| Project | Consortium for Testing and Assessment in Schools KS1 |
| Year | 1990-1992 |
| Contributors |
Kay Stables
Sandra Parker Sandie Kendall Roy Richards Celia Modgil |
| Client | DES/SEAC |
Further information:
Not available electronically - all materials exist only in paper-based form and can only be accessed on site via the TERU Archives. Please email for access.
Context
The National Curriculum introduced technology as a foundation subject to be taught to all children from age 5-16. For the very youngest children in Key Stage 1 (KS1, age 5-7) technology was the first 'foundation' subject to be assessed. For their teachers technology was considered a new subject and support was needed not just for assessment, but also for learning and teaching. The KS1 technology Standard Assessment Tasks (SATs) were non-mandatory and were designed to support teachers in making their own assessments, both formative and summative. The TERU team, part of a larger collaboration - the Consortium for Testing and Assessment in Schools (CATS), won the development contract.
Focus
The brief was to develop a suite of assessment tasks for both Design and Technology and Information Technology. The tasks had to:
- provide reliable and valid assessments;
- be interesting and motivating;
- be manageable in respect of assessment, recording, administration and resources;
- be effective for use with all children aged 5-7, promoting the development of capability;
- provide balanced coverage of the technology Programmes of Study and support for the rest of the curriculum.
Outcomes
Following extensive trialling, a set of materials comprising 4 d&t and 4 IT tasks plus teacher guidance were developed and sent to all infant and primary schools in England and Wales. There were also materials that had been developed in parallel through the medium of the Welsh language. In addition an InService training pack was created and disseminated to all LEA advisory staff through a series of training seminars.