 1999, the assessment of all children across Australia in Years 3, 5 and 7 (aged 8-9, 10-11, and 12-13 respectively) against nationally agreed literacy and numeracy benchmarks has been gradually introduced. See 1.2.2, 6.2.1 and Appendix 1. for further information.

Queensland
The Year 2 diagnostic 'net' (students aged 7-8) involves all students in government schools and those in non-government schools that wish to take part. Further information on the diagnostic 'net' is available on the Queensland Studies Authority website at: http://www.qsa.qld.edu.au/yrs1to10/y2net/index.html 

In addition, all students in Year 3 (aged 8-9), Year 5 (10-11) and Year 7 (12-13) in government schools participate in the Queensland Testing Programme. Almost all non-government schools  also take part (See section 6.2.2 in addition).

Tasmania
Literacy and numeracy assessment is currently compulsory for all 8-, 10- and 12-year-olds. ¹³, ²⁴ (Some of these assessments are undertaken as part of the National Literacy and Numeracy Plan, see above.) ⁸

Victoria
LAP testing/AIM testing

Learning Assessment Project - LAP - testing was boycotted in its early years by many schools. Parents had the right to refuse permission for testing. ⁷⁰ However, most students in Years 3 and 5 (aged 8-9 and 10-11) in schools in Victoria took the LAP tests each year. It was recommended that they should do so, unless an exemption had been granted. (Principals could grant exemptions to children with disabilities and impairments, or to children who had been learning English in Australia for less than two years.) ⁷²

Achievement Improvement Monitor - AIM - testing (the replacement to LAP testing, see above) includes compulsory full cohort testing in Years 3 and 5 and, since 2003, in Year 7 in addition (see section 6.3.3). Further information on AIM is accessible via the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) website at http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au

Baseline assessment

In addition, since the 1998 school year, all 5-year-olds commencing school in Victoria have had to take compulsory literacy tests. ³⁵

6.2.4 Nature

Assessment under the National Literacy and Numeracy Plan - literacy and numeracy benchmarks

As benchmarks have now been developed - as part of the National Literacy and Numeracy Plan (see 6.2.1) - the performance of all students in literacy and numeracy in Years 3, 5 and 7 is being determined against the national benchmarks. Assessment is via rigorous State-based assessment programmes. ¹⁷

Queensland
Year 2 diagnostic assessment usually takes place early in the school year, in view of its purpose of informing progress and granting access to needs based resources, see 6.2.2. (The academic year begins in January/February.) ⁵¹        

Under the Queensland Testing Programme, the literacy and numeracy tests for students in years 3, 5 and 7 take place in August. The literacy tests cover three strands:

• reading and viewing
• spelling and
• writing. ¹⁷⁵

The three strands covered by the numeracy tests are:

• number
• measurement and
• data and space. ¹⁷⁵

Both the literacy and numeracy tests comprise a test booklet and a stimulus magazine, and involve a combination of multiple choice and open-ended tasks.¹⁷⁵

Tasmania
The literacy and numeracy tests for Year 3 and Year 7 students (aged 8 and 12 respectively) take place in term two (June-September) of the academic year. ²⁶

Victoria
LAP assessment (to 2001)

The Learning Assessment Programme (LAP) involved a series of assessments taken over a period of two weeks. Two tasks were assessed by the (class) teacher and four were centrally-assessed by the Board of Studies ⁷²  (now replaced by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, VCAA).

From 1999, the centrally-assessed tasks under LAP for primary school students in Victoria in Years 3 and 5 (ages 8-9 and 10-11 respectively) took place in term three, as follows:

Time allocated for centrally-assessed tasks in 1998

In the centrally-assessed tasks, students in both year groups were usually requested to respond to questions in a mark-sensitive booklet. They might have responded in different ways, for example by shading a bubble or shape or writing a number. Student answers were scanned electronically. Where there was any doubt associated with a student response (for example, where all bubbles for one item were shaded, or where the written number was not clear), question papers were checked manually by trained adjudicators. ⁵⁴⁸

In the English writing test, students completed a piece of writing on a set topic. Teachers normally engaged students in some preliminary discussion about the topic and students then wrote their work in the task booklet. Trained markers assessed the centrally-assessed writing task. ⁵⁴⁹

The teacher-assessed and centrally-assessed tasks were all conducted by the class teacher and took place in the usual classroom. Students worked independently. ⁵⁵⁰

AIM assessment - 2001 onwards

LAP assessment has been replaced by the Achievement Indicator Monitor (AIM). Classroom assessment is a central component of the AIM. In addition, the statewide testing component of the AIM includes standardised tests in literacy and numeracy in Years 3, 5 and 7 of compulsory education in accordance with the National Literacy and Numeracy Plan.  The standardised literacy and numeracy tests assess how students perform in mathematics and English in relation to other children in the same age group or year level. They also measure student achievement against the standard expected for that age group in Victoria and nationally. ¹⁶¹ 

In Years 3 and 5, AIM assessment usually takes place in late July/early August and consists of teacher assessed tasks in English (writing) and mathematics and centrally assessed tasks in English and mathematics. (http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/prep10/aim/index.html) Sample AIM tasks are accessible at http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/prep10/aim/testing/index.html 

Baseline assessment

Since the 1998 school year, 5-year-olds commencing compulsory education in Victoria have taken literacy tests (reading and writing).  These are held during the child's first month at school. ⁵⁵¹

6.2.5 Administration

National
Statements and Profiles

In 1991, the Australian Education Council (AEC) (now MCETYA), comprising Commonwealth and State Ministers for Education, decided that national Statements and Profiles would be developed for the eight Key Learning Areas: the arts, English, health and physical education, languages other than English (LOTE), mathematics, science, studies of society and environment (SOSE), and technology. Statements do not prescribe a set national curriculum, nor are they intended to analyse in detail important issues of pedagogy, assessment, resources, and classroom organisation central to any curriculum, which are the responsibilities of States and Territories, professional associations, schools and individual teachers. However, Statements provide a nationally developed framework for curriculum development which can be used in conjunction with school and system policies and serve as a reference point for the design of resource materials for schools, including materials for professional development. ¹⁵

Profiles describe students' learning outcomes at a number of levels. They are descriptive and summative reports to be made against common and agreed outcomes and have been developed to assist:

• teachers to record reliably the progress of individual and groups of students in the eight Key Learning Areas and to report to parents;
• schools to report to their communities;
• systems to report on student performance within a common framework; and
• in providing reliable information about students' achievements in essential and distinctive aspects of all areas of study at the national level. ¹⁵

Each Profile provides a statement of outcomes across eight levels of achievement which are not age-related or year level related. Each Profile is used to inform monitoring and reporting on student achievement, assessment, and teaching and learning. It describes the progression of learning outcomes typically achieved by students during the compulsory years of schooling in each area of study. Profiles are divided into strands, usually the same as those in the Statements. ¹⁵

National Literacy and Numeracy Plan - literacy and numeracy benchmarks

The development of the literacy and numeracy benchmarks for Years 3, 5 and 7 (see section 6.2.1) was undertaken by the Curriculum Corporation and overseen by a MCEETYA (now the MCETYA) Benchmarking Taskforce. This taskforce included nominees of all the bodies involved in assessment linked to the benchmarks, namely the State, Territory and Commonwealth Governments, the Curriculum Corporation, the National Catholic Education Commission and the National Council of Independent Schools' Associations. 17

Determination of the level of the benchmark standards was based on extensive consultation with stakeholders, academic experts and literacy and numeracy education experts from government and non-government education authorities. It took account of a wide range of input, including:

• information on levels of achievement, as demonstrated in national surveys such as the National School English Literacy Survey and the Third International Maths and Science Study, and in State and Territory assessment programmes;
• curriculum frameworks in the States and Territories, including Statements, Profiles and variants;
  professional judgement about appropriate and necessary standards; and
• similar work from overseas programmes. ¹⁷

Comparability of results obtained through different State-based assessment programmes was achieved using an equating process developed by an expert committee of the Benchmarking Taskforce. This committee comprised independent measurement experts as well as representatives of State and Territory Education Departments and assessment agencies. ¹⁷

Queensland
The Queensland Studies Authority is responsible for the development of all materials and processes used up to and including validation for the Year 2 Diagnostic Net (the assessment programme for Year 2 students). Processes such as moderation, reporting and intervention are managed by the various school authorities. For further information, see the Queensland Studies Authority website: web page.

In 2002, although the Queensland Studies Authority outsourced some aspects of the Years 3, 5 and 7 statewide testing programme, it retained overall responsibility for all aspects of quality assurance for the testing programme. The contracted provider for the tests was responsible for test development, provision and distribution of test materials, marking student responses and reporting results. ¹⁷⁵

Tasmania
The Department of Education publishes a comprehensive catalogue of diagnostic tests and assessment instruments to assist teachers in assessing literacy skills and to diagnose difficulties experienced by individuals. ⁶⁵

Victoria
General

Schools use a range of strategies for ensuring that assessment decisions are consistent between teachers. These can include:

• using standard assessment tasks in and across year levels to provide a common basis for assessment and reporting decisions;
• meetings to discuss student work and shared approaches to assessment;
• team teaching and sharing classrooms where teachers can observe student work, and build a common understanding of how students are coping with course expectations;
• teacher self-critique of their own practice;
• keeping files of representative student work illustrating a variety of ways in which students have fulfilled course expectations and achieved learning outcomes;
• a central file of summary records of student progress accessible to all staff. ⁷³

Literacy Profiles in reading and writing were developed in 1989:

• as indicators of student achievement;
• to provide teachers with a basis for assessment through classroom tasks and observations; and
• to facilitate reporting to parents. ¹³

These Literacy Profiles were superseded by the Curriculum and Standards Framework (CSF), but provided the historical precursor to it. ⁸³

Victorian teachers receive support to judge student achievements in Curriculum and Standards Framework (CSF) levels. Teachers also consider:

• whether or not students have had the opportunity to achieve the outcomes described in the strands of a level;
• whether or not the classroom programme provides opportunities for students to demonstrate their achievement of the outcomes in a strand or level;
• which learning outcomes have been achieved in a strand. ⁸³

KIDMAP is a software programme provided by the Department of Education and Training to government primary and secondary schools to help them plan the curriculum and store assessment activities, criteria and assessment records of student performance in relation to CSF outcomes. The contexts and assessment activities within which individual students have demonstrated achievement as described in CSF outcomes can be recorded and included in reports. KIDMAP aims to help schools to make judgements about student achievement in CSF outcomes. It contains advice on reporting, a range of exemplary report formats and the ability to generate own format reports. An individual learning improvement plan can also be generated from KIDMAP for students. Profiles on individual and groups of students can be generated for teachers, parents, faculties or School Councils in the form of graphs or lists. By careful selection of Profiles, the software aims to enable teachers to analyse closely the progress or difficulties of any student or groups of students and the performance of any part of the curriculum. ⁷³ The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) also produces advice on Preparatory to Year 12 assessment (for students aged 4/5 to 17-18), which aims to provide 'on balance' judgements intended to give parents, teachers and students an indication of whether the student is progressing satisfactorily. ⁷⁰

LAP assessment (to 2001)

Of the Learning Assessment Project (LAP) assessment tasks (for students in Years 3 and 5, ages 8-9 and 10-11 respectively), two were conducted and marked in schools by class teachers, and the remaining four (also conducted by the class teacher) were set and marked by the Board of Studies (replaced by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) in March 2001). The Board of Studies contracted the services of the University of South Wales Educational Testing Centre (ETC) to prepare the centrally-set tasks and to process and report the results of LAP assessment. ⁷²

For the teacher-assessed tasks, marking criteria were provided by the Board of Studies which enabled teachers to assess all students' work in a standard way. Models of criterion-based assessment tasks were available in exemplary assessment materials produced by the Board of Studies, each of which indicated appropriate levels of difficulty in relation to the CSF. ⁷²

In the centrally-assessed tasks students in both year groups, were usually requested to respond to questions in a mark-sensitive booklet. They might have responded in different ways, for example by shading a bubble or shape or writing a number. Student answers were scanned electronically. Where there was any doubt associated with a student response (for example, where all bubbles for one item were shaded, or where the written number was not clear), question papers were checked manually by trained adjudicators. ⁷²

In the English writing test, students completed a piece of writing on a set topic. Teachers normally engaged students in some preliminary discussion about the topic and students then wrote their work in the task booklet. Trained markers assessed this centrally-assessed writing task. ⁷²

The teacher-assessed and centrally-assessed tasks were all conducted by the class teacher and took place in the usual classroom. ⁷²

In order to ensure that the LAP assessment tasks provided a valid indication of how students were performing in comparison with the CSF levels and State-wide standards, it was important that the assessment tasks in all schools in Victoria were conducted under 'standard conditions'. Standard conditions included adherence to time limits, level of teacher assistance, and presentation of material to allow all students across the State equal opportunity in completing the tasks. Guidelines for teachers on all of the above were provided by the Board of Studies. ⁷²

Further information on the administration of AIM testing (the 2001 replacement to LAP testing, see above) is accessible via the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) website at http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au

6.2.6 Grading process

National - general
Percentage grading, letter grading, checklists of criteria and descriptive statements are all used in assessment by Australian schools, and there is no comprehensive data on what is most prevalent. It is likely, however, that five-point letter gradings, checklists of criteria and descriptive statements are preferred to percentage gradings in most systems. The changeover to reporting on outcomes (linked to Statements and Profiles) favours descriptive reporting based on stated criteria, combined with periodic standardised testing to maintain comparability of global judgements of progress. ³³

National (Statements and Profiles)
When teachers record the academic performance of students for reporting purposes, they tend to score each curriculum area in relation to one of three or four 'bands', rather than in terms of a percentage or numerical mark. Teachers also use bands to score students in terms of application or effort in each area. ⁵⁴ (See 5.2.4 also).

Queensland
For the Year 2 Diagnostic Net, teachers monitor all children's progess using developmental continua for aspects of literacy and numeracy. They provide a framework of milestones, or key indicators, of children's development. The continua provide the basis for developing Individual Student Profiles, which provide teachers with:

• a source of early literacy and numeracy development
• an observational framework for monitoring children's progress
• a basis for ensuring continuity from one year level to the next and from one school to another
• a basis for reporting to students about children's literacy and numeracy learning and development
• a common framework for discussing children's reading, writing and number learning development.        

Further information is available from the Queensland Studies Authority website: Web page.

For the Year 3, 5 and 7 Testing Programme, schools receive the following reports:

• two copies of an individual student's report; one for distribution to parents/carers, one to be retained by the school in the student's file;
• class reports and
• school reports.

The student report provides information about the student's performance in the three strands within each test, literacy or numeracy, and the student's performance in relation to the cohort. It also gives a description of the test items and indicates which ones the student answered correctly. The class report provides an item-by-item summary of each student's responses, together with information about the performance of the cohort. The school reports give a summary of the results and show trends in student performance. The Queensland Studies Authority website provides further information: Web page.

Victoria
General

Using learning outcomes as a base, Victorian teachers can establish some broad 'criteria' on which to assess student work. Teachers use commonly understood descriptions of abilities to amplify these criteria. These descriptions help teachers' record keeping (for example using checklists) and judgements about aspects of students' progress in relation to the learning outcomes. ⁷³

In Victoria, a student's degree of progress in each strand of the Curriculum and Standards Framework (CSF) can be indicated on a four-point rating scale (1-4) comparing a student's skills and knowledge to those described in the curriculum focus statement and learning outcomes at a level of the CSF, as follows:

• (Rating) 1: The student has established the skill and knowledge level and consistently and independently exhibits all or most of the behaviours in the level in a range of contexts.
• (Rating) 2: The student is consolidating the skill and knowledge, often exhibiting some, but not all of the behaviours for the level (for example, where students display such learning with assistance, or only in similar tasks).
• (Rating) 3: The student is beginning to show signs of the skills, knowledge or behaviour pattern of the level in that only a little of the pattern is shown (for example, where students occasionally and with assistance demonstrate the learning).
• (Rating) 4: Progress is not apparent. The student shows none of the skills, knowledge or behaviours of the level (for example where no evidence of progress in this level has been observed or the student is not participating in learning activities). ⁸⁰

The above scale is installed in KIDMAP, see 6.2.5 and some Victorian teachers find it useful when reporting student progress to parents. ⁸⁰

LAP assessment (to 2001)

Learning Assessment Project assessment tasks (for students in Years 3 and 5, ages 8-9 and 10-11 respectively) were criterion-referenced and the reporting scale was expressed in terms of the levels of the Curriculum and Standards Framework (CSF) (see above). ⁷²

Further information on the grading process under AIM testing (the 2001 replacement to LAP testing, see above) is accessible via the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) website at http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au

6.2.7 Consequences

National
National literacy and numeracy benchmarks

Students identified as being 'at risk of falling behind', by the national literacy and numeracy benchmarks being introduced in Years 3, 5 and 7 of primary education (see section 6.2.1), will receive extra help through remedial reading and other literacy support. ³⁸

Since 2001, education authorities have been required to report against key performance measures, including literacy and numeracy standards, in order to receive Commonwealth funding.¹⁵⁰

Victoria
Baseline assessment

The compulsory literacy tests recently introduced for 5-year-olds aim to assist teachers in identifying children in need of special assistance. ³⁵

See 6.2.2  also.

6.2.8 Use of results

National
Teachers maintain ongoing records of children's progress in academic and social components, and summative reports are usually issued to parents on at least two occasions during the year. The formal report cards for primary children usually contain two sections: one reports on academic performance (with each area usually being scored in relation to one of three or four 'bands' rather than in terms of a percentage or numerical mark), and the other section describes the student's application or effort in each area (also usually scored in bands). ⁵⁴ (Section 5.2.4 provides further information on bands.)

Within the reports, curriculum areas such as mathematics and English are usually broken down into a certain number of components, some of which are now starting to reflect the terminology used in the curriculum frameworks/statements, see 5.2.1, such as 'space', 'measurement' and 'number' for mathematics and 'talking and listening', 'reading' and 'writing' for English. Other curriculum areas tend not to use separate components for formal reporting purposes. Report cards are also likely to contain a section which describes the development of a child's social skills, such as 'cooperation with other children', 'willingness to participate in class and school activities', 'initiative' and so on, described in terms of bands and or/by open-ended comments. There is a growing trend for primary teachers (particularly those in lower year groups) to prefer parents/carers to visit the school and discuss the child's progress in relation to specific outcomes and to see samples of the child's work, rather than relying on report cards to communicate more general information. ⁵⁴

Some States/Territories use relatively generic basic skills tests on certain students. These are not intended to test the extent to which specific competencies contained in profile statements are met. Where States/Territories use these tests, the results are usually sent to parents, as well as to the school and the individual Departments of Education, and consist of a summary in terms of broad performance bands, which indicate where the student is located within the State-wide group, hence serving comparative purposes. Some test results also provide an item-by-item analysis of correct and incorrect responses by individual students and the State results on each item. ⁵⁴

Results of assessments under the National Literacy and Numeracy Plan

Schools report individual student assessment results to parents. Some schools and education authorities also report assessment results against the national benchmarks.¹⁵⁰

Queensland
The data collected from the testing of Years 3, 5 and 7 students is used to report to parents/carers, schools and systems and to report against the national literacy and numeracy benchmarks. In addition, relevant data from the testing programme is used to inform the development of the Queensland Studies Authority's English and mathematics syllabuses.¹⁷⁵

It has been announced that reports to parents on the Years 3, 5 and 7 tests are to be expanded to include information on children's performance against the national literacy and numeracy benchmarks. Currently, each student's results show how they compare to all other students in Queensland. The additional feature will allow parents to see how their child's achievement level compares against the nationally agreed minimum standards. ¹⁷⁶

Tasmania
In Tasmania, parents are informed about their child's progress at school. ⁶¹ The student's Record of Development grows over time from Kindergarten to Year 12 (ages 4/5 to 17-18). It is jointly owned by the school and the student. It contains samples of work which might be chosen by either a teacher or a student or both together. It could also contain copies of recent reports by teachers to parents. It could contain details of the attainment of intended outcomes of education. It is meant to be used by students and teachers and parents and forms a cumulative 'history and portrait' of the student. ⁶⁰

When a student moves to another school, that is to say he/she changes schools before coming to the end of a specific phase, the student record card or print out (including attendance totals) should be forwarded to the new school. Cards for students completing primary schooling need not be provided to secondary schools unless this has been arranged in particular cases. ⁶⁴

Victoria
General

Audience	Information	Possible reporting strategy
Parents and caregivers	Information about their child's progress in relation to the school programme. The knowledge and skills to be attained. The standard of achievement demonstrated by the student. How they can support learning at home.	Interviews Written reports LAP/AIM results Newsletters Communications diaries
Students	Ongoing feedback about their progress in relation to agreed goals. Clear direction on how to achieve the learning outcomes.	Journal responses Conferences (formal and incidental) Written reports
Teachers	Information on student achievement in the outcomes. Transition records between year levels, schools and systems.	Check lists Written/graphic summary statements Portfolios
Schools and systems	Information of the achievement of groups of students. An overview of student performance and patterns of particular groups. Information on intake of students.	Summative reports Graphic analyses

Source: VICTORIA. BOARD OF STUDIES (1996). Using the CSF: Assessment and Reporting. Carlton: Board of Studies.

In Victoria, government schools have key responsibilities in relation to assessment and reporting as follows:

Each year schools are required to provide parents with at least two written reports on student achievement. Since 1997, schools have been required to include in these reports information about student achievement in relation to the Curriculum and Standards Framework (CSF) levels for all Key Learning Areas.
Qualitative comments on a student's achievement in his/her report should be made in relation to CSF strands/modes and assessment tasks and include suggestions for support and extension.
Schools are required to give parents the opportunity to attend at least one formal interview focusing on their child's progress each year and to provide other opportunities for informal discussions between teachers and parents when requested. Where necessary, interpreters should be provided.
Since 1997, schools have progressively developed learning improvement plans for individual students in consultation with parents and, where appropriate, with others with specific expertise.
In Years 3 and 5 (students aged 8-9 and 10-11 respectively), the Learning Assessment Project (LAP) (now AIM, see above) provided parents and teachers with reports on students' progress in relation to the CSF levels for English, mathematics and one other Key Learning Area. Schools were responsible for providing LAP reports to parents. Such reports were confidential to the school, the students and his/her parent(s). They also showed the student's performance in comparison with State levels. (LAP results were transferred to a student's new school, should he move prior to completion of primary education.)
Since 1996, all schools have been required to use the CSF for reporting levels of student achievement in English and mathematics in their annual reports. Where appropriate, schools may, in their annual reports, report achievement of students for whom English is a second language in relation to the stages of the "ESL Companion to the English CSF" rather than the English CSF. It is expected that schools will also report on other Key Learning Areas on a cyclical basis and in accordance with their charter. Schools are required to report as follows. ⁸³

Schools	English modes	Mathematics strands
Primary	Reading	Number
	Writing	Measurement
	Speaking and listening

 Source: ⁸³

For government schools, the above results (except the LAP/AIM results which remain confidential) have to be sent to the Office of School Review of the Department of Education and Training as well as being published in the school's annual report. ⁷⁰

In addition, since 2003, results in AIM testing for each child in Years 3 and 5 have been reported against national benchmarks.  League tables of these results are not published. 162

6.2.9 Output statistics

As lower secondary education (aged 12/13+ to 15/16) is compulsory in Australia, all students generally progress to the next phase.

 

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