04.02 - Educational institutions
Annual
National and county level
360 - Division for Education Statistics
The Statistics Act of 16 June 1989 No. 54, section 2.2.
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National tests in 5th and 8th grade have been conducted annually since 2007. The tests are carried out in the beginning of the school year (September), and reflects the competence objectives of the curriculum in 4th and 7th grade. Three tests are carried out in both 5th and 8th grade – reading in Norwegian, mathematics and reading in English.
The tests are intended as instruments for improvements and development activities locally (school and municipality level) and centrally (government level).
Important users of the education statistics are public administration, special interest organizations, the media, researchers, business and industry. Key users are in particular the Ministry of Education and Research and the Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training
National tests are conducted in 5th and 8th grade in primary and lower secondary schools. The tests are obligatory for all pupils at these grades. Each school can give exemptions according to specified conditions.
The statistics include pupils in 5th and 8th grade who have completed national tests in English, reading and mathematics. Pupils who are exempted or who have not participated in the tests are not included. Statistics about exemption and non-participation in the national tests are available from the Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training online in Skoleporten.
The results from the national tests are collected through the test administration system (PAS), which is owned by the Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training.
Statistics Norway receives the data from the Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training under the provisions of the Statistics Act.
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The headmaster at each school is responsible for registering the results in the test administration system (PAS). The data are stored in PAS for a limited period of time before encryption. Statistics Norway receives a copy of selected variables prior to the encryption.
The data are subject to various controls such as deletion of duplicates, comparisons with former data sets and a control of correct and valid values for each variable. All Personal ID-numbers are checked for errors.
The statistics for each national test (the three subjects) are based on calculating simple distributions of pupils across the various mastering levels.
The general rule is not to publish data if less than 3 pupils are found within a cell or unit in a table. This is to prevent identification of individuals within the statistics.
Mastering levels -- The mastering levels follow the guidelines given by the Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training. There are three levels for 5th grade and five levels for 8th grade. The pupils are placed at the different levels according to their sum score at the tests. In 2007 the Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training set the percentage distribution for the mastering levels. In 2008 the scores were set in order to achieve approximately the same average mastering levels as in 2007. **5th grade 2007 (national level)**
Test subject | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Average | Std.deviation |
reading English | 27,5 | 47,5 | 25,0 | 2,0 | 0,7 |
Reading Norwegian | 26,5 | 50,1 | 23,3 | 2,0 | 0,7 |
Mathematics | 27,5 | 47,5 | 25,0 | 2,0 | 0,7 |
**8th grade 2007 (national level)**
Test subject | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 | Level 5 | Average | Std.deviation |
Reading English | 8,5 | 19,5 | 43,4 | 20,9 | 7,8 | 3,0 | 1,0 |
Reading Norwegian | 7,5 | 17,5 | 41,3 | 20,9 | 12,8 | 3,1 | 1,1 |
Mathematics | 6,6 | 18,9 | 43,2 | 20,4 | 10,8 | 3,1 | 1,0 |
**5th grade 2008 (national level)**
Test subject | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Average | Std.deviation |
Reading English | 25,6 | 48,8 | 25,6 | 2,0 | 0,7 |
Reading Norwegian | 24,5 | 48,9 | 26,5 | 2,0 | 0,7 |
Mathematics | 26,8 | 48,8 | 24,4 | 2,0 | 0,7 |
**8th grade 2008 (national level)**
Test subject | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 | Level 5 | Average | Std.deviation |
Reading English | 8,3 | 20,0 | 42,8 | 20,4 | 8,5 | 3,0 | 1,0 |
Reading Norwegian | 7,9 | 19,2 | 38,2 | 23,2 | 11,5 | 3,1 | 1,1 |
Mathematics | 6,0 | 19,2 | 42,4 | 21,5 | 10,9 | 3,1 | 1,0 |
**5th grade 2009 (national level)**
Test subject | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Average | Std.deviation |
Reading English | 23,7 | 51,6 | 24,7 | 2,0 | 0,7 |
Reading Norwegian | 26,6 | 49,9 | 23,5 | 2,0 | 0,7 |
Mathematics | 27,4 | 46,9 | 25,7 | 2,0 | 0,7 |
**8th grade 2009 (national level)**
Test subject | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 | Level 5 | Average | Std.deviation |
Reading English | 10,6 | 19,1 | 40,5 | 19,9 | 10,0 | 3,0 | 1,1 |
Reading Norwegian | 7,7 | 20,0 | 41,1 | 20,8 | 10,4 | 3,1 | 1,1 |
Mathematics | 6,5 | 20,4 | 41,4 | 19,9 | 11,8 | 3,1 | 1,1 |
Number of pupils in 5th grade -- The total number of pupils in 5th grade at the school attended by the pupil. Only pupils answering at least one of the three national tests count towards the total in 5th grade at a given school.
Parents’ highest level of education is derived from register information in The National Education Database (NUDB). The new definitions of levels are used.
Immigration category is coded according to Standard for immigration category 2008. The term other pupils comprise the pupils in immigration categories A, D, E, F and G.
Grouping of states is coded according to Standard for alternative grouping of states 2008.
The centrality of pupils' school minicipality is coded according to the definitions in Centrality 2008.
When data is compiled from administrative registers, typical errors like measurement, non-response and sampling errors do not occur in the same sense as compared to statistics compiled by forms. Errors in data collected from administrative registers can be caused by uncertainties in the definition of variables and values between those responsible for the registers and others responsible for data collection from the registers.
Not relevant. However, cf. 3.1. about exemptions and non-participation.
Not relevant. No sampling.
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Changes over time for a given group of pupils (e.g. county results) should primarily be interpreted not as absolute improvement/decline, but as relative changes compared to other groups (e.g. other counties) or compared to the distribution at the national level.
Even though the distribution at the national level is maintained at an almost fixed level from one year to the next, there are some variations (cf. 4.1) that one should take into account when comparing results over time.
The statistics on national tests can be viewed in connection with education statistics covering pupils in primary and lower secondary schools.
The statistics are released on the Internet pages of Statistics Norway. The data are also available in Statbank. Latest article
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All education statistics at Statistics Norway is stored in a proper, standardized manner in consultation with the Data Inspectorate.
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