MPs slam system of teaching children for tests

The government should scrap the current system of tests for school pupils because it risks damaging children and created an atmosphere where schools became focused on hitting targets, MPs said on Tuesday.

A highly critical report by the Children Schools and Families Committee called said urgent reform was needed as the government's use of tests to make conclusions about schools as well as an individual pupil's progress was inappropriate.

It concluded that the use of league tables, which assess schools on the performance of their pupils, meant some institutions concentrated more on maximising test results than giving children a more rounded education.

"In an effort to drive up national standards, too much emphasis has been placed on a single set of tests and this has been to the detriment of some aspects of the curriculum and some students," Barry Sheerman, the committee's chairman, said.

The committee would like to see teachers focus less on test results and more on personalised learning, he added.

Under the current system, children face national tests at 7, 11, and 14, often referred to as SATs (Standard Assessment Tasks), to assess their progress.

But the cross-party committee's report said "teaching to the test" was a widespread phenomenon, with a disproportionate focus on English, mathematics and science.

Also many teachers focused on those pupils that helped schools to hit government targets, leaving some children unprepared for higher education or employment, it said.

In an interview with BBC Panorama on Monday, Schools Minister Jim Knight defended the tests.

"SATs are there to give pupils an understanding of how they're doing nationally, to give parents the opportunity to see how well their child is doing and how well the school is doing, and for the public to see how well schools generally and how the school system as a whole is performing," he said.

But the committee's criticism was welcomed by teaching unions and other education experts.

"The government should finally accept enough is enough. The current testing of children is damaging their education and demoralising teachers," said Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers.

Warwick Mansell, author of "Education by Numbers: The Tyranny of Testing", said the current system generated less reliable results and created an unattractive learning experience for pupils.

"Given that so much pressure is now placed on schools to raise test results, many see themselves as having to focus on improving test scores almost come what may," he said.