Transfer Procedure Test Results 1989/90 - 1995/96

Author(s): Department of Education Northern Ireland
Document Type: Statistical Bulletin
Year: 1996
Publisher: DENI
Place of Publication: Bangor
Subject Area(s): Education

Abbreviations: DENI - Department of Education Northern Ireland, FSM - Free School Meal

Key Issues

  • A considerable body of research literature exists highlighting the relationship between social deprivation and low educational achievement. There has been a strong association over time between social deprivation and the performance of pupils in the Transfer Procedure Test, with pupils in the higher FSM schools doing well.
  • This association has become more pronounced for some groups, notably those at either end of the deprivation scale, since 1993/94 when the Transfer Tests were changed from verbal reasoning format to a curriculum orientated format. In 1995/96 pupils in those schools with the lowest proportion of pupils entitled to FSM were more than 3 times as likely to achieve Grade A as those in the highest FSM schools. A substantially larger proportion of Catholic pupils attend schools in the high FSM categories.
  • Prior to 1993/94 there were small differences in the proportion of pupils achieving a Grade A in Catholic and other managed schools and these were not consistently one way. In 1995/96 the proportion of pupils in Catholic achieving a Grade A was 7 percentage points lower than other managed schools.
  • Given the above average incidence of FSM in Catholic maintained schools, it is not surprising that these schools have fewer A grades than other schools. However, comparisons between schools with similar socio-economic circumstances show that a greater proportion of pupils from schools under Catholic management gain a Grade A than pupils from other schools. This pattern had been evident under both test formats, though less strongly under the new format than under the old.
  • In 1995/96, 32% of pupils in Year 7 opted out of the Transfer Procedure Test compared to 30% in 1989/90. Pupils from other managed schools and boys in particular were less likely to sit the Transfer Test. Opt out rates were highest in high FSM schools.
  • Until 1992/92, girls performed better than boys in the Transfer Procedure Test. Since the introduction of the new test pattern has varied, with boys doing better in 1993/94 and again in 1995/96 and girls doing better in 1994/95.
 

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