Britain: SATs school tests criticised by official report

The recent Report by the House of Commons, Children, Schools and Families CommitteeTesting and Assessment (Session 2007-2008) paints a disturbing picture of the climate generated by testing and target-setting in schools.

The report declares its commitment to a system of national testing, but then draws attention to a number of studies conducted in recent years, including one by the National Union of Teachers (NUT) published in 2003, that found the use of test results for the purpose of school accountability had damaging effects on teachers and pupils alike. Teachers felt that the effect was to narrow the curriculum and distort the education experience of pupils.

It adds that excessive time, workload and stress for children [are] not justified by the accuracy of the test results on individuals.

The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) considered that Key Stage tests provide only one source of performance data for both students and teachers, and that it is hazardous to draw too many conclusions from this data alone. They argue that A teachers professional knowledge of the pupil is vitalstatistics are no substitute for professional judgment.