13 February 2009
By Vivienne Russell
Teachers and head teachers this week reiterated calls for a major reform of the school testing regime.
A joint statement by the National Union of Teachers and the National Association of Head Teachers proposed replacing the externally set National Curriculum tests with teacher assessments. A sampling model would provide information on national standards and trends.
The statement also called for this year's Key Stage One and Two tests for seven- and 11-year-olds to be made voluntary, and for the abolition of school performance tables. The scrapping of Key Stage Three testing for 14-year-olds last October had opened up very real possibilities for reform, the NUT and NAHT said.
NUT acting general secretary Christine Blower said: 'Against all the evidence, [the government] has clung to an outdated system which discourages innovation and inhibits children and teachers alike.'
NAHT general secretary Mick Brookes added: 'We are pleased that the government has moved… to a position where secondary tests have been abolished and there is a review about the way children are assessed.'
PFfeb2009
