Councils warned over dangers to pupils and teachers of over-testing

ANDREW DENHOLM

are continuing with their own assessments in addition to the new proposals.

A survey found at least nine local authorities are intending to run different tests at the same time – at least for one year.

Liz Smith, education spokeswoman for the Scottish Conservative Party, said the point of the tests was to ensure common standards across the country. She said: “It will create both a great deal of confusion, as well as an added workload for teachers if there are wide variations of testing across local authorities.”

Iain Gray, education spokesman for the Scottish Labour Party, added: The Government’s national assessment policy has been a shambles from the beginning.

“It is no wonder that only eight councils Scottish councils are certain they will move over to the new national assessments.”

However, officials said it was understandable councils wanted to ensure the tests delivered what was expected, but said over-testing was a concern.

Speaking at a briefing on the new assessments a government official said: “Inevitably people were still hedging their bets because they hadn’t seen these assessments, but there is now more confidence within local authorities to make that transition. All councils are committed to doing it and to making the transition, but while some may do it immediately, some may take a year or two years and that is the prerogative of the local authorities to make that decision.”

An official from schools inspectorate Education Scotland added: “The conversations we are having with local authorities are about over-assessment.

“We wouldn’t ever want our pupils to be over-assessed.

“If we have over-assessment it is not good for teachers in terms of bureaucracy and it is not good for pupils because they wouldn’t expect that. This should be part of what is happening every day in a classroom rather than an additional burden.”