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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Johnson rejects tests scrap call | Johnson rejects tests scrap call |
| (about 14 hours later) | |
| Calls to scrap national exams sat by under-16s in England have been rejected by the education secretary. | Calls to scrap national exams sat by under-16s in England have been rejected by the education secretary. |
| The General Teaching Council, an independent regulatory body, said tests were failing to raise standards and placed added stress on pupils. | The General Teaching Council, an independent regulatory body, said tests were failing to raise standards and placed added stress on pupils. |
| But Alan Johnson said ditching the tests, which are sat at seven, 11 and 14, would be "profoundly wrong". | But Alan Johnson said ditching the tests, which are sat at seven, 11 and 14, would be "profoundly wrong". |
| He said they had helped raise attainment and provided a transparency and accountability that parents valued. | He said they had helped raise attainment and provided a transparency and accountability that parents valued. |
| "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 told the BBC. | "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 told the BBC. |
| There are all sorts of malign effects from the current testing regime John BangsNational Union of Teachers Reaction to 'scrap tests' call | There are all sorts of malign effects from the current testing regime John BangsNational Union of Teachers Reaction to 'scrap tests' call |
| "Our responsibility is to ensure that our children leave school with a good grounding in English, Maths and Science." | "Our responsibility is to ensure that our children leave school with a good grounding in English, Maths and Science." |
| Pupils take national curriculum tests, often known as Sats, at the ages of seven, 11 and 14. | |
| The 11-year-olds' results form the basis of the primary school league tables. One set of secondary school tables is based on the 14-year-olds' results. | |
| 'Trust teachers' | 'Trust teachers' |
| The GTC, which works to promote better standards of teaching, has submitted a report to the Commons Education and Skills Select Committee. | The GTC, which works to promote better standards of teaching, has submitted a report to the Commons Education and Skills Select Committee. |
| It maintains the policy of national exams for the under-16s forces teachers to focus resources on how to pass tests instead of concentrating on a broader education. | It maintains the policy of national exams for the under-16s forces teachers to focus resources on how to pass tests instead of concentrating on a broader education. |
| "Evidence from teachers indicates that high stakes testing has a narrowing effect upon the curriculum, by moving the focus of curriculum delivery away from being broad and balanced to a narrower one based on test content," it says. | "Evidence from teachers indicates that high stakes testing has a narrowing effect upon the curriculum, by moving the focus of curriculum delivery away from being broad and balanced to a narrower one based on test content," it says. |
| It suggests a check could be kept on standards by monitoring a sample of children in about 1% of primary schools and 3% of secondary schools. | It suggests a check could be kept on standards by monitoring a sample of children in about 1% of primary schools and 3% of secondary schools. |
| Pupils would still be encouraged to sit exams drawn from a national "bank of tests" but these would take place at times deemed appropriate by their teachers. The GTC believes national tests cause additional stress for pupils | Pupils would still be encouraged to sit exams drawn from a national "bank of tests" but these would take place at times deemed appropriate by their teachers. The GTC believes national tests cause additional stress for pupils |
| Ending national testing would also find favour with many teachers. | Ending national testing would also find favour with many teachers. |
| Keith Bartley, chief executive of the GTC, said: "Placing added stress on pupils, teachers and parents on a regular basis before that time is not creating the best environment for learning. | Keith Bartley, chief executive of the GTC, said: "Placing added stress on pupils, teachers and parents on a regular basis before that time is not creating the best environment for learning. |
| "We need to trust teachers more and let them do what they are trained for." | "We need to trust teachers more and let them do what they are trained for." |
| 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. |