TESTING AND ASSESSMENT

14 January 2008

The National Union of Teachers today warns that major reforms to testing and assessment will be jeopardised if the current school performance tables remain in place.

In evidence to the House of Commons’ Children, Schools, and Families Select Committee, hearing on testing and assessment, the NUT today will give oral evidence urging the Government to change the direction of its pilot, “Making Good Progress”, which replaces testing by age with testing when ready.

The NUT calls for:

• the dropping of the requirements on schools in the pilot to conduct the current 11 and 14 year old tests alongside the experimental single level tests;
• schools in the pilot to be exempted from national target setting and performance tables;
• the dropping of the requirement that only children who have the potential to  gain two extra curriculum levels will be eligible for extra individual tuition;
• the dropping of the scheme to pay schools in the pilot by results.

Steve Sinnott, General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, Europe’s largest teaching union said:
“The “Making Good Progress” pilot should demonstrate that the Government is prepared to think out of the box in reforms to the current out dated testing arrangements. The innovation whereby young people receive individual tuition is welcome. 

“However the current league tables and targets system should be dismantled.  If this does not happen, schools will feel pressured into testing too early and too often in order to hot house the best possible results.  This will result in stress for children an unnecessary workload for teachers. I urge the Government to introduce and independent review of test and assessment results and indeed of the whole excessive accountability structure which affects schools The Review should draw on international experience which demonstrates that high stakes testing systems do not enhance the achievement of children”.