Durbanville Schools Foundation: Baseline Testing (2024)

Baseline Testing

The testing was conducted at the end of the first term and start of the second term in all four project schools.

Two different sets of baseline studies were conducted:-

1. Baseline study for school preparedness in Grade 1 (n=40)

2. Baseline study for scholastic performance of learners with learning barriers in Grades 2 & 3 (n=24)

Results:-

1. School Preparedness using the Test of Basic Concepts Knowledge

65% of the Grade 1 learners from the project schools were found not to be school prepared. These results accord very accurately with data gathered from previous studies using this test. 13% of the population were sampled.

2.Scholastic Performance using the Ballard One Minute (addition and subtraction test) & the Word Assessment Test

The results of the baseline study indicate significant delays in the addition and subtraction operations among learners in the project schools. The learners are operating at a Grade 1 level at the start of the year for addition and below a Grade 1 level for subtraction.

The results of the Word Test reveal significant delays in the ability to write words in the language of instruction among learners with learning barriers in the project schools. For instance, Grade 1 learners from a disadvantaged school in Cape Town could write 24 words, whereas learners from a more privileged school could write 58 words.