CAT4 Test

Understanding the CAT4 Test

What is the CAT4 Test?

The CAT4 test (Cognitive Ability Test) is used to predict student success through the evaluation of verbal, non-verbal, mathematical, and spatial reasoning. It’s a predictive test to help teachers place students in an academic bracket or set.

The CAT4 test focuses on evaluating different aspects of a child’s learning ability through eight short quizzes. Understanding a child’s learning ability can help determine if additional support or more challenging work is needed. The CAT4 tests provide valuable information for teachers to indicate the academic potential of a child and how best to deliver impactful lessons for each child or group of students.

What Do CAT4 Test Questions Look Like?

CAT4 test questions are designed as “puzzles” rather than knowledge-based questions. They evaluate core cognitive skills that are critical for academic success across all subjects. The questions focus on:

• Non-Verbal Reasoning: Tests the ability to think about shapes and patterns. Shapes and patterns are presented and the student is asked to determine what comes next, or what the patterns are within the shapes.
• Verbal Reasoning: Evaluates a child’s ability to understand and manipulate words. Word patterns are presented and the student is asked to determine which words belong, which don’t, and how they are connected.
• Quantitative Reasoning: Focuses on identifying numerical patterns. Number patterns are shown and the student is expected to quickly work out the next value.
• Spatial Ability: Assesses how well a child can assess visual images. Generating and transforming visual images by being presented with shapes and their transformation – the student is then asked to select the final shape.

All skills being evaluated are foundational to a child’s ability and academic performance in both curriculum subjects and real jobs. An architect, for instance will need excellent spatial awareness and quantitative reasoning skills. An English teacher on the other hand will need the ability to see patterns in text and use high verbal reasoning skills.

What are the Results Used For?

The CAT4 results show a breakdown of the student’s abilities in the four areas mentioned. This can determine if the student is a good fit for the school and help to place them in the right academic group. Student profiles can be used to understand learning preferences and match learning material to the students, improving the overall educational approach. Placing students in academic sets of similar levels can also help to ensure the pace of teaching is not too fast or too slow.
Teachers are provided with an individual profile of the student’s learning preference along with a range of indicators that help estimate future performance. Used with other information, this data can support teaching and learning for all children.

How does CAT4 compare to an exam?

CAT4 is a timed assessment and is administered under formal conditions. However, each section of the assessment includes introductory information with practice examples, and these will familiarise the children with the style and format of the questions. These sections are not timed and may be repeated.

Should my child revise or train for CAT4? Can I get practice tests?

We strongly advise against any kind of practise ahead of a CAT4 test as this will alter the reliability of test scores. The point of CAT4 is that it is not a test of learnt knowledge and it needs to be as unaffected as possible by any external factors, such as practising beforehand. Think of it like an eye test; if you practise ahead of an eye test and memorise the card, your diagnosis may not be correct and valuable information may be missed.