A recovery plan for primary schools should include dropping the tests in literacy and maths for four-year-olds when they start school along with SATs in years 1, 2, 4 and 6. Instead, child well-being must be at the heart of recovery, the More Than A Score coalition argues in its new evidence-based report.
‘Drop SATs For Good: The Case For Recovery Without High-Stakes Assessment’ is calling for an independent, profession-led review into primary assessment to be established.
Writing in the report, Beatrice Merrick, chief executive of Early Education and Michael Freeston, director of quality improvement at Early Years Alliance state that introducing RBA will be ‘hugely time-consuming’ for teachers when they should be spending their time directly supporting children. They believe it is at odds with the reforms to the EYFS which aim to cut teacher workloads.
They state that the case to introduce RBA at all is ‘extraordinarily weak’, but to consider introducing such measures during a pandemic is ‘even more extraordinary and misguided’.
New research on RBA conducted by YouGov for the report found:
- Only 16 per cent of heads and school leaders surveyed thought it would be a good use of teaching time.
- 63 per cent thought the data produced would not be useful as a baseline measure
- 64 per cent thought the tests should not go ahead in September
- Only 6 per cent of parents surveyed thought that it was important for children to be formally tested in maths and English when starting primary school.
Additionally, the research found that parents and school leaders are also closely aligned on their views of SATs:
- Only 15 per cent of parents with children aged four to 11-years-old and 4 per cent of primary school leaders – surveyed by YouGov think spending time preparing for SATs should be included in a ‘catch-up’ programme.
- 67 per cent of parents would prefer a recovery programme to include children taking part in activities not available during lockdown and teachers taking time to individually assess children’s needs (64 per cent).
- Meanwhile, the most popular answer for heads and other school leaders surveyed is understanding of and support for pupils’ wellbeing (84 per cent).
‘The pandemic has taken children out of nurseries and schools for long periods and, equally critically, robbed them of normal childhood experiences, such as going to the park or supermarket and interacting with family, friends and the wider community,’ the report states.
‘It has created huge stresses for children, families and teachers. The priority should be to give back to children as much time as possible to experience normal life, not to subject them to pointless testing.’
It asserts that there has never been a better time to reform the current system for the benefit of schools and pupils. There is widespread agreement that children’s wellbeing must be at the heart of a recovery programme, along with the opportunity to bridge any learning gaps created by lockdown.
The report is signed by a cross-party group of MPs and peers; writers including Michael Rosen and Jamila Gavin; and headteachers, academics and education experts, including representatives from the British Educational Research Association, the National Association for Primary Education and the UK Literacy Association.
It also includes statements of support for broad reform of the system from the general secretaries of the three main unions, representing heads and teachers.
The Department for Education stressed that the RBA is not a test, and there is no ‘pass’ mark.
A DfE spokesperson said, 'Assessments are designed to enable teachers to track pupils’ progress, helping to make sure they stay on track to fulfil their potential throughout school.
'Our reforms are helping to ensure children leave primary school with a secure grasp of reading, writing and mathematics, as part of a broad and balanced curriculum.
'We have already invested £1.7 billion in ambitious catch-up activity, and are working with parents, teachers and schools to develop a long-term plan to make sure all pupils have the chance to recover from the impact of the pandemic as quickly and comprehensively as possible.'
