Verbal and non-verbal working memory and achievements on National Curriculum tests at 11 and 14 years of age

Abstract Recent research has found links between working memory and performance on National Curriculum tests. However, these studies have employed only verbal complex span tasks as measures of the central executive component of working memory. In the present study, children at Key Stages 2 and 3 of the National Curriculum (aged 11 and 14 years) were tested on measures of the phonological loop and visuospatial sketchpad as well as both verbal and nonverbal central executive tasks. Confirmatory factor analysis identified two factors: one verbal working memory factor associated with both the phonological loop and verbal central executive tasks, and one non-verbal working memory factor associated with both the visuospatial sketchpad and non-verbal central executive tasks. Further analyses were then used to explore the relationship between working memory and National Curriculum test scores in English, mathematics and science. The results suggested that both verbal and non-verbal working memory are important predictors of National Curriculum test scores.