Key Stage 3 Welsh task and test development

Jane Nicholas and Robat Powell

Client: ACCAC | NFER Contact: Jane Nicholas

Welsh is a core subject in schools where it is taught as a first language, and materials for statutory assessment of Welsh at key stage 3 have been developed since 1989. However, the Welsh Assembly Government has decided that the KS3 assessment materials from 2006 onwards will be optional and no longer statutory. This project produced a classroom task and written tests for 2005 and 2006. Oracy and oral response to reading are assessed through the task, which is administered and assessed by class teachers with small discussion groups of pupils. Writing and written response to reading are assessed through timed written tests and marked by external markers.

During the two development cycles in 2003-4 and 2004-5 initial drafts of test and task materials were vetted by the ACCAC Test Review Group and then pretested in national samples of schools.

Key findings

Materials were successfully used for statutory assessment in 2005, and optional materials were submitted to the sponsor in 2005 for use in schools the following year. Feedback from markers showed the test and task materials to be effective.

Conclusions/recommendations

Schools used the materials in 2005 to conduct an accurate and manageable statutory assessment at KS3. Classroom task materials were popular with teachers and pupils and elicited a lively response from pupils.

About the study

The KS3 assessment of Welsh is different from other subjects in that it uses level descriptors to award levels to pupils rather than marks. The oral components mean that most of the assessment is administered and marked by class teachers, and the whole assessment therefore has a more formative element than that of other core subjects.

Publication and dissemination

2005 task materials were distributed to schools in December 2004. 2005 test materials were available to schools in April of the following year.

Time scale:  January 2004 - September 2005

NFER Project Code: WAH