Post-Primary Assessment and Diagnosis – English (PPAD-E)
The Post-Primary Assessment and Diagnosis – English (PPAD-E) is a standardised test of literacy for use in post-primary schools as a screening and diagnostic tool for assessing literacy skills.
Benefits of the PPAD-E
The PPAD-E assessment has been developed by the Department of Education and Skills, through the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) in collaboration with the Educational Research Centre (ERC).
The test is designed to be:
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culturally appropriate and tailored to the Irish context
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designed for use by teachers
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helpful for screening for difficulties (particularly at first year intake)
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useful in diagnostic assessment, monitoring and evaluating progress
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can help identify if further assessment might be needed (e.g. speech & language)
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helpful in contributing to the processes for RACE/ DARE/ Exemption from Irish
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useful in establishing and reviewing literacy standards
​Design of the PPAD-E
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The PPAD-E was designed as a cost-effective, easy-to-administer tool for diverse literacy assessment needs. A standardisation study involving a representative sample of over 1,700 first year students was carried out in 2024 and the test is now available for administration to first and third year students, accompanied by autumn norms. It consists of five subtests:
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Word Reading
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Spelling
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Reading Speed
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Reading Comprehension
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Writing Samples​​
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Online Scoring and Reporting Tool
A key feature of the PPAD-E is its secure online scoring and reporting tool. This system:
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Converts raw scores into standard scores
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Generates individual and group reports
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Provides a range of suggestions outlining evidence based SET interventions and research-backed classroom strategies based on student score profiles
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The suggested interventions and in-class approaches are based on the 2019 edition of the NEPS publication, Effective Interventions for Struggling Readers, a freely available on-line resource designed for Irish schools.​
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Access to the tool is purchased annually and a data processing agreement (DPA) must be signed.
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Teacher Training
PPAD-E training is available via online video modules and step-by-step printed manuals, eliminating the need for in-person training. Schools purchasing the assessment receive ongoing NEPS support and can access an email-based query service at ppade@education.gov.ie.
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Data Security and GDPR Compliance
Schools must sign a Data Processor Agreement (DPA) when ordering PPAD-E materials. The DPA ensures:
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Student data is never used for school comparisons
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Data is securely stored on an encrypted server in Ireland
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Personally identifiable information is encrypted
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Only anonymised student data is transferred to the ERC for test development and resource planning
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Access to the encrypted database is strictly limited to authorised project and IT staff
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For further information how the ERC uses data, please see our data protection page here.
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