‘Data monster’ warning over plan to measure new school test results

ANDREW DENHOLM

assessments currently used by councils provide sufficient national evidence.

Until now it has been unclear whether the data from the tests would be kept at school level or used by the Government to assess strengths and weaknesses in the system.

Larry Flanagan, general secretary of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS), accepted there could be a use for nationally-collected test data to help inform policy.

But he went on to warn that too much of a focus on the results at national level would create a “data monster”.

He said: “We remain unconvinced about the need for testing and we are deeply sceptical about the role of the Government, or its agencies, in handling data which might arise from such tests.

“We are clear that assessment data, in any format, should be focused on supporting teaching and learning and that is something which needs to take place at the level of the classroom and school. The notion that the Government might be better placed than teachers to direct classroom practice by micro-managing schools from Edinburgh is completely wrong.”

The warning follows an official briefing on the assessments during which a government official said: “I think we will have national information, but we haven’t pinned down exactly what will be included in that yet.

“There is a purpose to us having information to see broad national trends, but it would be premature to commit to anything in particular and it is a live discussion.

“We want this data to be useful at every level of the proceedings.

“We need to see the national trends. We need to know where further support is required.”

Later, a Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “We publish data on the percentage of children who have achieved the curriculum levels in literacy and numeracy relevant to their stage.

“This is based on teacher professional judgement and is published at school, local authority and national level.

“No final decision has been taken on the range of data that will be gathered in by the Scottish Government.”

During the briefing officials explained the new tests had been designed to help teachers identify where pupils need extra help.

The computerised tests are flexible because they offer different questions depending on how well pupils perform as they progress through the assessment.

Teachers can then access precise feedback on individual children to assess strengths and weaknesses, as well as looking at wider data sets which analyse whole classes or particular groups such as pupils from deprived backgrounds.

Amanda Kopel, right, with Ruth Davidson and and Miles Briggs.