Norwegian National Testing

Why National Tests?

National tests, which happen in September, provide us with information about pupils’ basic skills in reading and numeracy and in some aspects of the English subject.

The fundamental skills are:

• Digital skills

• Oral skills

• Reading

• Numeracy

• Writing

These skills are important for learning and development in all subjects, and they have a significant impact on how pupils cope with school and life in general. The reading and numeracy tests are not tests in the subjects of Norwegian and Mathematics, but rather in reading and numeracy as basic skills in all school subjects.

The English tests aim to assess reading comprehension, vocabulary and grammar.

The school must consider the information from the tests in context with other information about the pupils, and use this information as part of the formative assessment. Formative assessment is designed to promote learning and provide a framework for adapted education.

Who should take which tests?

The national tests are taken in Years 5, 8 and 9. The general rule is that the tests are obligatory for all pupils. Pupils in Years 5 and 8 shall take national tests in reading, numeracy and English. Year 9 pupils shall take national tests in reading and numeracy. These tests are the same as for Year 8. The tests are electronic tests.

Exemption may be granted to

pupils with the right to special needs education or pupils with the right to adapted education in Norwegian,
when it is simultaneously clear that the test result will not have much effect on the pupil’s learning

Even if a pupil is entitled to an exemption, he/she or you as parents may still decide that the pupil should take the test.

What type of tasks shall the pupils be asked to solve?

The tests comprise a range of texts, pictures and tasks. The pupils should answer the questions using a combination of short answers and multiple choice answers. Short answer questions require the pupils to use their own words or figures, while multiple choice means the pupils must choose one of several alternative answers. The tests include a combination of easy, moderately difficult and difficult tasks in order to provide information about pupils on all skill levels. At www.udir.no you can find examples of the types of tasks used in the national tests. You can also find electronic tests in English and numeracy that have been given in earlier years on the website.

Who has access to the results?

Pupils and parents will get feedback from the teacher about the test results once the results are ready. Each school will primarily use the results to improve the pupils’ learning. Guidance material have been produced for teachers to help them make good use of the results. Only the teachers and the school have access to the pupils’ individual results. Teachers and schools are required by law to keep the test results for each pupil confidential.

The results from the national tests in English and numeracy can be used to build longitudinal data. This means that the school and counties will be able to see whether the pupils’ results improve over time.