Commenting on a report in the Times today that the government plans to introduce a mandatory reading test for year 8 pupils in its upcoming schools white paper, Daniel Kebede, General Secretary of the National Education Union, said;
“It is beyond belief that this government’s response to students disengaging in secondary isn’t to consider the impacts on curriculum caused by the tests that already exist in primary, but rather is to suggest an additional test in year 8.
“Any caveats suggesting the results will only be published nationally are effectively meaningless. There’s nothing to stop future governments publishing them school-by-school, allowing Ofsted to use them or encouraging leaders to focus on them. All of which would lead to the same consequences we see wherever national test data exist – punitive labelling of schools, narrowing curriculum and increased stress and workload for staff and students.
“Teachers are assessing their students’ progress as standard practice in all Key Stages. They categorically do not need another national test to identify which students need more support or intervention.
“The Government needs to understand that young people being churned through test after test after test does not automatically equate to high standards. To ensure high standards, young people need a broad and balanced curriculum taught by teachers who are trusted and empowered to support them – this proposal will only work to achieve the opposite.