AQA Global Assessment Services manages the delivery of 2.5 million online assessments each year through our consultancy and projects unit, Alpha Plus.

These national tests are compulsory for schools in Wales.

The Welsh government had a clear vision. They wanted to use all the advantages of online testing to innovate beyond the confines of traditional monitoring tests, to deliver better educational outcomes.

In response to this brief, we design and deliver online tests each year with the primary objective of improving teaching and learning – by providing immediate feedback and tailored reports for teachers.

Our tests assess maths, literacy and problem solving skills using rich and engaging item types, available in both English and Welsh language.

We developed sophisticated adaptive algorithms, applied through our e-test delivery partner Surpass, to create a personalised testing experience for students.

That means teachers can assign tests to individual students at different times, using the laptops and tablets available in the school, so they are easy to administer.

The project started in 2017 and renewed in 2022. It has been so successful we are now offering a similar national programme in Scotland.

Find out more about online national assessments in Wales.