Sparx Reading Tests provide a starting point if you plan on measuring reading age progress throughout the year, and ensure that the first books a student is offered are as close as possible to their reading level.
However, students do not need to complete the Sparx Reading Test before they start reading. See Getting students started without a Sparx Reading Test for more information.
Setting the Sparx Reading Test (SRT)
Setting the Sparx Reading Test (SRT)
You can set up a test by following these steps:
Go to 'More' → 'Reading Test'
Select your class
Untick any students who are absent, or who you don't want to sit the test
Click 'Create Test'
Choose which test you would like students to sit: either 'Form 1' or 'Form 2'
Choose to start the test immediately or schedule it
Choose how long you want the test to be live for
Click 'Create Test'
About the test
About the test
The test takes around 20-30 minutes to complete
There is no audio element so no headphones are needed
It consists of five sections containing different question styles which test students' vocabulary and comprehension skills
Students will see between 45-83 questions (this is adaptive to each student)
The test will expire after the set amount of time (maximum 9 hours)
Students can change the accessibility settings during the test
Example questions
Example questions
Managing incomplete tests
Managing incomplete tests
You can check whether a student has completed a test by going to More -> Reading Test. The "Test ever completed" column shows whether the student has completed any Sparx Reading Test, whereas the other columns display details of the most recent test set for that student.
Resuming incomplete tests
If a student runs out of time and doesn’t complete the test within the time you set, they will show as having Partial progress. For up to three weeks after the test, you can re-open the test for these students by going to the Resume tests tab and setting a new expiry time.
This will allow them to continue partway through the test instead of having to start again from the beginning.
If you would rather them start the test again, you can follow the original steps above to set them a new test.
Frequently asked questions
Which form should I use?
Which form should I use?
Form 1 and form 2 are two variants of the exact same test (with different question banks). We recommend sitting one at the start of the year when you onboard your students and then the other at the end of the year to track progress, but it does not matter which way round.
If you set the wrong test for your students and they end up sitting the same test twice, there is a small chance that the data on the report may show that they are slightly stronger as the students have seen the test before. However, because there are a lot of questions, and these adapt as the student progresses, you should still be able to get a useful comparison.
Why is the expiry time so short?
Why is the expiry time so short?
The test expires after 2 hours by default (though you can extend to 9 hours), to prevent students completing the test outside school. If they haven’t finished by then, a result will not be generated and you will need to re-set them the test for them to complete it.
Can I set the test as homework?
Can I set the test as homework?
We strongly recommend that the test is completed in school under test conditions.
How does the SRT compare to the NGRT?
How does the SRT compare to the NGRT?
By analysing reading age data that schools have shared with us, we see a very strong correlation between SRT results and other tests including NGRT.
If a student sits another SRT and their reading age changes, will this affect their book choice?
If a student sits another SRT and their reading age changes, will this affect their book choice?
If a student sits an SRT after using Reader for a while, this will not have any impact on their Sparx Level or the books they are offered. However, if you notice a significant discrepancy, you may choose to manually override the student's level.
Can I see Standardised Age Scores (SAS/Stanine) for my students?
Can I see Standardised Age Scores (SAS/Stanine) for my students?
Yes, once your students have completed the Sparx Reader Test, you can download the SRT Report from the Reporting section of your site. As well as their reading age in years and months, we show both SAS and Stanine scores in columns K and L.