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| Call to scrap tests for under-16s | Call to scrap tests for under-16s |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The national exams sat by under-16s in England's schools should be scrapped, a teaching standards watchdog has urged. | The national exams sat by under-16s in England's schools should be scrapped, a teaching standards watchdog has urged. |
| The General Teaching Council (GTC) believes the tests are failing to raise standards and placing "added stress" on pupils, teachers and parents. | The General Teaching Council (GTC) believes the tests are failing to raise standards and placing "added stress" on pupils, teachers and parents. |
| Instead of tests at seven, 11 and 14, the GTC said standards could be checked by monitoring a sample of pupils. | Instead of tests at seven, 11 and 14, the GTC said standards could be checked by monitoring a sample of pupils. |
| But the Department for Education said parents valued the information gleaned from tests and they would remain. | But the Department for Education said parents valued the information gleaned from tests and they would remain. |
| Education Secretary Alan Johnson said the current testing regime provided transparency, openness and accountability. | Education Secretary Alan Johnson said the current testing regime provided transparency, openness and accountability. |
| "Parents don't want to go back to a world where schools were closed institutions, no-one knew what was going on in them," he said. | "Parents don't want to go back to a world where schools were closed institutions, no-one knew what was going on in them," he said. |
| League tables | League tables |
| Every child in England takes a total of eight national curriculum tests, often known as standard assessment tests (Sats), at the ages of seven, 11 and 14, before GCSE and A-Level examinations. | Every child in England takes a total of eight national curriculum tests, often known as standard assessment tests (Sats), at the ages of seven, 11 and 14, before GCSE and A-Level examinations. |
| According to the GTC, at some schools children can face about 70 tests or exams in formal settings between the ages of seven and 16. | |
| HAVE YOUR SAY Scrap Sats and get some credibility back into the regular qualification exams Paul Farrar, Fareham Send us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAY Scrap Sats and get some credibility back into the regular qualification exams Paul Farrar, Fareham Send us your comments |
| Keith Bartley, chief executive of the GTC, said: "We need to trust teachers more and let them do what they are trained for." | Keith Bartley, chief executive of the GTC, said: "We need to trust teachers more and let them do what they are trained for." |
| He said employers "want to see better skilled youngsters" and were not concerned about results of exams sat when aged seven. | He said employers "want to see better skilled youngsters" and were not concerned about results of exams sat when aged seven. |
| Earlier this year the head of the exams authority also suggested samples of pupils, rather than all pupils, could be tested to check standards in England. | Earlier this year the head of the exams authority also suggested samples of pupils, rather than all pupils, could be tested to check standards in England. |
| However, Ken Boston, chief executive of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, said Sats should stay for the time being, but could eventually be replaced by progress-testing. | However, Ken Boston, chief executive of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, said Sats should stay for the time being, but could eventually be replaced by progress-testing. |
| Exams are quite healthy for children to get used to Nick SeatonCampaign for Real Education Reaction to 'scrap tests' call | Exams are quite healthy for children to get used to Nick SeatonCampaign for Real Education Reaction to 'scrap tests' call |
| The General Teaching Council, which is an independent regulatory body working to promote better standards of teaching, maintains testing a sample of children, rather than every child, would help ease pressure on them. | The General Teaching Council, which is an independent regulatory body working to promote better standards of teaching, maintains testing a sample of children, rather than every child, would help ease pressure on them. |
| Adopting such a system would still see teachers set exams drawn from a national "bank of tests" at times appropriate to their pupils. | Adopting such a system would still see teachers set exams drawn from a national "bank of tests" at times appropriate to their pupils. |
| The council says Sats are defended because they are as much about the position obtained by schools in performance tables on the back of the results. | The council says Sats are defended because they are as much about the position obtained by schools in performance tables on the back of the results. |
| The GTC is hoping that an inquiry by the education select committee will persuade the government to drop its support for national testing. | The GTC is hoping that an inquiry by the education select committee will persuade the government to drop its support for national testing. |
| 'Enormous pressure' | 'Enormous pressure' |
| An end to national testing would find favour with many teachers, who have long argued that Sats and performance tables encourage teaching simply on how to pass tests. | An end to national testing would find favour with many teachers, who have long argued that Sats and performance tables encourage teaching simply on how to pass tests. |
| John Bangs, head of education at the National Union of Teachers, said: "There are all sorts of malign effects from the current testing regime. | John Bangs, head of education at the National Union of Teachers, said: "There are all sorts of malign effects from the current testing regime. |
| "There is enormous pressure on youngsters and there's a lot of training to take the tests. | "There is enormous pressure on youngsters and there's a lot of training to take the tests. |
| "Schools themselves feel under enormous pressure because they are judged by the test results in a very crude way in the school performance tables." | "Schools themselves feel under enormous pressure because they are judged by the test results in a very crude way in the school performance tables." |
| Parents need and greatly value the information they get from performance tables Department of Education spokesperson | Parents need and greatly value the information they get from performance tables Department of Education spokesperson |
| Liberal Democrats education spokeswoman Sarah Teather said Sats were a "stressful and bureaucratic process" and took teachers away from personalised teaching. | Liberal Democrats education spokeswoman Sarah Teather said Sats were a "stressful and bureaucratic process" and took teachers away from personalised teaching. |
| Shadow education secretary David Willetts said the Tories supported national examinations as a "tried and tested" method to identify standards. | Shadow education secretary David Willetts said the Tories supported national examinations as a "tried and tested" method to identify standards. |
| But he said it was important to ensure teaching was not just focused on raising a school's league table position. | But he said it was important to ensure teaching was not just focused on raising a school's league table position. |
| The Campaign for Real Education - set up to press for higher standards - also said it continued to back tests. | The Campaign for Real Education - set up to press for higher standards - also said it continued to back tests. |
| The Department for Education said testing and performance tables were accountability measures "essential to extending and maintaining" improvements in standards. | The Department for Education said testing and performance tables were accountability measures "essential to extending and maintaining" improvements in standards. |
| A spokeswoman said: "Parents need and greatly value the information they get from performance tables." | A spokeswoman said: "Parents need and greatly value the information they get from performance tables." |
| However, the government did announce in January that a pilot scheme would examine whether more frequent assessments could replace fixed testing. | However, the government did announce in January that a pilot scheme would examine whether more frequent assessments could replace fixed testing. |
| Tests would be taken when teachers thought children were ready. | Tests would be taken when teachers thought children were ready. |