Standardised assessments ‘fail pupils’

The introduction of standardised assessment for primary school pupils has been condemned by a senior trade unionist, who insisted Scotland’s children “deserve better”.

Helen Connor, president of the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC), launched a fierce attack on the tests, which are due to come in this year for pupils in P1, P4, P7 and S3.

The Scottish Government argues the new assessments are a key part of its work to close the attainment gap that exists in classrooms.

Ms Connor, who has been a teacher for 32 years, said she would not give the tests to pupils.

She added: “I’ll tell you how you don’t tackle the attainment gap – and that is by continually testing children by the use of standardised tests.

“As a teacher, as a professional, I will not give the same test to all children when I know that their abilities are different.

“Why do we differentiate our teaching and then administer the same test? I didn’t come into teaching to see children fail.

“Just as well I’m retiring soon as I will not sacrifice my professionalism and the self-confidence of my pupils in order to provide the Scottish Government with data. Our children deserve better.”

Ms Connor made the comments as she addressed the STUC annual congress in Aviemore. The STUC president argued tackling poverty was key to ending the attainment gap, describing the problem as being one “which goes far wider than the education system”.

“Schools can help but the deep-rooted causes of poverty begin far earlier than that,” she said.