Proposed consultation on National Literacy and Numeracy Framework and National Reading and Numeracy Tests

Date of decision / Dyddiad y penderfyniad:

15 May 2012

Statement of information / Datganiad gwybodaeth:

In December 2011, the Minister for Education and Skills agreed to consult with schools and other stakeholders on the draft National Literacy and Numeracy Framework (NLNF) and national reading and numeracy tests.

The Minister has therefore been asked to agree the draft consultation documents and arrangements.

The new National Literacy and Numeracy Framework will be made a statutory part of the National Curriculum in Wales by means of an Order under section 108(2) and (3) of the Education Act 2002.  Section 109(9) of the 2002 Act would also allow the Welsh Ministers to make provision to determine the extent to which the assessment arrangements, and the implementation of them, made by the Welsh Ministers achieve the purpose for which they are made.  This would allow the Welsh Ministers to make provision in relation to schools keeping or providing to prescribed persons evidence of pupil’s progress in literacy and numeracy.

It will become a statutory requirement by means of an Order under 108 of the Education Act 2002 for all schools in Wales to use the Welsh Government’s bespoke reading and numeracy tests on an annual basis. All learners in year groups 2 to 9 in maintained schools in Wales will be required to take the tests which will be available in both English and Welsh

The Minister has a duty under section 10 of the Education Act 1996 to promote the education of children in Wales. In addition section 70 of the Government of Wales Act 2006 provides that the Welsh Ministers may do anything which is calculated to facilitate, or is conducive or incidental to, the exercise of any of their functions.

The Welsh Ministers’ powers to make the National Reading and Numeracy Tests statutory are provided at section 108 of the Education Act 2002. The Welsh Ministers may by order specify such assessment arrangement of the national curriculum in respect of the Foundation Phase, key stages 2 and 3 as the Welsh Ministers consider appropriate for that subject. The power to make assessment arrangements in relation to the Foundation Phase means the assessment of pupils in respect of the desirable outcomes of the Foundation Phase. In key stages 2 and 3 the assessment is in relation to the attainment targets of that key stage.  

Our view is that the National Reading Tests will assess pupils in respect of the Language, Literacy and Communications Skills area of learning in the Foundation Phase. In respect of keys stages 2 and 3 they will assess the reading attainment target. Our view is that the National Numeracy Tests will assess pupils in respect of the desirable outcome of mathematical development in the Foundation Phase. In respect of key stages 2 and 3 they will assess the numeracy attainment target.

Those powers are powers of the Welsh Ministers.