SummaryThe Revised Neale Analysis of Reading Ability and the British Ability Scales (BAS) Word Reading scale were both given to all children in the first three yean of a primary school and to 30 children from mainstream schools referred to an educational psychologist. For both groups the Neale test consistently gave reading ages about nine months below those from the BAS. This considerable difference between the two tests raises questions relating to test standardisation, and has important implications for LEAs considering using test results to select out pupils for additional support or for formal assessment.