Academic Results (PATs)
PATs: What are they?
The Progressive Achievement Tests (PATs) assess students' Mathematics, Listening Comprehension, Punctuation and Grammar, Reading Comprehension, and Reading Vocabulary. PATs are a series of standardised tests developed specifically for use in New Zealand schools. Understanding PATs - for parents and the community explains what PATs assess and how they are marked.
designed to assess students in Years 3–10
assesses number knowledge, number strategies, algebra, geometry and measurement and statistics
test scores allow for formative as well as summative reporting
scale scores enable a student's level of achievement to be tracked from year to year
diagnostic reports are provided in the teacher manual
the tests come as reusable booklets with separate answer sheets
Computer adaptive testing for PAT:Mathematics is available
designed to assess Years 4–10 students
are combined in one booklet but can be used as separate tests
test scores allow for formative as well as summative reporting
scale scores enable a student's level of achievement to be tracked from year to year
diagnostic reports are provided in the teacher manual
tests are standarised and easy to mark
tests are multiple choice and maps student progress on a scale
Star Reading Test
The STAR reading tests are standardised assessment tools, designed to supplement the assessments that teachers make about their students' progress and achievement in reading. Each test assesses a range of reading skills that correspond closely to the main components of reading skills outlined in The Literacy Learning Progressions (Ministry of Education, 2010).
STAR was originally developed between 1999 and 2003. The NZCER test development team has spent two years on a full revision, which included pilots, two national trials, review of items, and working with external experts. The original author of STAR, Warwick Elley, led the NZCER team for this redevelopment. The edition is known as STAR Reading Test.