Teachers slate primary tests plan

A NATIONWIDE programme for testing primary school pupils will play a key part in Nicola Sturgeon’s plan to drive up standards.

But the First Minister’s proposal looks set to be opposed by teachers.

A new national framework will be used to identify failing schools and stop children falling behind at an early age.

In a keynote speech on education in Edinburgh yesterday, Miss Sturgeon said: ‘Virtually all local authorities recognise the importance of standardised assessment for those age groups – that’s why 30 out of 32 currently use it.

‘Standardised assessment helps teachers. But many local authorities use different systems. That makes it much more difficult to get a clear, and consistent picture of progress. That’s why we are now developing a National Improvement Framework.

‘I will say more about the framework – and, in particular, how it will address this issue – when I set out my programme for government two weeks today.

‘The basic purpose of the improvement framework will be to provide clarity on what we are seeking to achieve and allow us to measure clearly where we’re succeeding and where we still need to do more.

‘By doing that, it will enable us to raise standards more quickly. And as a result, it will help to change the future for young people across Scotland.’

But the Educational Institute of Scotland, the country’s largest teaching union, warned the plan would be a mistake.

General secretary Larry Flanagan said: ‘The EIS is clear that a return to a national system that uses standardised tests in primary schools as a benchmark is untenable and would do nothing to raise standards.’

Scottish Labour education spokesman Iain Gray said: ‘There should be no return to the national testing of the past, but the current situation is unacceptable too.

‘It’s welcome the First Minister has echoed Kezia Dugdale’s suggestion for a national framework, but it is months since she said this was her priority. She needs to do it.’