It is never too early to introduce measurement and quality concepts: a proficiency test competition for schools and colleges

This paper describes how the LGC and the Nuffield Curriculum Projects Centr e set up an analysis competition for 16- to 19-year-old students. The compe tition was based on the procedure for proficiency testing. The results and reports give some insight into current standards of teaching and learning a bout analytical procedures and the treatment of uncertainty in courses at t his level. The outcomes justify the production of a good-practice guide for teachers so that they can introduce concepts of valid analytical measureme nt into pre-university courses.