Assessment across early years, primary, secondary and post-16 education remains overly high-stakes, narrow and closely tied to accountability.
These pressures limit learning opportunities, constrain the curriculum and undermine wellbeing. Whilst the government’s Curriculum and Assessment Review recognised the need for reform, it missed the opportunity to push for a wider, fairer range of assessment methods.
Key facts
- Revised early learning goals of the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (EYFSP) narrows the curriculum and is used by Ofsted to hold schools to account.
- Reception Baseline Assessment (RBA) is taken by four- and five-year-olds within the first six weeks of school and is now fully digitised.
- Children in England are among the most tested in the world. Between Years 1 and 6 they take three statutory primary assessments: the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check (PSC), the Year 4 Multiplication Tables Check (MTC),and key stage 2 SATs.
- High-stakes assessments narrow the curriculum and increase pressure on pupils and staff.
- A new statutory reading test in Year 8, which goes beyond the recommendations of the CAR, will add pressure without supporting learning, especially at a time reading‑for‑pleasure levels among young people are at a record low.
- England is an international outlier for reliance on terminal exams at key stage 4.
- Post-16 pathways are rigid and do not support learners to study a broad curriculum. The defunding of applied general and vocational qualifications (AGQs) and continuation of the GCSE resit policy will disproportionately impact disadvantaged students.
Key statistics
- NEU survey of 970 reception teachers found overwhelming opposition to the RBA: 88% say it should not continue; 95% say it is not a good use of staff time.
- 56% of primary teachers say keeping statutory assessments narrows the curriculum.
- 86% say SATs worsen student engagement.
- 60% of secondary teachers say that the newly announced Year 8 reading test will further reduce the time available in the curriculum for other subjects.
Campaign asks
- End the Reception Baseline Assessment (RBA).
- End statutory primary assessments so that assessment supports children and their learning.
- Remove the Year 8 statutory reading test.
- Reduce reliance on terminal exams and introduce multi-modal assessment across secondary education.
- Retain AGQs and avoid premature defunding of high-quality qualifications.