Arithmetic and Number Progress tests
Please note that the Cornerstones tests are currently referenced to the subjects of the national curriculum for England, rather than the new Curriculum for Wales. However, we are aware that some schools in Wales find these helpful and so have made them available within Cwricwlwm Maestro.
The arithmetic and number progress tests are designed to help you see the strength of your children in this particular area of maths.
How are the Arithmetic and Number Progress tests set up?
The Cornerstones Arithmetic and Number Progress Tests have been developed to support formative assessment and gap analysis across Years 1–6.
There are seven papers in each set that are designed to be used flexibly during the year. Each test assesses children’s ability to apply mental and written strategies when answering a range of questions with an arithmetic and number focus.
The questions present children with a variety of calculations, which they must read, interpret and work out. This enables you to assess their confidence with each of the four operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division).
Our tests are fully mapped to the national curriculum programmes of study, enabling you to keep track of children’s progress at intervals that suit you. The results from the tests will provide you with a clear idea of how children are working in line with the age-related expectations of the national curriculum.
The tests are easy to use, highlighting children’s strengths and weaknesses to help inform your next teaching steps, as well as preparing children for the end-of-key-stage-tests.
We have also created a set of higher order arithmetic and number progress tests to help you assess and challenge high-achieving children, exceeding Y6 expectations.
Each test comes with a detailed mark scheme including acceptable answers and guidance as appropriate. Raw scores can then be recorded on the Attainment and Gap Analysis Tool (read more here). This allows you to complete a question-level analysis of the tests so that you can see strengths and areas to work on at a class, group and individual level.
What is the format of the Arithmetic and Number Progress Tests?
There are two versions of the Arithmetic and Number Progress Tests available. There is the ‘2016–2017’ set and the ‘2017 onwards’ set. Please note, the vast majority of questions across the two sets are the same. It is the higher level content, from the year group above, that has been removed from the ‘2017 onwards’ set.
- The seven Year 1 tests in the ‘2017 onwards’ set are made up of a broad balance of questions that relate to the programmes of study for Y1 only. The test is not strictly timed. It is designed to allow children to demonstrate their attainment and the ability to work at speed is not part of the assessment. You can use your own discretion to give children as much time as they need in order to demonstrate what they understand, know and can do.
- The seven Year 2 tests in the ‘2017 onwards’ set are made up of a broad balance of questions that relate to the programmes of study for Y1 and Y2. The test is not strictly timed but we suggest you allow 15 - 20 minutes per test, after providing children with a short introduction.
- The seven Year 3 tests in the ‘2017 onwards’ set are made up of a broad balance of questions that relate to the programmes of study for Y2 and Y3. We suggest you allow 30 minutes per test, after providing children with a short introduction.
- The seven Year 4 tests in the '2017 onwards' set are made up of a broad balance of questions that relate to the programmes of study for Y2, Y3 and Y4. We suggest you allow 30 minutes per test, after providing children with a short introduction.
- The seven Year 5 tests in the ‘2017 onwards’ set are made up of a broad balance of questions that relate to the programmes of study for Y3, Y4 and Y5. We suggest you allow 30 minutes per test, after providing children with a short introduction.
- The seven Year 6 tests in the ‘2017 onwards’ set are made up of a balance of questions that relate to the programmes of study for Y3, Y4, Y5 and Y6.
Each test comes with a detailed mark scheme including acceptable answers and guidance as appropriate. Raw scores can then be recorded on the Attainment and Gap Analysis Tool (read more here). This allows you to complete a question-level analysis of the tests so that you can see strengths and areas to work on at a class, group and individual level.
We do not require the results of these tests sending to us as we do not create conversion tools for the scores, as they are for in-school use only. You can use the Attainment and Gap Analysis Tool provided to inform you teacher assessments and future planning as it will inform you of any strengths or weaknesses in a class/group/individual’s attainment.
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