What is the NRT and what should selected schools
expect?
The NRT is a one-hour test taken each year by a representative
sample of year 11 students in England. The 2023 test will take
place between 20 February and 3 March 2023, and this will be the
seventh year it has been conducted.
Each student takes either an English test or a maths test. The
test reflects the sorts of questions students can expect in GCSE
English language and maths exams. The results provide us with an
objective measure of how year 11 students in England are
performing in these subjects and whether performance has changed
compared with previous years. There are no results for individual
students or schools.
We know that year 11 timetables are tight and school staff will
be busy preparing for the summer exams. That’s why we aim to
minimise the burden on schools selected to participate in the
NRT.
NFER organises the test, working closely with a contact nominated
by each school, usually the exams officer, so that things run
smoothly. One of the first tasks is to agree a test date, within
the test fortnight, that suits the school. When the tests are
taken, an NFER test administrator will bring the test papers,
invigilate the test and take the completed scripts away for
marking.
Findings from the 2022 NRT
The 2022 NRT outcomes
were published on 25 August.
In English, results showed no statistically significant
difference when compared to 2020 (the last year of the NRT that
was unaffected by the pandemic).
In maths, there was a statistically significant downward change
compared to 2020. The Chief Regulator decided not to ask exam
boards to reflect this drop in attainment in GCSE maths grade
boundaries. This would have contradicted the policy in 2022 for
more generous grading to reflect the disruption caused by the
pandemic.
If your school is part of this year’s sample, thank you in
advance for your support.
The national cohort results will be available in August 2023.
