Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 48: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the progress with regard to the introduction of standardised testing at primary level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10788/07]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 63: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when standardised testing will be introduced for primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10712/07]

Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 76: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason for the delay in the introduction of standardised testing at primary level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10787/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 48, 63 and 76 together.

I believe that standardised testing, carried out on a systematic basis, has great potential to enhance the quality of teaching and learning for our students at classroom level, and to provide valuable information for parents about their children's learning. I have accepted the advice from the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) that, as part of a range of assessment approaches, all pupils should take standardised tests in English reading and Mathematics at the end of first class or the beginning of second class,and at the end of fourth class or the beginning of fifth class.

My Department has issued a Circular Letter to primary schools requesting that they ensure that standardised testing is implemented on an annual basis in the relevant classes beginning in the calendar year 2007. With effect from 2007/8, the results of testing will be reported to parents in respect of their own children in accordance with a broader reporting template, designed to report progress on children's learning to parents, being piloted at present in a number of selected schools by the NCCA.

The introduction of the measure is being supported by a national programme of teacher professional development in assessment for learning. This will aim to support teachers in placing assessment at the heart of the teaching and learning process, supporting children's cognitive, creative, affective, physical and social development. It is intended that all teachers and principals will have access to the programme on a rolling basis.

A grant of €1.65m issued to schools in December 2006 for the cost of test materials, teachers' manuals, test scoring services or test-related software. It is intended that the implementation of standardised testing at school level will be complemented by a separate programme of national monitoring so that national trends in different categories of school can be tracked over time. The NCCA is preparing guidelines which will assist schools in developing and implementing a policy on assessment practice in classrooms and on reporting to parents. The guidelines will also provide teachers with information on what to assess in individual subjects of the Primary School Curriculum and how to use assessment information to plan for children's future learning in that subject. These will be available to schools later this year.

A national report card for recording and reporting data on pupils' attainment to parents is also being developed by the NCCA. This is being piloted in a selection of schools in the current school year and will be available for national implementation in 2007/8.