Doubling formal tests in the coming year makes no sense
Helping learning recovery while protecting children’s mental health and wellbeing needs to be the priority in primary schools in the 2021/22 school year.
Bringing back high-stakes, high-pressure tests taken under exam conditions will harm not help learning recovery.
In fact, with the government’s new plans, primary age children will face double the number of formal tests compared to before the pandemic.
The introduction of tests in English and maths for four-year-olds when they first start school, the Times Tables Check for year 4s, and an additional Phonics Check for year 2s will take precious time away from classroom learning and needlessly pile on the pressure.
Schools and pupils need time to recover learning. Halting SATs and other government assessments for another year will give them that time.
Let’s speak out for children’s education.
We want to make sure No.10 and the rest of Parliament truly understand what matters most now to parents, teachers, headteachers, education experts and, of course, to children themselves.
