Industry News
Fresh criticism for Sats
Posted on 13th May 2008
As Sats exams get underway this week, the government has faced further criticism over testing.
A report by the Commons schools, children and families committee said that the current national testing system should be reformed to allow more of a focus on the subjects that are not monitored by exams.
This week saw the beginning of government Sats tests which are taken by children aged seven, 11 and 14. The results are used to evaluate what national curriculum level pupils have reached and if schools have hit attainment targets.
The committee said that the current system had led to some children receiving an education "which is focussed too much on those aspects of the curriculum which are subject to national testing".
Acting secretary of the National Union of Teachers Christine Blower agreed with the findings, saying that the government "has steadfastly resisted" the mounting evidence indicating the damage caused by testing to children's learning and the curriculum.
"The government now stands isolated on the future of national curriculum testing," she said.