Pupil/student assessment

In middle and secondary schools, class- and school-based assessment, both formative and summative in nature, forms an integral part of assessment practice. At the class level assessment for learning provides on-going feedback about both the students’ progress and the teaching process.

Formal continuous assessment of students throughout the school year started in the scholastic year 2018-2019 and it has since been considered when assigning students the final mark at the end of the year. A mark for continuous assessment is given by the subject teacher twice a year, once in the second term and another time at the end of the school year. The weighting assigned to continuous assessment for all subjects is set at 40%.  

Coursework is a type of assessment used in a range of subjects, including vocational subjects. Coursework is often carried out under the teacher’s guidance, such that teachers provide students the necessary support, analysis, and resources if necessary. Some coursework is carried out outside the classroom so that students have ample time and opportunity to research. In subjects such as Art, Fashion & Textile Studies and Home Economics, coursework includes the compilation of portfolios. Such portfolios include a purposeful collection of the student’s work that exhibits the student’s effort, progress, and achievement, in one or more areas of the curriculum. Teachers also provide feedback to students and their parents regarding the learning outcomes being covered in class.

At the end of each school year, students sit for annual examinations in all, but a few, subjects learnt at school. There is a same technique for summative assessment that is used in compulsory education (i.e. primary and secondary).  Subjects that are examined by an exam in general lower secondary education include Maltese, English, Second Foreign Language, Maths, Religion, Ethics, Social Studies, Integrated Science, Physics, History, Geography, Information and Communication Technology and Elective Subjects chosen from the Academic Pathway. Subjects that are not examined include PE, Design & Technology, Home Economics and Personal, Social & Career Development (PSCD).  The annual examinations for state schools, and their respective marking schemes, are set centrally. Samples of exam scripts are moderated by education officers and/or Heads of Department of the respective subject. Examinations are marked on a 100-point scale. Each non-state school sets its own examinations.

Parents/guardians can view their children’s assessment and exam marks, and their progress towards the achieving the learning outcomes. Additionally, they can discuss their child’s school performance with teachers during biannual Parents’ Days held, which are held in the first and second terms of the school year.

At the end of compulsory secondary education students can opt to sit for Secondary Education Certificate (SEC) examinations set by the Matriculation and Secondary Education Certificate (MATSEC) Examinations Board within the University of Malta. Some SEC exams, like languages and music, have an oral and/or aural component while other subjects include coursework. The proportion of marks allocated for coursework varies between 15% and 60%, depending on the subject. These marks have a significant effect on the grades awarded to candidates. Coursework in each of these subjects is moderated by MATSEC examiners. The model of moderation employed is an external/inspectorial one. Through moderation, the MATSEC Board checks that the objectives of coursework are being achieved. Non-vocational SEC written exams comprise two papers: a core paper (Paper I) taken by all students and a second paper: Paper II. The second paper is offered at two levels: Paper IIA and Paper IIB. Paper IIA is considered as more demanding than Paper IIB. The two-tiered option aims to extend access to different attainment levels to students at different competency levels. Vocational subjects are assessed through annually through two assignments and one controlled assessment. Students who achieve a pass mark in SEC examinations attain a certificate that is accredited at Level 2 or 3 (depending on the grades achieved) of the Malta Qualifications Framework (MQF). As from 2025, the SEC will have a school-based assessment (SBA) component instead of coursework introduced as indicated in the table below

The weighting of the SBA for Vocational Subjects is 60%.

Progression of Pupils/Students

Within compulsory education, progression from one year to the next is automatic, and the marks achieved in one year inform class allocation in the subsequent year.

Certification

The Secondary School Certificate and Profile

Upon completion of the five-year secondary education cycle, students are awarded the Secondary School Certificate and Profile (SSC&P), issued by the Directorate for Quality and Standards in Education (DQSE) within the Ministry for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation. This certificate records all formal, non-formal and informal activities undertaken by the student, illustrating what a student knows and can do at the end of secondary education. It also gives credit to the student’s general school attendance, conduct and personal qualities. In this way the certificate validates and documents all learning to provide a holistic picture of each individual student’s development over the secondary school years.  The certificate carries the endorsement of the Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (MFHEA)  and is pegged at Levels 1, Level 2 or Level 3 of the Malta Qualifications Framework (MQF). 

Secondary Education Certificate (SEC) & the Secondary Education Applied Certificate (SEAC)

Students who attain Grades 6 or 7 in the SEC examinations are awarded a certificate pegged at Level 2 on the MQF while students achieving Grades 1 to 5 in SEC examinations are awarded an MQF Level 3 certificate. The table below provides a description of the proficiency levels equivalent to the grades achieved:

The Level 2 or 3 qualifications attained upon completion of secondary schooling are the qualifications requested for entry into post-secondary general and vocational institutions.

• As from 2025 the system will be based on an overall level