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 exams are failing to raise standards and are demoralising children, the Observer reports.
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.
League tables
League tables
Currently, every child in England takes national curriculum tests, often known as standard assessment tests (Sats), at the ages of seven, 11 and 14. In all, children face about 70 tests or exams during their school lives.
According to the GTC, children face about 70 tests or exams during their school lives.
Keith Bartley, chief executive of the GTC, told the Observer: "The pressure is on and it is growing.
Currently, every child in England takes national curriculum tests, often known as standard assessment tests (Sats), at the ages of seven, 11 and 14, before they sit GCSE and A-Level examinations.
"We are saying to the government, 'We do not think your policies are best serving the young people in this country or their achievement'.
Keith Bartley, chief executive of the GTC, said: "We need to trust teachers more and let them do what they are trained for."
"The range of knowledge and skills that tests assess is very narrow, and to prepare young people for the world they need a set of skills that are far broader."
He said employers "want to see better skilled youngsters".
"They are not concerned about how they gained those skills or what results they got in a test when they were 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 for individual children.
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.
We are saying to the government we do not think your policies are best serving the young people in this country Keith Bartley,General Teaching Council
There are all sorts of malign effects from the current testing regime John Bangs,National Union of Teachers
The General Teaching Council (GTC), which is an independent regulatory body working to promote better standards of teaching, says 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.
Teachers could then frame back-up assessments tailored to the needs of their pupils, rather than continuously coaching pupils to pass tests.
Adopting such a system would also allow teachers to assess progress by setting tests tailored to the needs of their pupils.
The council says Sats are as much about the position obtained by schools in performance tables on the back of the results as they are about a child's progress.
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.
It is hoping that an inquiry by the Commons 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.
Such a move would find favour with many teachers, who have long argued that Sats and performance tables encourage teaching simply on how to pass tests.
'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.
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.
"One is that there is enormous pressure on youngsters and there's a lot of training to take the tests, and both teachers and parents feel that particularly coming up to that crucial time - year 6, when you are eleven and just leaving primary school.
"There is enormous pressure on youngsters and there's a lot of training to take the tests.
"And secondly, schools themselves feel under enormous pressure because they are judged by the test results in a very crude way in the school performance tables that come out every year."
"Schools themselves feel under enormous pressure because they are judged by the test results in a very crude way in the school performance tables."
The GTC calls for a "fundamental and urgent review of the testing regime" in a study submitted to the education select committee and seen by the Observer newspaper.
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
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.
The Campaign for Real Education - set up to press for higher standards - also said it continued to back tests.
"On the whole children will take tests in their stride," said the group's Katie Ivens.
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 told the Observer: "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.
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