Understanding standardised testing in schools
Standardised testing plays a crucial role in modern education systems around the world. But what is standardised testing, and why is it so widely used?
What is standardisation?
Standardisation is a way to put test results into context. A raw score on a test can only tell you so much. For example, if a student spells seven out of ten words correctly on a spelling test, that’s 70% – which sounds good. But what does that mean in comparison to the rest of the class? Is the learner meeting expectations or exceeding them? By standardising the score, we can begin to see a wider picture of learning.
Standardised tests are perhaps more familiar as summative assessments, which measure student performance at the end of year or key stage in education. But formative and baseline assessments can also be standardised to understand progress and inform next steps in teaching and learning.
Examples of standardised tests around the world
|
Test Name |
Purpose |
Country/Region |
|---|---|---|
|
NAPLAN (National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy) |
Literacy and numeracy assessment |
Australia |
|
Cambridge Progression Tests |
Curriculum-based assessment |
International (Cambridge schools) |
|
PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) |
International benchmarking |
OECD countries |
|
GCSEs (General Certificate of Secondary Education) |
Secondary school qualifications |
United Kingdom |
|
A Levels |
Pre-university qualifications |
United Kingdom |
|
SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test) |
College admissions |
United States |
|
ACT (American College Testing) |
College admissions |
United States |
Why use standardised tests?
Standardised tests are a fair and objective way of assessing learners.
Objectivity:
They provide an unbiased way to evaluate student achievement.
Comparability:
Results can be compared across schools, regions, and even countries.
Accountability:
They help identify strengths and areas for improvement in education systems.
For teachers, standardised scores are a useful way to spot patterns in student performance, which can help guide interventions and target resources where extra support may be needed. The standardised scores can also be a valuable tool to start conversations with parents or colleagues because they are objective and can give that wider context to learning.
For school leaders, standardised scores can support strategic planning, intervention design, and accountability.
- Track student and cohort progress over time
- Compare performance across different subjects and year groups
- Benchmark school performance against a wider context
- Support decisions about school improvement strategies
“We use Cambridge Insight data to provide predictive or indicative grades for IGCSE and IB Diploma examinations, and to validate our internal assessments of student ability. We do a lot of internal analysis, but the standardised data from Cambridge Insight gives us a point of comparison against a massive database of other students in schools around the world.”
The British School, Rio de Janeiro
Benefits for Schools
- Consistency: Allow schools to track and measure progress year-on-year.
- Data-Driven Decisions: Helps schools make informed choices about teaching strategies.
- Highlights patterns in performance, allowing schools to monitor and share best teaching practice.
Benefits for Students
- Objective: Scoring reduces bias and subjective evaluations.
- Motivating: Clear performance benchmarks help students understand their strengths and where to focus their efforts.
- Opportunities for recognition and support.
- Preparation for future academic and professional qualifications.
Understanding Standardised Test Scores
Standardised test scores are more than just numbers—they offer insights into student learning, curriculum effectiveness, and educational equity.
The important number to remember is 100. This is the mean number or the average score of everyone who took the test. Standard deviations are used to show the range for comparison. So:
- A score of 100 means that a student is performing as expected at the national average
- A score of 115 means that a student is performing above average
- A score of 85 means that a student is performing below average
Test Standardisation: Why It Matters
Test standardisation ensures that every student has the same testing experience, which is essential for fairness and reliability.
“To complement our teacher assessment of the curriculum, we were looking for externally validated assessment data that could offer a benchmark of our children’s performance against a wider range of schools, including the independent sector and international schools. Cambridge Primary Insight, taken by over 200,000 children in a range of these settings, offered this opportunity.”
The British School in Tokyo
Would you like more information?
Talk to one of our experts about standardised baseline assessments