How long do PAT assessments take to administer?

The following topics are covered here:

• A note on timing
• PAT Adaptive
• Recommended times by assessment

A note on timing

PAT assessments are low stakes (in contrast to, say, scholarship or entrance tests) and are intended primarily to provide you with clear and accurate information about what students can and cannot yet do within a learning area.

For this reason, students will not be automatically locked out of their tests once the recommended time elapses. When administering PAT tests, you must monitor and manage the time, including accommodating toilet breaks or other interruptions that may occur.

Consistency in the time permitted for students to complete their assessment improves the comparability of results, but this should be balanced against the principle that all students should be given adequate opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and ability.

PAT Adaptive

Students must view all items (questions) in their PAT Maths Adaptive and PAT Reading Adaptive tests. Results may be marked 'invalid' and excluded from online reporting in the ACER Data Explorer if students skip ahead and submit their test prematurely.

Monitor student progress during testing and encourage students to view and respond to each item in sequence. Students may return to earlier items to enter or change their responses. If some students still require, you may allow a small amount of extra time according to your professional judgement.

Recommended times by assessment

PAT Maths

PAT Reading

Other PAT assessments