Secretary told to ‘cut losses’ on P1 testing

John Swinney has been told to “cut his losses” and dump P1 testing when he updates MSPs on his plans next week.

The Education Secretary has so far refused to accept a Holyrood vote demanding the controversial assessments for four and five-year-olds are scrapped.

He is to lay out the next steps for the tests on Thursday.

Urging him to change tack, the Green MSP Ross Greer said: “Instead of providing a lecture on why everyone from teachers to parents to every other party is wrong on standardised testing and why the SNP isn’t, John Swinney would do well cut his losses and do away with these tests for four and five-year-olds once and for all.”

At SNP conference, Mr Swinney signalled he would plough on with the tests in the face of united opposition in Holyrood from rival parties.

During his speech, the deputy first minister said he was open to tweaking the system, but slammed political opportunism, as he restated the importance of a national system of assessing children’s progress in P1.

Teacher unions have raised concerns about the amount of time and resource being consumed by the P1 tests, when they say a play-based approach to learning is required.

The literacy and numeracy tests were introduced for pupils in P1, P4, P7 and S3 with the aim of helping teachers judge children’s progress.

Mr Swinney said the assessments are an informal experience for children and crucial to closing the attainment gap.

Liz Smith, for the Scottish Conservatives, said: “John Swinney has had time to think and to recognise that these tests should be halted at P1 level.”

Tavish Scott, the Lib Dem MSP, said Mr Swinney must accept the evidence and admit that testing five-year-olds is the “wrong educational approach”.