Getting the measure of
PRIMARY
PIPS KS1 Baseline
for the start of Key Stage 1
PIPS
for Key Stages 1 and 2
InCAS
for ages 5-11
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Getting the measure of PRIMARY2
Getting the measure of PRIMARY3
Signposting
the pathway
through Primary for children to reach
their potential
Children’s development at primary school age is intense, often uneven and sometimes against
expectations. It can be hard at any given point to judge their ability, discern their progress or guess
what they might achieve.
The suite of CEM assessments for primary schools is designed to bring a measure of certainty into the
education process. They evaluate performance, monitor progress and indicate potential in specific
and helpful ways. As a result, teachers and schools are able to provide individual and groups of
children with learning opportunities to enable them to achieve their best.
• PIPS KS1 Baseline establishes what children know and can do as they enter Year 1 and predicts
and measures achievement.
• PIPS Key Stages 1 and 2 provides an annual assessment in maths, literacy and developed ability
and predicts progress.
• InCAS provides detailed, age related diagnostic information and recommendations whenever
required.
The CEM difference
Support and training
What sets CEM systems apart is our pedigree.
They are based on evidence from over 30
years of scientific research as part of Durham
University, a World Top 100 university. You can
rely on our independence as a not-for-profit
organisation dedicated solely to improving
teaching and learning for children and young
people from age 3 to 19.
To help you run CEM assessments we provide
manuals for each system. Then to enable you
derive the most from your data we offer support
online and by email. We are always happy to
explain feedback and what it means directly
over phone. We also organise in-school training
and teacher conferences both in Durham or at
schools and centres around the world.
Every year CEM brands assess the potential
of a million children in over 70 countries. We
pioneered and are one of the world’s leading
providers of computer adaptive systems. These
automatically adjust the assessment process to a
child’s level of knowledge so that learning can be
targeted at individual needs.
Through such constant contact we learn from
schools’ experience of using CEM systems. This
refreshes the fund of knowledge built up since
we pioneered evidence-based measurement
in 1981 and helps our team, which includes
qualified teachers, to develop even more costeffective ways to make a positive difference to
pupils’ prospects.
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Introducing
PIPS
The proven system to assess ability
and help to plan learning.
Tried, tested and trusted, PIPS (Performance Indicators in Primary Schools) has been continuously
developed since it was introduced by CEM in 1991. A milestone in educational assessment, it remains
the benchmark.
Used in more than 4,000 schools worldwide, PIPS has shown itself to be consistently reliable whoever
administers the test – teacher, assistant or other trained adult. It has also proven itself to have
excellent predictive validity when correlated with later assessments at age 11 in England.
PIPS works as a chain of assessments giving year-on-year comparisons of progress for both individuals
and classes as they move through school. The baseline assessment at the start of Year 1 links with
assessments at the end of Year 1, 3, 4 and 5 and in January for Years 2 and 6. As well as measuring the
outcome of the educational year, each one acts as a baseline for the next.
Quick, easy and accurate
Adapts to ability level
The PIPS format is broadly the same throughout,
although the content varies to suit age levels.
The whole process takes only 20 to 30 minutes
per pupil. To assess numeracy and literacy the
teacher sits with individual pupils as the PIPS
computer program asks them about what they
see on-screen. The presentation uses storybook
style pictures, photographs and puzzles and a
friendly voice asks the questions. The child says
the answer or points to their chosen option. It’s
an engaging experience, rather like a game.
The teacher registers the child’s response
and the program moves on to the next page.
The questions progressively get harder until
the child gets a few wrong. Then the program
automatically goes to the next task, without the
child being exposed to more difficult questions.
This happens because PIPS is computer
adaptive. It settles at the level at which the child
feels comfortable. This becomes the baseline for
the teacher to begin the next area of learning for
the child. If there is a group at the same stage,
they can be taught together.
For the teacher there is no marking or paperwork
involved. The program remembers everything.
The completed data is sent to Durham via the
secure CEM+ website. Then CEM does the
processing and generates the feedback for the
school to download.
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PIPS
Key Stage 1 Baseline.
The proven way to kick-start
teaching and learning.
When they enter Infant School some pupils are already able to read and do sums. Others are still
trying to grasp the very concept of letters and numbers. It takes a while for teachers to gain some idea
of everyone’s capabilities.
By using PIPS KS1 Baseline you can give the class a head start. This computer-based system reinforces
teachers’ own observations with an immediate, accurate assessment of what each child knows and
can do. This establishes a firm platform for planning lessons, addressing different pupils’ needs and
organising the class into ability groups.
Measures what matters
PIPS KS1 Baseline is made up of assessments which our research shows to be accurate predictors of
later educational achievement - maths, reading and, phonological awareness. Carried out within
the first four weeks, the 20 minutes or so spent with each child provides teachers with a one-to-one
opportunity to get to know new pupils individually. The version for Scottish School (PIPS Primary
1 Baseline) caters for differences in the national curriculum, but broadly speaking covers the same
ground.
A wealth of feedback
A unique set of benefits
On receiving a school’s data, we generate raw
scores immediately about each question and
whether each child answered correctly or not.
Then we process the information into charts
which give a picture of each child’s performance
in a class perspective.
By putting the feedback from PIPS KS1
Baseline to work, teachers and schools can gain
advantages which would otherwise be harder or
impossible to achieve:
• Bar chart showing standardised scores for
reading, mathematics and phonological
awareness for all the pupils in the class
• Highlight pupils who have specific needs or
are gifted and talented, and tailor teaching
accordingly
• A box and whisker plot showing the group’s
range of abilities, the majority of children
being clustered in the centre “box” with high
and low performers along the “whiskers” on
either side
• Compare characteristics against similar
classes elsewhere
• Charts comparing the children’s and class’s
attainment with the same age group in CEM’s
large national sample.
• Predictions of the chances of each child
achieving particular National Curriculum
levels at the end of Key Stage 1
• Identify pupils’ strengths and weaknesses to
plan appropriate learning
• Set meaningful, achievable targets for
individuals, classes and the school as a whole
• Compare intakes over time
• Have objective data to support meetings with
parents or inspectors
• Get accurate predictions of future
achievements in KS1 tests
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PIPS
for Key Stages 1 & 2.
Assessing achievement, progress and potential throughout the primary journey.
Once children are on their way through primary
school education PIPS is able to monitor not
only performance, but also to measure potential.
This enables teaching to be targeted at enabling
children to fulfil their potential.
PIPS goes further than the classroom. As data
builds up from periodic assessments, a picture
of patterns prevailing in the whole school can be
revealed to assist school leaders in developing
policy and good practice
Measuring much more
Each assessment takes the form of a quiz. The
program poses questions about what is shown
on-screen and children select the answers. Each
assessment takes between 20 and 30 minutes
to complete. Because the tests are computer
adaptive, they adjust to the level where the pupil
is just managing to get things right. In effect, it is
tailored to individual abilities so children enjoy
the challenge.
Being based on the National Curriculum, the
mathematics and reading assessments provide
predictions of future achievements in KS SATS
tests. In addition PIPS is designed to assess
pupils’ developed ability - their propensity to
acquire new knowledge and skills, measured by
the picture vocabulary and non-verbal ability
tests. Our research shows a strong correlation
between these indicators of potential and pupil’s
later academic performance.
• Reading – a combination of tasks including
word recognition, word decoding and
comprehension
• Mathematics – number, algebra, measures,
shape and space, and handling data
• Picture vocabulary – quick, reliable and
curriculum-free assessment of English
language development
Feedback puts it all into
perspective
There are two dimensions to the feedback:
standard charts and tables downloaded directly
from the CEM secure website which profile
children’s performance; and interactive data
generated using IDEAS+ software.
• Non-verbal ability – a predictor of academic
attainment using pattern recognition tasks
• Attitudes – to mathematics, reading and
school indicated by selecting points on a
scale
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Getting the measure of PRIMARY11
“CEM data is used at the start of the academic year for target setting purposes, and
in identifying individuals and groups of children to form ‘focus groups’ in each
class. These groups are closely monitored over the course of the year (see below)
and their progress is usually linked to teachers’ appraisal targets. At a cohort level,
IDEAS software enables the school to identify priorities within and across classes
and assign provision accordingly. Data relating to teachers’ previous classes is
closely scrutinised. Comparisons with year group averages enable identification
of strengths and weaknesses, and are used to identify and celebrate good practice.
Staff reflect on trends emerging from this data analysis, and together with senior
managers, identify key action points for their pedagogical practice. Pupil chances
graphs at the end of KS1 and KS2 are used as the key measure of value added for
the end of Key Stage assessments.”
St. Christopher’s, Bahrain
Standard
Longitudinal
Deriving the benefit
• Individual scores for reading, mathematics,
picture vocabulary and non-verbal ability
• Grids which make sense of what value-added
results mean for different children to help set
targets
The information which PIPS provides can be used
by their current and next teacher to:
• Value added charts showing children’s
progress compared with a previous PIPS
assessment
• Value added charts comparing each child’s
achievements to the norm in CEM’s large
national sample
• Key Stage chances predicting pupils’ likely
achievement at their end of key stage tests
• Attitudes to reading, mathematics and school
• Charts which allow the tracking of individuals
classes throughout their time at the school
• Charts comparing the performance of a
particular year group as different cohorts of
children pass though it
• Evaluate pupil strengths and weaknesses to
address their needs
• Highlight children with specific needs or
gifted and talented
• Compare class characteristics
• Evidence children’s progress
• Identify pupils who are falling behind or
excelling
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Getting the measure of PRIMARY13
InCAS.
The practical tool to diagnose and help to improve learning performance.
Introduced in England and Scotland in 2003,
InCAS was made mandatory for all of Northern
Ireland’s state schools and is being taken
up across the world. The popularity of this
innovative diagnostic tool stems from its
flexibility.
InCAS can be deployed at any point in the school
year to assess children aged between 5 and 11.
Feedback follows shortly afterwards. We also
supply guidance on translating the data into
practical ways to help pupils to build on their
strengths and overcome difficulties, especially
with literacy and maths.
Core assessments
InCAS is easy to administer. Being modular it
allows you to choose which units are useful.
InCAS begins by asking a pupil questions
suitable for an average similarly-aged child.
According the answers, it adjusts the level of
difficulty up or down. Children simply follow the
prompts to complete each enjoyable session
in about 30 minutes. Because it adapts to
individual ability – not too hard, not too easy –
InCAS produces a bespoke assessment.
The menu of assessment modules covers every
area which together contribute to a full diagnosis
of a pupil’s current learning.
• Reading
‚‚ Word recognition – identifying familiar
spoken words in context
‚‚ Word Decoding – spelling unfamiliar and
nonsense words
‚‚ Subtraction
‚‚ Comprehension – reading through a
passage and selecting words which fit into
the sentence
‚‚ Division
‚‚ Spelling – finding the letters of a spoken
word in a sentence
• Mathematics – curriculum based assessment
of general maths
‚‚ Number 1
‚‚ Number 2
‚‚ Measures, Shape and Space
‚‚ Data Handling
• Mental arithmetic – processing numerical
tasks quickly and accurately
‚‚ Addition
‚‚ Multiplication
• Developed Ability
‚‚ Picture vocabulary – matching a spoken
word to a picture
‚‚ Non-verbal ability – matching a pattern on
one side with the same embedded on the
other side
• Developed Ability
‚‚ Picture vocabulary – matching a spoken
word to a picture
‚‚ Non-verbal ability – matching a pattern on
one side with the same embedded on the
other side
• Attitudes – to mathematics, reading and
school indicated by selecting points on a
scale
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What the feedback shows
Putting diagnosis to work
The feedback amounts to a profile for each pupil
and can be customised to highlight particular
aptitudes, reveal inconsistencies and diagnose
needs.
The design of InCAS is based on research at
Durham which includes remediating reading
problems (dyslexia) and maths problems
(dyscalculia). Feedback is accompanied by advice
on its use to facilitate personalised learning
plans. InCAS is a precision tool for:
• Age related scores for each pupil in each
module (except attitudes)
• Pupil progress chart
• Evaluating pupil needs
• Comparison of reading and maths
performance with developed ability and
attitudes
• Identifying suitable interventions to help
pupils showing signs of dyslexia and
dyscalculia
• Analysis of reading – recognising and
decoding words and reading with
understanding
• Evidence of pupil progress
• Spelling – able to be compared with picture
vocabulary and non-verbal ability
• Identifying pupils who are falling behind or
excelling
• Identifying specific areas within a subject
where progress could be made
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“Following staff attendance on a CEM training course we decided to give the InCAS
package a go. We felt that InCAS would give us additional information that we had
not had access to before and that it would complement our existing assessment
arrangements. We liked the idea that each child would have an individual profile
through the adaptive nature of the test.
There was a high level of engagement from the majority of the nearly 600 students
who took part. They enjoy doing the assessments. Talking to the parents of one
child and the child themselves, who has a real issue with taking ‘tests,’ the child
didn’t even realise that they were being ‘tested.’
The adaptive nature of the test certainly appealed to us and this wouldn’t be
possible with a traditional test. The children responded well to the graphics and to
the various different aspects of the test.”
Discovery Bay International School, Hong Kong
• Providing the basis of discussion of future
needs with the next teacher
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