NUT calls for complete rethink of assessment in primary schools as figures show large variations in national results

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

The National Union of Teachers has called for the government to overhaul its system of standardised tests for primary school pupils in England or face a boycott of next year’s assessments.

The union’s threat comes as the Department for Education published figures showing substantial differences across local authorities in crucial assessments carried out earlier this year, which critics say is evidence that the new testing regime is confusing and incoherent.

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After the figures were published, the NUT’s new general secretary, Kevin Courtney, said the results of the tests taken by pupils at the end of key stage two, known as Sats, were meaningless and untrustworthy.

“A system in which the relative performance of local authorities varies so widely from one year to the next will not command public confidence,” Courtney said.

“If the government is not prepared to make the changes needed, then the union is prepared to work with other unions to boycott both key stage one and key stage two Sats.”

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In the new set of more rigorous tests taken by year six primary school pupils in the last school year, 67% of 11-year-olds reached the expected standards in reading, writing and maths in the London boroughs of Kensington and Chelsea and Richmond upon Thames. But in Peterborough just 39% of pupils managed the same standard, closely followed by Bedford with 42%.

National data published earlier this year showed that 53% of state primary pupils reached the DfE’s new benchmark in all three subjects at the end of key stage two. Courtney said the results needed to be taken “with a large pinch of salt” because of the wide gaps in scores between local authorities.

“The data tells us little about educational quality that we can trust. Yet it will be used to judge the performance of schools, and in hundreds of cases to judge them as failing. This is completely unacceptable,” Courtney said.

“The case for a complete rethinking of assessment in primary schools is overwhelming – this deeply flawed system must not be allowed to do further harm to pupils and to teachers in 2017.”

A boycott of key stage two tests in 2010 saw around a quarter of schools in England take part, with many pupils that year not receiving results. Earlier this year a smaller parent-led boycott of key stage one assessments received wide publicity.

The figures for 2016 key stage two assessments for writing in particular showed substantial differences between scores recorded by local authorities, especially when compared with results for reading.

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“Our suspicion is that consistency in moderation across local authorities is much worse in 2016 than it was in 2015,” said Rebecca Allen of the Education Datalab research group, pointing to the weak correlation between reading and writing scores.

“This may be because schools and local authorities are not yet familiar with the new expected standard.”

A DfE spokesperson said the new primary assessment system was designed in consultation with teachers and experts to raise standards.

“We want to continue working with the sector to build on that success and further develop the primary assessment system but threats to boycott tests rather than work constructively with us only disrupts children’s education,” the DfE said.

Education Datalab’s analysis found that the writing assessments had been too harsh in 13 local authorities, including Liverpool and Swindon. But it also found moderators had been too generous in 17 others, including Hackney and Leicester.

The data showed girls outperforming boys, with 57% passing reading, writing and maths compared with 50% of boys. In maths 70% of both boys and girls reached the expected level, a change from previous years when boys did slightly better.

Only 5% of pupils reached the DfE’s toughest “high standard” in all three subjects, with maths the only area where boys outperformed girls.

Nick Gibb, the schools minister, said: “These figures show that many schools and local authorities have risen to the challenge and have delivered high standards but we want that success to be the standard everywhere.

“We have made great strides with over 1.4 million more pupils in good or outstanding schools than in 2010 but the government’s objective is to extend that opportunity so every child has the excellent education they deserve.”

The National Association of Head Teachers, which represents many primary school leaders, said it was concerned that the 2016 results would be unfairly used to brand some schools as failing.

“This year’s assessment system has been characterised by chaos and confusion. But despite this the government intends to repeat many of the mistakes we’ve seen this year,” said Russell Hobby, the NAHT’s general secretary.

“There is still time for the government to reconsider the publication of inaccurate institutional data in December, and we again ask them to do this.

“The government should suspend the floor standard for 2016, halt interventions based on the misleading results and place a strong health warning on the national statistics.”

The DfE said that its floor standards and number of schools affected will be published in December. It has already announced that no more than one percentage point more primary schools will fall below the floor than did in 2015.