Looking for PAT: Reading Vocabulary? You can find it here.
PAT Pānui | PAT Reading Comprehension is a standardised multi-choice assessment that can be used formatively and summatively and can contribute accurate, relevant and informative data about the progress of ākonga in reading comprehension. It is designed to support kaiako and school leaders to:
- understand where ākonga are at in their learning at a specific point in time
- identify what progress ākonga are making
- identify patterns of strengths and areas of need for individuals, classes, and groups
- make informed decisions about the kinds of teaching methods, programmes, and materials that are most suitable for their ākonga.
Schools can currently use either our refreshed PAT Pānui (online-only), or the older PAT: Reading Comprehension (online or paper format). From late November 2024, schools can purchase the refreshed PAT Pānui in either online or paper formats. Paper tests can only be used from the beginning of Term 1 2025.
Each of the refreshed PAT Pānui assessments has been designed with a year level in mind. However, each assessment can be used productively at other year levels. Texts cover a mix of genres and the multiple-choice questions test a range of comprehension and meaning-making skills. PAT Pānui is a static test, rather than an adaptive one.
For full information you can download the PAT: Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary information brochure at the bottom of the page. Schools can get the most out of this assessment by registering for one of our PLD workshops.
What's new for schools using PAT Pānui or PAT: Reading Comprehension in 2024
- Our refreshed PAT Pānui | PAT Reading Comprehension is now available online, with paper tests available in late November.
- From Term 1 2025, schools can only use the refreshed PAT Pānui in online and paper formats.
- Unfortunately, this means schools will also not be able to purchase test booklets for PAT: Reading Vocabulary from this point.
- PAT: Reading Vocabulary remains as a separate test online, including a computer adaptive version that takes only 20 minutes to complete. Schools can continue purchasing answer sheets for Vocabulary and uploading them to NZCER Assist throughout 2025.
- The refreshed tests have new designs and content to ensure all ākonga are reflected in the assessments.
- Schools using paper tests for PAT Pānui will still need to complete their marking through NZCER Assist.
Features of PAT Pānui
- Through NZCER Assist, PAT Pānui | PAT Reading Comprehension is a separate test to PAT Reading Vocabulary.
- Test scores allow for formative as well as summative reporting.
- Scale scores enable a student's level of achievement to be tracked from year to year.
- Diagnostic reports can be generated using NZCER Assist.
- The tests can be used administered at any time during the school year.
- Tests can be used at two or more-year levels.
- Qualitative descriptors accompany the progress measurement scale in the Kaiako Guide, which can be used to assist reporting.
- Designed to assess Years 4–10 students.
- Includes materials from contemporary New Zealand, Māori and Pacific authors.
- Focuses on equity, social and cultural diversity, to better reflect communities and environments from across Aotearoa and the wider Pacific.
- Improved accessibility options for ākonga.
- Questions have been recategorised to test a broader range of reading comprehension attributes – including retrieval, local and complex inferencing, integrating and interpreting information, and critiquing and evaluating texts.
Benefits of PAT Pānui
- Multiple tests reflect expected progress through the curriculum. Kaiako can select the assessment that best suits the level of individual ākonga.
- Student-centred and relevant, giving an immediate picture of how students are achieving and progressing in relation to their year level. Provides trustworthy evidence of achievement, usefully contributes to transition data.
- Complexity of the texts and the multiple-choice questions develop across the series of assessments, supporting teachers to develop a consistent understanding of student progress across the year levels.
- All students’ results end up on one scale no matter which test they sit. This allows for accurate school-wide and/or Kahui Ako-wide reporting for strategic goal setting, planning and reporting to whanau.
- Kahui Ako/multi-school analysis reporting for trends, patterns and shift helps to target improvement in teaching and learning.
Ordering paper tests
Tests can only be purchased by schools or parents/caregivers of homeschooled children with a current exemption certificate.
If you can't shop for tests online you can contact us at sales@nzcer.org.nz
For more support, contact our team at assessmentservices@nzcer.org.nz or check out our solutions and knowledge centre.