Nursery World - Labour will scrap Reception baseline and SATs

The baseline test at age four and primary school testing would be axed under a Labour Government, Jeremy Corbyn has told teachers.

Speaking at the annual conference of the National Education Union (NEU) in Liverpool, the Labour leader also pledged to end SATs for seven- and 11-year-olds, which he described as ‘an unnecessary pressure’.

Mr Corbyn said that Labour would abolish the Government’s planned new baseline assessments for Reception children ‘because they can’t give accurate comparisons between schools when pupils have such different backgrounds. Instead we will raise standards by freeing up teachers to teach.’

Labour would consult with teaching unions, parents and experts and bring forward proposals for a new system that separates the assessment of schools from the assessment of children, he said.

‘It will be based on clear principles. First to understand the learning needs of each child because every child is unique. And second to encourage a broad curriculum aimed at a rounded education.

‘When children have a rich and varied curriculum when they are encouraged to be creative to develop their imagination then there’s evidence that they do better at the core elements of literacy and numeracy too.’

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