Assessment for Incoming First Years Saturday 11 February 2023

Dear Parents/Guardians & Students,

Our CAT 4 (Cognitive Abilities Test) Assessment for our incoming First Year Students takes place on Saturday 11 February 2023 from 9.30am to 12.30pm. Please note the following information:

• The test will take place in the College Sports Hall
• Students will have two short breaks during the morning
• Students are asked to bring a light snack for each break
• Students do not need any stationery and will be provided with a pencil and an eraser
• Students must attend in their Primary School Uniform
• No preparation is required in advance of the assessment. Students are simply asked to complete the assessment to the best of their ability

Parents are asked to note that First Year classes in Glanmire Community College operate strictly on a mixed ability basis.

What does CAT4 do?

It provides a rounded profile of student ability so that we can target support, provide the right level of challenge, and make informed decisions about their progress. Reports indicate strengths and weaknesses across four domains:

• Verbal Reasoning – the ability to express ideas and reason through words is essential to subjects with a high language content, and the most obvious skill picked up by traditional assessment.
• Non-verbal Reasoning – problem-solving using pictures and diagrams; skills which are important in a wide range of school subjects, including maths and science-based subjects.
• Spatial Reasoning – the capacity to think and draw conclusions in three dimensions, needed for many STEM subjects, but not easily measured by other datasets.
• Quantitative Reasoning – the ability to use numerical skills to solve problems, applicable well beyond mathematics.

What can CAT4 tell us?

CAT4 provides an understanding of what a student is capable of as well as identifying which of our students have the potential to achieve more and those who need support in certain subjects. For example, a student with a low quantitative score may struggle with Maths, while one with a low verbal score may find it difficult to access the curriculum. These insights help us to adapt their learning programmes in school. The CAT 4 Assessments are used to access information about your child’s strengths and weaknesses. CAT assessments are also used, in combination with your son/daughters STen scores from primary school and their assessment results in second level to track your child’s progress and monitor if they are performing to ability.

For more information explaining CAT4 assessments please view the video below:

For further information on the Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT4) and related Data Protection information please click on the links below:

Information for parents  Assessment (CAT4)