(2) how many of those who successfully passed each test in each year passed on their first attempt;
(3) what the highest number of attempts needed was for any successful student to pass (a) in each year and (b) for each test;
(4) to which part of key stage 4 of the national curriculum the qualified teacher status skills tests equate.
The Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) holds data on the number of skills tests attempted by teacher trainees who successfully passed the tests but not on those taken by trainees who have attempted but have not successfully passed the tests. The available data is collected on an academic, rather than financial year, basis.
Approximate total number of tests sat by those who passed, by academic year Approximate total cost of running the tests for year, by financial year Approximate unit cost per test taken by those who passed their tests 2000/01 55,854 5,245,000 93.91 2001/02 94,821 5,972,000 62.98 2002/03 113,044 4,132,000 36.55 2003/04 121,390 5,349,000 44.06 2004/05 142,654 4,722,000 33.10 2005/06 136,559 4,262,000 31.21
The unit cost is higher in the early years because, while fewer trainees sat the tests, the development costs of the scheme are reflected in them.
The following table shows the number of candidates who passed individual skills tests on their first attempt. This, and further information, is available publicly on the TDA website.
2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 Numeracy 18,948 22,519 24,744 27,341 26,964 26,964 Literacy 21,037 22,468 25,353 28,864 26,930 27,438 ICT n/a 23,410 22,765 29,002 25,191 31,418
The 2005/06 cohort data can be found at
http://www.tda.gov.uk/partners/datasurveys/skillstestsresults.aspx.
The 2000/01 to 2004/05 cohort data can be found at
http://www.tda.gov.uk/partners/datasurveys/skillstestsresults.archive.aspx
The following table shows the highest number of attempts needed by some candidates to pass in each year and for each test. Data prior to 2001 are not available.
Numeracy Literacy ICT 2001 26 19 8 2002 24 18 25 2003 24 25 6 2004 23 13 15 2005 28 20 13 2006 28 19 9
The skills tests are broadly consistent with grade C at key stage 4 of the national curriculum but do not equate to any specific part of it.