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| School tests 'damaging', says EIS union | School tests 'damaging', says EIS union |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Scotland's largest teachers' union has warned that Scottish government plans for new assessments in schools are a "damaging, retrograde step". | Scotland's largest teachers' union has warned that Scottish government plans for new assessments in schools are a "damaging, retrograde step". |
| Ministers plan to introduce national standardised assessments in primary schools and the early years of secondary school. | Ministers plan to introduce national standardised assessments in primary schools and the early years of secondary school. |
| But, the EIS union said many of its members had serious concerns. | But, the EIS union said many of its members had serious concerns. |
| The government said the plan was not a return for the "high-stakes national testing" scrapped 12 years ago. | The government said the plan was not a return for the "high-stakes national testing" scrapped 12 years ago. |
| The union will raise its concerns at a meeting with Education Secretary Angela Constance later this week. | The union will raise its concerns at a meeting with Education Secretary Angela Constance later this week. |
| It has concerns about a return to school league tables and a narrowing of the learning experience of primary pupils. | It has concerns about a return to school league tables and a narrowing of the learning experience of primary pupils. |
| First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced the plan to introduce new standardised assessments during programme for government speech last week. | First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced the plan to introduce new standardised assessments during programme for government speech last week. |
| Children would sit tests in numeracy and literacy four times - in Primaries 1, 4 and 7 and third year of secondary school. | Children would sit tests in numeracy and literacy four times - in Primaries 1, 4 and 7 and third year of secondary school. |
| Speaking to BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme, Ms Constance said that she was "not interested in crude league tables". | |
| She added: "Since I've been the education secretary, there has been a very strong debate about the need for more information about how our children are doing, particularly in primary schools and in broad general education. | |
| ""There are many academics, whether it's Keir Bloomer, Sue Ellis or Sally Brown and indeed two of the three opposition parties who have been calling for a national improvement framework." | |
| More details of the assessments are expected later but the government believes they will actually reduce what it called "the burden of assessment" on children and teachers. | More details of the assessments are expected later but the government believes they will actually reduce what it called "the burden of assessment" on children and teachers. |
| The plan is to introduce them in 2016 at schools taking part in a £100m government scheme to raise attainment and roll them out to the rest of the country in 2017. | The plan is to introduce them in 2016 at schools taking part in a £100m government scheme to raise attainment and roll them out to the rest of the country in 2017. |
| Existing tests | Existing tests |
| Ms Sturgeon stressed the government would not use the results to produce league tables or judge a school's performance using test results alone. | Ms Sturgeon stressed the government would not use the results to produce league tables or judge a school's performance using test results alone. |
| But the government may have a challenge convincing some sceptics within the profession. | But the government may have a challenge convincing some sceptics within the profession. |
| One senior secondary teacher, speaking anonymously to BBC Scotland, said he feared the Scottish government was using what he described as "the language of progressive politics" to justify what he regarded as "a right-wing policy". | One senior secondary teacher, speaking anonymously to BBC Scotland, said he feared the Scottish government was using what he described as "the language of progressive politics" to justify what he regarded as "a right-wing policy". |
| One concern among some teachers is that the secondary school assessments could mean a new burden on teachers and students rather than simply the standardisation of existing tests. | One concern among some teachers is that the secondary school assessments could mean a new burden on teachers and students rather than simply the standardisation of existing tests. |
| Under Curriculum for Excellence there has been a general shift in emphasis away from formal assessment and testing. | Under Curriculum for Excellence there has been a general shift in emphasis away from formal assessment and testing. |
| Critics argue too much testing can simply encourage teachers to "teach children how to pass tests" rather than actually understand the subject. | Critics argue too much testing can simply encourage teachers to "teach children how to pass tests" rather than actually understand the subject. |
| Another concern expressed by unions is that the introduction of standardised tests in S3 would add to the workload of teachers while they still contend with the new National 4 and 5 qualifications which have replaced Standard Grades and the changes to Highers and Advanced Highers. | Another concern expressed by unions is that the introduction of standardised tests in S3 would add to the workload of teachers while they still contend with the new National 4 and 5 qualifications which have replaced Standard Grades and the changes to Highers and Advanced Highers. |
| EIS general secretary Larry Flanagan said: "The introduction of these standardised assessments seems to be driven, in part, by a desire on the part of Scottish government to take control of education nationally rather than allow local authorities to be responsible for service delivery. | EIS general secretary Larry Flanagan said: "The introduction of these standardised assessments seems to be driven, in part, by a desire on the part of Scottish government to take control of education nationally rather than allow local authorities to be responsible for service delivery. |
| "Despite some reassuring words from the first minister, in response to EIS concerns, about maintaining the primacy of teacher professional judgement, the EIS is of the view that it will be almost impossible to put in place safeguards which would stop national assessments leading to the league table, target- setting agenda which Curriculum for Excellence was supposed to have ended. | "Despite some reassuring words from the first minister, in response to EIS concerns, about maintaining the primacy of teacher professional judgement, the EIS is of the view that it will be almost impossible to put in place safeguards which would stop national assessments leading to the league table, target- setting agenda which Curriculum for Excellence was supposed to have ended. |
| "In such a scenario standardised assessments will compromise and narrow the learning experience of students, as all the international research evidence makes clear, rather than enhance it." | "In such a scenario standardised assessments will compromise and narrow the learning experience of students, as all the international research evidence makes clear, rather than enhance it." |
| Reading, writing and numeracy | |
| At a meeting of EIS executive members at the weekend, several expressed concerns. | At a meeting of EIS executive members at the weekend, several expressed concerns. |
| Mr Flanagan added: "The EIS shares the first minister's desire to close the attainment gap and reduce the impact of poverty on pupils' education, but we are certain that the introduction of national system of standardised assessment is not the answer." | Mr Flanagan added: "The EIS shares the first minister's desire to close the attainment gap and reduce the impact of poverty on pupils' education, but we are certain that the introduction of national system of standardised assessment is not the answer." |
| The Scottish government said the aim of standardising the assessments was to improve the quality of information that is available nationally. | The Scottish government said the aim of standardising the assessments was to improve the quality of information that is available nationally. |
| This would play a part in helping the government meet its aim of closing the gap between children from relatively rich and poor backgrounds. | This would play a part in helping the government meet its aim of closing the gap between children from relatively rich and poor backgrounds. |
| The government is consulting over just what information about the assessment results should be published and in what form. | The government is consulting over just what information about the assessment results should be published and in what form. |
| A spokesman for the Scottish government said the new standardised assessments would focus on reading, writing and numeracy at P1, P4, P7 and S3. | |