We are non-selective and use the GL Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT4) as a means of assessing potential, to best decide whether our schools will be able to meet a student’s educational needs.
CAT4 is a diagnostic assessment designed to help students and their teachers to understand how they learn and what their academic potential might be. It assesses how students think in areas that are known to make a difference in learning. CAT4 will support schools in understanding their students’ developed abilities, likely academic potential and learning preferences, informing teaching and learning and supporting student feedback, progress monitoring and target setting for future attainment.
While many tests focus on a child’s attainment in core subjects, CAT4 provides the schools with a much broader, more rounded view of each child, their potential and how they learn. Results help teachers to decide about the pace of learning that is right for a student and whether additional support or challenge is needed.
Tasks involve thinking about shapes and patterns (Non-Verbal Reasoning), words (Verbal Reasoning), numbers (Quantitative Reasoning) and some questions are answered by mentally generating and transforming visual images (Spatial Ability).
Why is Sri UCSI Springhill using CAT4?
- CAT4 is used in many schools across the world to provide information to teachers, students and parents that, with additional information such as results from other tests, forms the basis for discussion about how best a student can learn and reach his or her potential in school.
- It identifies a pupil’s strengths, weaknesses and learning preferences, providing accurate and reliable information that is essential for personalised learning.
- CAT4 does not require any prior knowledge and you cannot ‘learn’ how to answer the questions in CAT4. It is, therefore, a good test as everyone starts at the same place.
- CAT4 contributes to setting targets and it allows the teachers to monitor an individual’s progress.
- The results will help teachers decide about the pace of learning that is right for an individual and whether additional support or challenge is needed.
- CAT4, unlike an English or Maths test, is not a test of what the student has learnt. It tests how an individual can think in areas that are known to make a difference in learning and achievement.
- The results from the testing are for internal use at our school as it can help in intervention, monitoring progress and setting targets for future attainment. Therefore, the results will not be shown in the report of your child.
