MIDYIS BASELINE TEST DATA
The test scores are nationally standardised so that:
 The mean is 100
 The standard deviation is 15 i.e. students with scores between 85 and 115 are in the middle
67% of all students who did the baseline test
1.
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The Vocabulary and Maths tests:
Measure ability in these areas
Measure fluency and speed in undertaking these tasks
Are excellent predictors of subsequent achievements in almost all school subjects and good
predictors even for subjects such as Music, PE and Art which require aspects of talent
2. The non-verbal scale comprises the cross-sections, block counting and pictures tests:
 These measure a student’s ability to see in 3-D, and their spatial awareness, an important skill
in many areas of the curriculum
3. The Skills scale is based on two tests, proof reading and perceptual speed and accuracy:
 Proof reading measures the ability to spot errors in a passage of text such as spelling and
grammar, and may indicate potential problems in written work
 Speed and accuracy measures the ability to recognise and match symbols quickly
 Both skills rely on a student’s scanning and skimming skills, desirable under test and
examination conditions
SOME USEFUL DATA PATTERNS TO LOOK FOR:
Vocabulary Score
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This measure provides a strong indicator of later academic achievement in all subjects. For the
MidYIS system this is particularly well correlated with subjects such as English, English
Literature, Geography, History and Foreign languages.
Able students with English as an additional language may have a depressed Vocabulary score.
Such students are able to demonstrate a truer measure of their ability through the Maths and
Non-Verbal section scores. Please note the test results show that access to the other test
sections is not limited by a low vocabulary score.
Students with low vocabulary scores may not know or understand the meaning and use of
many common words or phrases. This may well impact on learning and subsequent
achievement.
Maths Score
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This measure also provides a strong indicator of later academic achievement in all subjects. For
the MidYIS system this is particularly well correlated with Maths, Physics, Chemistry and
ICT.
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The Mathematics section is difficult to design as curriculum-free because most mathematical
concepts have to be taught and hence are curriculum-related. However this section has the
emphasis on measuring speed and fluency in Mathematics, rather than knowledge of
Mathematics.
On the evidence provided by the MidYIS Vocabulary and Mathematics baseline data, many schools
undertake further screening assessments leading to extra support for students to improve their literacy
and numeracy skills. A number of national strategies are available, and may well involve close liaison
between English, Mathematics and the learning support staff.
Non-Verbal Score
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For the MidYIS system this measure correlates well with Maths, Geography, Art, Drama,
Science and Technology subjects. It provides a measure of the student’s ability in 3-D
visualisation, spatial aptitude, pattern recognition and logical thinking. It is a suitable indicator
of ability for students for whom English is a second language.
Skills Score
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The Proof Reading and PSA tests are tests for the modern world (and are designed to measure
fluency and speed). They rely on a student’s scanning and skimming skills, skills that are
desirable in examination situations when reading questions and checking answers. Low scores
in this section, when compared to the other sections, may explain examination
underachievement.
For the MidYIS system this measure also correlates well to the prediction of English, English
Literature and Foreign Language subjects
Low skills scores (and often with low vocabulary scores) are indicators of poor quality written
work
Looking at a student’s MidYIS IPR can therefore ‘flag-up’ potential learning strengths,
concerns and pose questions for teachers.
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Where each of the test component confidence bands overlap (IPRs), then there would appear to
be a consistency of performance for that ability range.
Where one or two of the components are above or below the other confidence bands, then a
significant strength or concern would be indicated.
WHY USE THIS DATA?
 For all teachers and support staff, this information will help to support professional judgement.
It will also give a better understanding of the progress students make at school and their
potential performance
 It also indicates reasons for student learning difficulties and may even go some way to explain
lack of progress, flag-up causes for underachievement and even behaviour problems
 It is useful data to refer to for student reviews, writing reports, meeting parents, monitoring
progress and interim assessments.