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| Teaching to the test gives 'hollow understanding' | Teaching to the test gives 'hollow understanding' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Schools in England are focusing on tests and exams, rather than giving pupils a good grounding in a wide range of subjects, the head of Ofsted warns. | Schools in England are focusing on tests and exams, rather than giving pupils a good grounding in a wide range of subjects, the head of Ofsted warns. |
| Amanda Spielman says the focus on GCSEs and national curriculum tests, often known as Sats, is at the expense of "rich and full knowledge". | Amanda Spielman says the focus on GCSEs and national curriculum tests, often known as Sats, is at the expense of "rich and full knowledge". |
| She accepts a good school curriculum should lead to good exam results. | She accepts a good school curriculum should lead to good exam results. |
| But she says good exam results do not always mean children have received the subject knowledge they need. | But she says good exam results do not always mean children have received the subject knowledge they need. |
| Her comments came as she set out the preliminary findings of an Ofsted research project into the curriculum in England's state schools. | |
| Is the Ofsted boss saying testing is bad? | Is the Ofsted boss saying testing is bad? |
| No. She says: "Testing in school clearly has value." | No. She says: "Testing in school clearly has value." |
| However, she is encouraging schools in England to focus less on drilling pupils through past papers and more on widening their knowledge and horizons. | However, she is encouraging schools in England to focus less on drilling pupils through past papers and more on widening their knowledge and horizons. |
| "The regular taking of test papers does little to increase a child's ability to comprehend," she says. | "The regular taking of test papers does little to increase a child's ability to comprehend," she says. |
| "A much better use of time is to teach and help children to read and read more." | "A much better use of time is to teach and help children to read and read more." |
| Why has she come out and said this? | Why has she come out and said this? |
| Ms Spielman says schools have a duty to develop each individual child and give them a broad education. | Ms Spielman says schools have a duty to develop each individual child and give them a broad education. |
| "A good curriculum should lead to good results," she says. | "A good curriculum should lead to good results," she says. |
| "However, good examination results in and of themselves don't always mean that the pupil received rich and full knowledge from the curriculum. | "However, good examination results in and of themselves don't always mean that the pupil received rich and full knowledge from the curriculum. |
| "In the worst cases, teaching to the test, rather than teaching the full curriculum, leaves a pupil with a hollowed-out and flimsy understanding." | "In the worst cases, teaching to the test, rather than teaching the full curriculum, leaves a pupil with a hollowed-out and flimsy understanding." |
| She also says a rounded education - or the lack of one - has consequences for social mobility, with less academic children being particularly hard-hit if schools drop subjects such as art to focus on core ones. | She also says a rounded education - or the lack of one - has consequences for social mobility, with less academic children being particularly hard-hit if schools drop subjects such as art to focus on core ones. |
| "Restricted subject choice for low-attaining pupils disproportionately affects pupils from low-income backgrounds," she says. | "Restricted subject choice for low-attaining pupils disproportionately affects pupils from low-income backgrounds," she says. |
| Will anything change? | Will anything change? |
| It certainly looks likely - Ms Spielman is in a high-profile job and her viewpoint carries weight. | It certainly looks likely - Ms Spielman is in a high-profile job and her viewpoint carries weight. |
| While she makes clear the school curriculum is the responsibility of the Department for Education, she indicates schools will see a shift in the emphasis and tone of their next visit from her inspectors. | While she makes clear the school curriculum is the responsibility of the Department for Education, she indicates schools will see a shift in the emphasis and tone of their next visit from her inspectors. |
| "School leaders need to recognise how easy it is to focus on the performance of the school and lose sight of the pupil," she says. | "School leaders need to recognise how easy it is to focus on the performance of the school and lose sight of the pupil," she says. |
| "I acknowledge that inspection may well have helped to tip this balance in the past." | "I acknowledge that inspection may well have helped to tip this balance in the past." |
| What is the history of all this? | What is the history of all this? |
| Three years ago, a new curriculum was introduced across schools in England. It was the brainchild of former Education Secretary Michael Gove. The aim was to raise standards. | Three years ago, a new curriculum was introduced across schools in England. It was the brainchild of former Education Secretary Michael Gove. The aim was to raise standards. |
| In primary schools, the end-of-school Sats, became harder, with more focus on the "three Rs" - reading, writing and maths. | In primary schools, the end-of-school Sats, became harder, with more focus on the "three Rs" - reading, writing and maths. |
| The first raft of "tough" tests were taken in 2016, and just over half (53%) of 11-year-olds made the grade. | The first raft of "tough" tests were taken in 2016, and just over half (53%) of 11-year-olds made the grade. |
| In secondary schools, the amount of coursework was reduced and the focus shifted to an end-of-course exam rather than taking tests along the way. | In secondary schools, the amount of coursework was reduced and the focus shifted to an end-of-course exam rather than taking tests along the way. |
| The first round of new GCSEs - in English and maths to start with - were taken this summer, with the pass rate dropping in both subjects. | The first round of new GCSEs - in English and maths to start with - were taken this summer, with the pass rate dropping in both subjects. |
| What is the response from teachers to the Ofsted chief's comments? | What is the response from teachers to the Ofsted chief's comments? |
| Teaching unions have long argued that testing - with results directly linked to school league tables - means teachers end up teaching to the test. | Teaching unions have long argued that testing - with results directly linked to school league tables - means teachers end up teaching to the test. |
| Responding to Ms Spielman's comments, Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: "It's hardly surprising that schools focus intensely on Key Stage 2 tests and GCSEs as that's how their performance is measured, with GCSEs crucial to the life-chances of their pupils. | Responding to Ms Spielman's comments, Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: "It's hardly surprising that schools focus intensely on Key Stage 2 tests and GCSEs as that's how their performance is measured, with GCSEs crucial to the life-chances of their pupils. |
| "If Ofsted wants them to focus less on these assessments, we would suggest it lobbies the government for a change to the accountability system rather than criticising schools. | "If Ofsted wants them to focus less on these assessments, we would suggest it lobbies the government for a change to the accountability system rather than criticising schools. |
| "Everybody wants to teach a broad curriculum. It is essential that we have an accountability system which supports rather than narrows that aspiration." | "Everybody wants to teach a broad curriculum. It is essential that we have an accountability system which supports rather than narrows that aspiration." |
| Nick Brook, deputy general secretary of the school leaders' union NAHT, added: "We must value a broad range of subjects in the school day so that pupils' opportunities are not limited. | |
| "School leaders want to do what is best for the children in their school but are restricted by an accountability system which places undue weight on SATs results." | |
| What is the government's reaction? | What is the government's reaction? |
| The DfE says all schools should provide a broad and balanced curriculum for all children and that the best schools are doing that. | The DfE says all schools should provide a broad and balanced curriculum for all children and that the best schools are doing that. |
| "Our reforms are ensuring children are taught the knowledge and skills they need to fulfil their potential, and Ofsted's chief inspector recognises the importance of these reforms. | "Our reforms are ensuring children are taught the knowledge and skills they need to fulfil their potential, and Ofsted's chief inspector recognises the importance of these reforms. |
| "We are beginning to see higher standards right across the school system with more six-year-olds reading fluently; more primary school pupils achieving the expected standard of a rigorous primary curriculum; and secondary school pupils rising to the challenge of more demanding GCSEs in maths and English." | "We are beginning to see higher standards right across the school system with more six-year-olds reading fluently; more primary school pupils achieving the expected standard of a rigorous primary curriculum; and secondary school pupils rising to the challenge of more demanding GCSEs in maths and English." |