Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

Secondary school entrance assessments

  • 09-07-2009 10:40am
    #1
    Yorky
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,485 ✭✭✭


    In a school where first year pupils are not streamed, does anyone know what the purpose of assessments are?

    Prima facie, it seems a pointless exercise.


Comments

  • #2
    Nead21
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,163 ✭✭✭Nead21


    i would imagine if they are making classes mixed abililty, then the school would still need to do entrance assessments in order to make the classes...eh mixed ability?

    open to correction here...just going on common sense?


  • #3
    gaeilgegrinds
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,376 ✭✭✭gaeilgegrinds


    Mixed ability means exactly that, we spend quite a while choosing which students to put together. Also it helps highlight problems they may have.


  • #4
    rainbowtrout
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,397 ✭✭✭✭rainbowtrout


    Yorky wrote: »
    In a school where first year pupils are not streamed, does anyone know what the purpose of assessments are?

    Prima facie, it seems a pointless exercise.

    So the school will know the abilities of the students coming in, based on the same standard test in which the students results can be compared fairly.

    Much harder to compare students coming from different schools and in the case of one school that is a feeder school to the secondary school I work in, the principal refuses to supply reports on the incoming students. :(

    It will also give an unbiased account of the students' abilities in the core subjects.

    It might also identify students that might need learning support, particularly in English and Maths if it hasn't already been picked up at primary level.


    And if a student is struggling in the first few weeks or months, it can allow the school to pick up on it if their assessments suggested that they were well capable, and find out why they are having problems before they slip back too far.

    Far from pointless.


  • #5
    TheDriver
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,689 ✭✭✭✭TheDriver


    also with mixed ability, it ensures classes and mixed evenly by knowing something about them and also identifying students with possible learning difficulties. Sometimes random selection can be a bad thing and this assists with schools providing the best education to the student group at large.
    Lastly, lots enrol in schools down here but don't turn up, a test ensures those serious about attending actually can be counted and allows for better planning of numbers


Advertisement