Information about GL Assessments at Keble

The GL Attainment tests are run by the school twice a year and are mainly for internal use. They are taken in September and then again at the end of the year. Boys are tested in English, Maths, and Science and NGRT (reading comprehension) their results are presented as standardised scores against the national average. Teachers will use these tests to see the year-in-year progress of pupils and alongside other forms of assessment and in the senior school they may use them to confirm the setting.

The benefit of the tests lies in the reliable outcomes, the results of the tests having been trialled with a large nationally representative sample during development. Standardised tests also enable pupil performance to be benchmarked against the national average and meaningfully compared with other pupils across the country and standardised scores from other tests.

Most pupils will fall within the average band.

A guide is as follows :

SAS SCORE : 69 & below
Well below average 
Cases 2.2%
SAS SCORE :70-79
Below average 
Cases 6.7%
SAS SCORE : 80-89
Low average
Cases 16.1 %
SAS SCORE : 90-109
Average 
Cases 50%
SAS SCORE : 110-119
High Average 
Cases 16.1 %
SAS SCORE : 120-129
Very High Average 
Cases 6.7%
SAS SCORE : Above 130
Well above average
Cases 2.25%

Conclusion

By utilising standardised tests and applying professional judgements when interpreting the results, our teachers can build a profile of attainment and progress for their pupils and be confident in their conclusions and next steps. In the Autumn, boys from Y4 onwards take CATs ( cognitive ability tests). These are comparable to IQ tests measuring ability as opposed to the GL attainment tests in subjects. 

Standardised tests form just one part of a school’s approach to assessment, with on-going formative assessment informing teaching throughout the year.