The Item Report provides a curricular content breakdown at the level of the curriculum the test is recommended for. The Item report indicates what percentage of the group of students answered each question (item) on a test successfully. It also compares the success of the group on the questions with the success of students from the national reference group at a given year level.  


The report provides links to each question/item plus a breakdown of how each student answered each question providing in-depth diagnostic knowledge of individual students' knowledge and skill in specific areas of the subject.  Good curriculum knowledge will allow teachers to quickly make links behind the particular concept being tested by individual questions and the students' responses, to make formative decisions about  how students think and approach each idea.
When reading the report it is important to identify which year level the group of students is being compared with. In Term 4 students will automatically be compared to the following reference year's Term 1 results.  It is important to remember that national performance on a question is only a reference point. A school might expect their students to consistently perform above the national proportions.


Using the Item Report


The amount of assessment information in the Item report can seem overwhelming. Teachers are not expected to look at every question and every student. The Item Report can be used to 'drill down' into the subject knowledge and skill to:

  1. Group Strand  questions and compare results
  2. CLICK   on individual question numbers to gain see student responses and gain insights using the question information.
  3. Use the Filters to uncover trends and patterns, strengths and weaknesses that exist in the test group
  4. Identify specific cohorts in specific areas of the subject who require specific teaching to target knowledge and skills.
  5. Follow hunches, 'informal conclusions' to identify actual needs


Reviewing questions where the group’s performance is well under the national performance, or which deviate from the patterns shown on other questions, may highlight particular areas for concern and further investigation.  By investigating the Individual Item Report  by clicking on the question number, users  can 'drill down' into specific areas of the subject, specific cohorts with learning needs - either support or extension, and target relevant teaching strategies to meet the needs. Question info provides insight for incorrect responses by detailing common misconceptions underpinning multi-choice answers.


ARBs link - each item is linked to  the Assessment Resource Bank (ARBs) by the question description. Kaiako are provided with multiple curriculum-levelled activities that become a part of forward-planning. The PAT allows insight into what ākonga can and can't do and the Possible Misconceptions gives kaiako clues for student position and understanding with the wider concept.

NB: Kaiako must be registered with the ARBs to access the activities  www.arbs.nzcer.org.nz