Adviser gives tests the thumbs up

Standardised tests in Scotland are not being used in a way which causes concern, an educational adviser to the Scottish Government has said.

Allison Skerrett, of the International Council of Education Advisers (ICEA), said members had feared the early tests would be used to label pupils, teachers and schools as high or low performing at an early age.

“If the standardised assessment is used to shame or blame, label or rank schools schools, that serves no benefit,” she said.

“The data aren’t being used in the ways the could cause the negative consequences that we were concerned about.”

The Scottish Government was last night defeated in a vote on the use of national assessments for P1 pupils, which are opposed by all opposition parties.

On a visit to Glasgow, Ms Skerrett, a professor at the University of Texas, was questioned on the vote. She said: “My view is it’s early to decide that something is not working.”

She urged people to see the P1 tests as a part of larger improvement.

She said there remained differences in levels of support for the tests among members of the ICEA, set up by the Scottish Government to advise on education.

“Regardless of the some diversity of opinions in the council I can say we generally support the ways in which the assessments have been delivered and the purposes for which they are going to be used,” she said.

“If they are used and delivered wisely and well through teacher judgement with the support of their school leaders in determining when they are administered that it could help additional insight to teachers into areas in which their students are strong, areas in which they are struggling, that could help guide their instruction and ultimately improve student learning.”