The First and Second Mathematics Standard Assessment Tasks at Key Stage 1: a comparison based on a five school study

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Abstract
This paper assesses the value that can be put on the mathematical Standard Assessment Task (SAT) scores as indicators of what children are achieving in Maths and whether mathematical standards are rising as a result of the National Curriculum. The results of a cross‐sectional study of a sample of all the Year 2 children (176 in 1991, 171 in 1992) from five randomly selected primary schools within one local education authority (LEA) are presented. Pupils’ scores on Mathematics 7, a standardised mathematics test for seven‐year‐olds [National Foundation for Education Research (NFER), 1987a] and the mathematics SAT score elicited by them in the previous half term are compared. Results show an improvement in the attainment level of children in 1992 compared to those in 1991 on SATs, with a higher percentage achieving Level 3 and fewer on Level 1. However, examination of the means for each year group indicate that the mean NFER score for each SAT level is significantly lower (0.1% level) in 1992 than 1991. Conclusions, based on such a small study, are tentative. However, it would seem that there is a need to view apparently rising standards, as measured solely by the SAT results, with a degree of caution.