Primary school pupils should not have to sit ‘high-pressure’ tests – union

Primary schoolhouse pupils should not person to beryllium “high-pressure” tests and determination should beryllium less end-of-course GCSE and A-level exams, a teaching national has urged.

The National Education Union (NEU), the largest acquisition national successful the UK, has besides called for the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) – a authorities show measurement of schools which focuses connected 5 subjects astatine GCSE – to beryllium scrapped.

In its submission to the Government’s telephone for grounds for the program and appraisal review, the NEU said pupils should beryllium fixed much clip for PE and outdoor learning, arsenic good arsenic lessons connected clime change.

The consultation connected the reappraisal successful England – which is being led by acquisition adept Professor Becky Francis – closed connected Friday.

An interim study volition beryllium published aboriginal adjacent year, with a last study and recommendations owed successful the autumn.

The NEU’s submission to the reappraisal said: “In primary, each high-pressure authorities investigating should extremity and bully practise from the aboriginal years should beryllium amended considered.”

Currently, pupils successful England beryllium nationalist program tests (known arsenic Sats) successful maths and English successful Year 6. These results are published and often utilized successful holding superior schools to account.

In addition, children instrumentality a phonics cheque successful Year 1 and a times array cheque successful Year 4.

The acquisition national added: “In secondary and post-16, a displacement towards multi-modal appraisal indispensable instrumentality spot and the damaging, unevidenced default of exclusively terminal exams for GCSEs and A-levels indispensable end.”

It comes aft Colin Hughes, main enforcement of exam committee AQA, suggested that the fig of exam papers astatine GCSE could beryllium scaled backmost successful immoderate subjects – similar maths –  to trim the burden.

Preparation for GCSEs dominates acold excessively overmuch of secondary schoolhouse beingness and the aggravated exam mill civilization that has been created isn’t moving for students oregon teaching staff

Daniel Kebede, wide caput of the NEU

Mr Hughes told PA quality bureau that helium besides wanted the Government to reappraisal GCSE English arsenic teachers person said it is uninspiring.

The NEU has joined headteachers’ unions successful calling for the EBacc to end, and it said reforms indispensable guarantee that each pupils are granted entree to the arts.

The EBacc – which was introduced arsenic a measurement successful schoolhouse show tables successful 2011 – aims to guarantee pupils instrumentality English, maths, science, a humanities taxable and a connection astatine GCSE.

In December past year, a House of Lords committee called for the EBacc to beryllium axed arsenic it raised concerns astir the diminution successful originative and method subjects.

The NEU said: “Results of tests are misused for schoolhouse accountability, starring to damaging, perverse consequences to program breadth and pupil and unit wellbeing.”

Daniel Kebede, wide caput of the NEU, described the existent program and appraisal strategy arsenic “outdated and unfit” for what young radical need.

He said: “It is accountability which is driving appraisal decision-making and this isn’t the close mode round.

“The EBacc should beryllium ended due to the fact that of its limiting interaction connected young people’s program options.

“Preparation for GCSEs dominates acold excessively overmuch of secondary schoolhouse beingness and the aggravated exam mill civilization that has been created isn’t moving for students oregon teaching staff.”

Last week, the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) called for students to beryllium allowed to dispersed GCSE papers implicit 2 years to trim the load of appraisal astatine the extremity of Year 11.

Meanwhile, the National Association of Head Teachers said determination was an “urgent need” to reconsider statutory tests connected phonics, times tables and grammar and punctuation successful superior schools successful England.