Test specifications - Reading : NFER Online Assessments

Each test is developed to a test specification which sets out the requirements for the number of marks, curriculum coverage, question types and level of difficulty. This ensures the overall assessment is an accurate reflection of the Programme of Study and that there is consistency across each year group.

The Reading assessments consist of two tests – Test 1 and Test 2. The tests are taken in order, and learners have up to 45 minutes to complete each one. In each test there are two texts – one fiction and one non-fiction. After learners have read a text, they are directed to answer a set of questions related to each text.

The tables below summarise the test specifications. See Curriculum Areas and Codes – Reading for a breakdown of the content domain assessed in the tests.

Year 3 Specifications – by number of marks

Test Specifications	Autumn		Spring		Summer
	T1	T2	T1	T2	T1	T2
Question types
Closed e.g. multiple choice, multiple choices, matching, ordering	19	20	19	19	19	18
Open e.g. text entry, extended text	6	5	6	6	6	7
Number of marks
1-mark questions	21	17	21	19	21	19
2-mark questions	4	8	4	6	4	6
Scoring
Autoscored	19	20	19	19	19	18
Teacher marked	6	5	6	6	6	7
Curriculum coverage
2a	3	6	3	2	4	3
2b	16	4	10	10	9	8
2c	1	2	1	0	2	3
2d	3	9	8	6	7	10
2e	2	2	0	0	0	0
2f	0	1	1	2	1	0
2g	0	0	0	3	0	0
2h	0	1	2	2	2	1
Total Marks in each Test	25	25	25	25	25	25

Year 3 Specifications – percentage coverage (%)

Test Specifications	Autumn		Spring		Summer
	T1	T2	T1	T2	T1	T2
Question types
Closed e.g. multiple choice, multiple choices, matching, ordering	76	80	76	76	76	72
Open e.g. text entry, extended text	24	20	24	24	24	28
Number of marks
1-mark questions	84	68	84	76	84	76
2-mark questions	16	32	16	24	16	24
Scoring
Autoscored	76	80	76	76	76	72
Teacher marked	24	20	24	24	24	28
Curriculum coverage
2a	12	24	12	8	16	12
2b	64	16	44	40	36	32
2c	4	8	4	0	8	12
2d	12	36	28	24	28	40
2e	8	8	0	0	0	0
2f	0	4	4	8	4	0
2g	0	0	0	12	0	0
2h	0	4	8	8	8	4
Total Percentage in each Test	100	100	100	100	100	100

Year 4 Specifications – by number of marks

Test Specifications	Autumn		Spring		Summer
	T1	T2	T1	T2	T1	T2
Question types
Closed e.g. multiple choice, multiple choices, matching, ordering	19	20	22	19	24	21
Open e.g. text entry, extended text	9	7	6	8	4	6
Number of marks
1-mark questions	22	19	16	19	22	19
2-mark questions	6	8	12	8	6	8
Scoring
Autoscored	19	20	22	19	24	21
Teacher marked	9	7	6	8	4	6
Curriculum coverage
2a	4	1	3	2	3	3
2b	12	13	6	6	11	2
2c	2	1	1	1	1	2
2d	7	7	12	12	8	13
2e	0	0	2	1	3	1
2f	0	2	2	1	2	2
2g	1	1	2	2	0	2
2h	2	2	0	2	0	2
Total Marks in each Test	28	27	28	27	28	27

Year 4 Specifications – percentage coverage (%)

Test Specifications	Autumn		Spring		Summer
	T1	T2	T1	T2	T1	T2
Question types
Closed e.g. multiple choice, multiple choices, matching, ordering	68	74	79	70	86	78
Open e.g. text entry, extended text	32	26	21	30	14/5	22
Number of marks
1-mark questions	79	70	57	70	79	70
2-mark questions	21	30	43	30	21	30
Scoring
Autoscored	68	74	79	70	86	78
Teacher marked	32	26	21	30	14	22
Curriculum coverage
2a	14	4	11	7	11	11
2b	43	48	21	22	39	7
2c	7	4	4	4	4	7
2d	25	26	43	44	29	48
2e	0	0	7	4	11	4
2f	0	7	7	4	7	7
2g	4	4	7	7	0	7
2h	7	7	0	7	0	7
Total Percentage in each Test	100	100	100	100	100	100