Progression in measuring

The Progression in Learning Science and Mathematics Project was set up to investigate to what extent progression in learning can be described in terms of a common framework for all pupils. Other aspects of the assumptions made by the structure of ten age‐independent levels adopted for national assessment in England and Wales were also studied, in particular differing rates of learning and the relation of age to progression. The degree of dependency of progression in learning on teaching formed a subsidiary part of the design. While the study focused on areas in both science (forces) and mathematics (measurement), only the measurement results, relating to both length and weight, are reported in this paper. The research design was that of a cross‐sectional study, with common practical tasks given in interview to a sample of pupils in each of years 2, 4, 6 and 7/8. There was a small longitudinal element in that pupils were re‐interviewed after an interval of 3 months, during which time a planned teaching input relevant to measurement was observed. The results in this paper relate to overall patterns of responses on different aspects of measurement in relation to age, rather than on detailed profiles of individual pupils. A wide spread of attainment in measurement in each age range was demonstrated, but less clear‐cut progression was evident between the age groups. There were only small changes in most aspects over the 3‐month period, in spite of the teaching experienced. Although there were considerable idiosyncratic elements in progression, there was also a degree of consistency both between pupils and within pupils' performances on different tasks. A general framework which identifies separate strands within units, number, continuity and scale is proposed as a model for describing progression.