Embarrassed even to ask... What are CATs?

[muffinmonster]

Everyone on this website seems very clued up about various measures of their children's ability. Our (state) primary doesn't tell us what our children's SATs levels (or predicted levels) are, even in year 6, and I don't know what a CAT is (I thought it was the tests that secondary schools give to new year 7 students in order to set them for English and Maths).

Can anyone explain to me what CATs are and how I might find out my child's scores? Are schools obliged to provided this information?

We do get a score on their end-of-year report for English and Maths - apparently these are some kind of standardised score and the maximum possible is 140.

[sherry_d]

I found this link helpful to expain cats

http://209.85.229.132/search?q=cache:L5 ... clnk&gl=uk

In my limited knowledge they test for NVR, VR and quantitative analysis (maths). Generally people sometimes talk about them for the 11+ because they can give a general overview of where you child in but should not be taken as gospel. They can be done from 7 years right up to secondary.

If your school does them then if you ask your child's teacher they should tell you their score and you can use the table in the above link to see where your child is. I dont know if school are obliged but I really dont see why the shouldn't tell you the score. When I asked for my DD's the teacher just said sure she will do it when she gets the time. It did take a few weeks though but she gave them to me.

They are more like IQ test I think???

[muffinmonster]

Thanks, Sherry - this is very helpful. The scores on my children's reports clearly aren't CATs scores as they are given in English and Maths (though like the CAT scores they range between 60 and 140).

The next question is whether the school does CATs at all - I will ask my DS's teacher about this.

Curious to know why some primaries do them and some don't. Is it as a basis for setting/streaming, as in secondary schools? Or perhaps for the school to assess its own 'value added' score by comparing the children's achievement in the curriculum with their 'raw potential'?

[Milla]

I thought that all the state primaries did them (whether they tell you or not)?

[Looking for help]

No - ours did Nfer tests - no CATS at all

[Chelmsford mum]

I thought that all the state primaries did them (whether they tell you or not)?

No our school doesn't either.

[Midget Man]

Our's don't either. Is there a reason as to why all primary school's don't do cats? Surely they are a good measure of the children's ability?

[mike1880]

Ours doesn't either, I think schools have to pay for CATs which probably discourages most state schools. Ours has started to give us some quite detailed feedback on targets and attainment in terms of SATS levels, though.

Mike

[Cats12]

Our primary doesn't do Cats either - Sats yr 2 and yr 6, unofficial Sats as end of yr tests in all other years too, so I guess they feel they don't need Cats. Local secondary uses Cats - yr 7 they're streamed according to yr 6 Sats results but they do Cats end of first term yr 7 too - not exactly sure why (could be to validate how they've streamed or help with streaming in subjects other than maths and english).

[Fluffy66]

My DS has recently done CATs, well last November(Y6), the first time the school have done them.

From what i've gathered they are done on a computer and get marked somewhere/somehow else where.

We've been given a single A4 sheet (for our appeal) with CAT results and SAT predictions. All colourful using various graphs and diagrams, figures and the probability of him achieving the predictions.

Sounds great but a list of scores and predictions would have sufficed. for example whats a "stanine" - will have to get my dictionary out i think!!