Choosing the right PAT Maths 5th Edition test

Important: PAT Maths 5th Edition replaced PAT Maths 4th Edition in January 2026.

The following is covered here:

• Importance of choosing the right test
• Previewing the tests
• Recommended test levels

Related articles:

• When to test with PAT Maths 5th Edition

Importance of choosing the right test

For an assessment to produce valuable information about students’ abilities, it needs to be appropriately targeted to uncover what students can do and understand, as well as what they cannot yet do and understand.

So, when a student responds correctly to approximately 50% of questions, the test is well targeted and provides the maximum information about the skills a student is demonstrating, and those they are still developing.

Previewing the tests

To make decisions about which test is most appropriate for a particular student or group of students, it is essential that you preview the test content:

1. Click Students
2. Click Tests
3. Click Preview

The difficulty of a test and your knowledge of each student should be taken into consideration when selecting an appropriate test form. Curriculum appropriateness and the context of the classroom also need to be taken into account when making this decision.

There is often a wide range of ability within the classroom, so it is not necessary to provide all students in a class with the same test. Instead, the focus should always be on each student’s ability at the time of the assessment, not where they are expected to be.

Recommended test levels