The Complete Digital Solution (CDS) is a ready-made digital package of 11 of our leading assessments, with unlimited use, which gives you an unrivalled understanding of your pupils’ potential and achievement right through school.

This powerful combination of tools will help you to measure reasoning skills, monitor progress in core subjects year on year, and identify barriers to learning. Results are set against national benchmarks, all standardised on impressive numbers of pupils, which are nationally representative.

CDS includes:

Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT4)

Baseline and Baseline Progress

The Progress Test Series (English, maths, science)

New Group Reading Test (NGRT)

New Group Spelling Test (NGST)

Dyslexia Screener

Dyscalculia Screener

Pupil Attitudes to Self and School (PASS)

Kirkland Rowell Surveys

What does CDS do?

The assessments cover ability, attainment in core subjects, reading, spelling, dyslexia, dyscalculia and pupil attitudes:

1. The Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT4) offers an independent perspective on potential pupil achievement, providing you with reliable information for each child to help identify where to give extra support or set more challenging targets.
2. Attainment and progress in core subjects are assessed by Baseline and Baseline Progress (on entry and at the end of Reception), the Progress Test Series (covering English, maths and science), the New Group Reading Test (NGRT) and the New Group Spelling Test (NGST).
3. Barriers to learning are uncovered by the Pupil Attitudes to Self and School (PASS) survey, Dyslexia Screener and Dyscalculia Screener, as well as NGRT and NGST.
4. Parent, pupil and staff stakeholder surveys are also available through our Kirkland Rowell Surveys, providing you with a solid basis for your school self-evaluation.

Tailored, easy to access reports enable you to share results with different audiences, including inspectors and parents.

Why use CDS?

It’s statistically robust, with national benchmarks for all assessments based on impressive pupil numbers. The PT Series (for example) was standardised against a UK sample of over 100,000 pupils, with benchmarks verified every year based on analysis from half a million pupils. PASS was standardised on 600,000 children.

CDS offers great value for money – it will save you over 60% on the cost of the individual assessments within the package. 

What does CDS tell you?

Assesses pupils’ abilities, continuously compares it with their attainment, tracks progress year after year, and uncovers barriers to learning. It highlights pupils who can be challenged further to achieve their maximum potential.

How do I use CDS?  

You can use as many of the assessments within the package as you wish and when you wish. All assessments are digital except Progress Test Series in YR and Y1, where paper tests are deemed more appropriate.

Assessments can be taken annually, bi-annually or, at most, termly, ensuring testing is both timely and manageable. Easy to access reports matched to the needs of groups, individuals and parents are available for each assessment.

Who uses CDS?

The assessments within CDS are widely used in primary and secondary schools. For example, over three quarters of a million pupils take CAT4 each year.