NFER provides advice to expert group on assessment

On 14 October 2008 Ed Balls MP, Minister of State for Schools, announced the end of testing at key stage 3 and the introduction of a system of national monitoring in its place. In the same speech he announced that an expert group would be set up to provide advice on the changes. During the 1970s and 1980s NFER was a lead organisation in the development and administration of the APU, the national monitoring system in use at that time in the UK. NFER also leads on the administration of the current international surveys, PISA and TIMSS, in the participating countries in the UK.

NFER has used its vast experience in this area to write a report on the issues to consider when introducing a national monitoring system. This report has recently been submitted to the expert group to inform their deliberations.

National Foundation for Educational Research (2009). Submission to Expert Group: Issues to Consider when Developing a National Monitoring System. Slough: NFER.