Access Arrangements

GL Assessment does not specifically recommend any fixed access arrangements as our assessments are not considered high stakes testing, rather they are intended to support teacher judgements. Schools are encouraged to use their discretion to suit the needs of the individual learners within their care with due consideration that:

• Where adaptations are made (for example reader, scribe, additional time etc), data should be considered in this context as it is outside the circumstances under which the tests were standardised.

Please download our one-page guide on adaptations for learners with additional needs here.

For students with significant visual impairments or those registered as blind, we would not recommend using the CAT4 as the spatial and nonverbal batteries cannot be ‘read' to the student due to the nature of the reasoning abilities being tested.

We would suggest that staff work with the children in the run-up to the assessment and afterwards to offer reassurances regarding effort over performance. For example, reminding them that no one will mind how many questions they manage to complete, they should just do their best. The test is being used to help the school understand their strengths and challenges to help teachers to support them with their learning at school.

These messages should be appropriately tailored to the specific context of your setting and your learners.

The NGRT, NGST, PASS and Progress Tests are untimed and therefore students completing these tests are able to have as long as necessary to complete the assessment, with breaks taken as required.

Timings provided within administration guidance are offered as a ‘typical’ picture to assist with planning and in context with original standardisation.

Please note: It may be appropriate to make a discretionary judgement to discontinue an assessment where a student is experiencing difficulties in completing a test.

Progress Test Maths – Mental Maths

This test component is designed to assess computational fluency and is therefore timed - in keeping with the original standardisation.

Please note: If you wish for learners to respond to these questions without a timed element, we recommend using the paper assessment to allow for items to be read aloud at a pace appropriate to the learner's needs. Results may be ‘inflated’ which could potentially mask a learner's true abilities, strengths, and weaknesses.

CAT4

Please note: If you wish for learners to complete CAT4 without a timed element, we recommend using the paper assessment to allow for items to be read aloud at a pace appropriate to the learner's needs. Results may be ‘inflated’ which could potentially mask a learner's' true abilities, strengths, and weaknesses.

For learners who are typically supported by an enlargement of visual materials, a paper test format may be preferred. These are available for NGRT, Progress Tests and CAT4.

Any enlargements made to the papers should ensure that aspect ratio is consistent, to assist the learner in accessing the test.

Results for enlarged papers could then be transcribed to the original answer sheet. It is worth noting however that this process increases the likelihood of human error (in terms of copying responses).

Some assessments could also be translated to braille if you have braille printing capacity and a translator to facilitate.

Some assessments or test sections can be supported by a reader.

In some instances, dependent upon the presentation of the test question, this may require the reader to provide additional description of graphics or images that may increase the cognitive demand for a learner and/or may provide leading information which offers an advantage to support the learner's response.

CAT4

Please note: for learners with significant visual impairments, we would not recommend using the CAT4 as the spatial and nonverbal batteries cannot be ‘read' to the learner due to the nature of the reasoning abilities being tested.

PTE

The Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar sections of the test can be read.

Please note: the reading comprehension section is designed to test a student’s reading skills (decoding) as well as their understanding of the passage they have read. By reading the text aloud to the student the test experience changes (to listening comprehension) and is therefore different to the original standardisation. The PTE reading section would therefore not be an appropriate test for students with a significant visual impairment who require the support of a reader.

PTM & PTS

Questions and instructions can be read to learners but not re-phrased. Numbers in word form can be read aloud however, no support can be given with any mathematical content such as reading aloud numbers or mathematical symbols.

Some items in the PTM and/or PTS may therefore not be appropriate for learners with a significant visual impairment who require the support of a reader.

NGRT

Please note: Only the instructions can be read. This is designed as an assessment of reading (please see the note above related to PTE reading) – therefore the NGRT would not be an appropriate test for learners with a significant visual impairment who require the support of a reader.

NGST

This is a digital only assessment.

Test items are presented on screen with an accompanying voice recording. Where learners have access to an adapted keyboard, responses could be submitted independently, alternatively a scribe could input responses on the learner's behalf.

PASS

This is a digital only assessment.

Audio is available for all levels of PASS.

Please note: items can be read aloud by an adult. Due to the nature of the survey some learners may be influenced by the reader – responding in such a way to please the reader. This context should be considered when reviewing the data.