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| Sats tests for seven-year-olds in England set to be scrapped | Sats tests for seven-year-olds in England set to be scrapped |
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| National curriculum tests for seven-year-olds in England are set to be axed and replaced with teacher assessment of four and five-year-olds. | National curriculum tests for seven-year-olds in England are set to be axed and replaced with teacher assessment of four and five-year-olds. |
| The government proposals to do away with Sats and replace them with new assessments at the earlier age is aimed at helping to “reduce the burden” of assessments on teachers and pupils, the Department for Education said. Any new assessment would not come into place before the 2019-2020 academic year. | |
| Launching a public consultation on primary assessment, the education secretary, Justine Greening, said: “The government has reformed the primary school system to make sure children can master the basics of literacy and numeracy so they get the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in later life. | Launching a public consultation on primary assessment, the education secretary, Justine Greening, said: “The government has reformed the primary school system to make sure children can master the basics of literacy and numeracy so they get the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in later life. |
| “Now we want to build on that by developing a stable assessment system that helps children learn, freeing up teachers to do what they do best: supporting children to fulfil their potential.” | “Now we want to build on that by developing a stable assessment system that helps children learn, freeing up teachers to do what they do best: supporting children to fulfil their potential.” |
| Sats in reading, writing, maths and science are taken by more than half a million children every year. Under the proposals, they will no longer be statutory. | Sats in reading, writing, maths and science are taken by more than half a million children every year. Under the proposals, they will no longer be statutory. |
| The proposed new baseline assessments will take place at some point during a child’s reception year, and pupils should not know they are being tested, the DfE has proposed. | The proposed new baseline assessments will take place at some point during a child’s reception year, and pupils should not know they are being tested, the DfE has proposed. |
| The results of the earlier assessment would then be used as a marker of a child’s ability at the start of their schooling, and used to measure progress throughout their primary school years. Schools would then be held to account for progress, or the lack of it, made by the end of primary school. | The results of the earlier assessment would then be used as a marker of a child’s ability at the start of their schooling, and used to measure progress throughout their primary school years. Schools would then be held to account for progress, or the lack of it, made by the end of primary school. |
| Sats for seven-year-olds will go ahead this year, with some improvements, including changes to the type and difficulty of questions. The proposals also include making improvements to the early years foundation stage, which records young children’s progress to the age of five. | Sats for seven-year-olds will go ahead this year, with some improvements, including changes to the type and difficulty of questions. The proposals also include making improvements to the early years foundation stage, which records young children’s progress to the age of five. |
| Teaching unions welcomed the consultation. Russell Hobby, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: “The possibility of ending Key Stage 1 Sats is good news. This creates the time and space in a pupil’s primary years for teachers to focus on teaching rather than on high-stakes assessment. | Teaching unions welcomed the consultation. Russell Hobby, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: “The possibility of ending Key Stage 1 Sats is good news. This creates the time and space in a pupil’s primary years for teachers to focus on teaching rather than on high-stakes assessment. |
| “It will properly reward early intervention and it will reduce workload. Overall, minimising the number of high-stakes tests is the right way to go. This will help every school to deliver a rich educational experience for all children.” | “It will properly reward early intervention and it will reduce workload. Overall, minimising the number of high-stakes tests is the right way to go. This will help every school to deliver a rich educational experience for all children.” |
| Kevin Courtney, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said Greening had been listening “but only partially” and there were reservations about the earlier assessments. | Kevin Courtney, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said Greening had been listening “but only partially” and there were reservations about the earlier assessments. |
| “The consultation floats the idea that statutory assessment at KS1 will be set aside, but not until the early 2020s. This would be a welcome concession to the thousands of teachers who have protested against the effects of a test-driven curriculum on six and seven year olds,” he said. | “The consultation floats the idea that statutory assessment at KS1 will be set aside, but not until the early 2020s. This would be a welcome concession to the thousands of teachers who have protested against the effects of a test-driven curriculum on six and seven year olds,” he said. |