Pupil tests a ‘barrier to learning’ says union
WELSH Labour has defended Wales’ controversial reading and numeracy tests as pupils across the country prepare to sit the next tranche of papers next week.
The party said statutory national testing for children aged seven to 14 had been a “positive step forward for Welsh education” and had helped parents and teachers understand more about their pupils.
But teaching unions paint a very different picture, following reports of younger children being reduced to tears by the annual papers.
NUT Cymru policy officer Owen Hathway said the tests remained “hugely unpopular” among teachers and parents alike.
Wales’ national reading and numeracy tests were unveiled in 2011 during a speech by then Education Minister Leighton Andrews.
They were introduced as part of the Welsh Government’s response to Wales’ poor Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa) results in 2010 and sought to help gauge pupil progress in key skills.
But since the first tests were sat by pupils in 2013 critics have raised a number of concerns.
There have been disputes over who would be responsible for marking; statistical issues preventing direct year-on-year comparisons; and fears about pupils’ wellbeing.
It has also been suggested that the tests contradict the philosophy of the Foundation Phase, a flagship early years’ policy based on learning through play.
A Welsh Labour spokesman said: “The introduction of reading and numeracy tests have been a positive step forward for Welsh education.
“They’ve provided schools with a tool to individualise learning in the classroom; helped parents understand how their child is progressing; and particularly helped to identify, at an earlier age, issues in the development of young people from deprived backgrounds.
“This is one of the reasons why we are seeing positive results and ‘new momentum’ in our schools. Last year the poverty attainment gap was closing at every key stage of statutory education.
“The tests will inevitably develop as we head towards the new curriculum for Wales – for example, we will develop new online adaptive tests so they stretch the abilities of all pupils.
“However, we will not let go of the drive for higher standards and any changes will be made in the interests of young people and in close consultation with the teaching profession in Wales.”
Mr Hathway added: “Teachers are regularly reporting that the tests are having a noticeably detrimental impact on pupil confidence as well as the ability of teachers to actually do their work. Instead of supporting learning these tests are a barrier to it.
“There is little doubt that the policy has been highly divisive.”