The Mismeasurement of Learning

How tests are damaging children and primary education

Reclaiming Schools The Evidence and the Arguments In 2016 47% of pupils failed to reach the ‘expected standard’ in the KS2 tests (Reading, Writing, Mathematics). In effect, due to poorly constructed and impossibly difficult tests, nearly half our 11-year-olds left their primary school carrying a ‘failure’ notice.

Twice as many August-born children (the youngest in the year) failed the phonics check as September-born (the oldest). The same occurred with KS1 SATs. In other words, many thousands of children were ‘failed’ because they were not old enough.

Teachers had worked hard to narrow the attainment gap between pupils on free school meals and other pupils in the years up to 2015. The KS1 attainment gap doubled in 2016.

There is a tide in the affairs of men, When taken at the flood, leads on to fortune. Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat. And we must take the current when it serves, or lose our ventures. Introduction

The system of assessment In 2016, the concerns of imposed on English primary teachers, and parents, have schools is a failure. In 2016, it reached new heights. In an NUT has produced a situation in survey, more than 90% of which nearly half of all eleven primary teachers identified year olds were judged not ready fundamental problems with the for secondary school. But this assessment system. Parents, counter-intuitive outcome is not likewise, made a forceful its only problem. It has become statement, by withdrawing their a notorious example of teaching children from school in the week to the test: it narrows the before SATs. Working with curriculum; it prioritises the many other organisations, the production of test scores above NUT intends to make the need the provision of support for to transform the whole system children’s learning. In some of primary assessment an issue cases, it damages children’s that policy-makers cannot sense of well-being. The ignore. We hope that The burdens it imposes on teachers Mismeasurement of Learning are unjustifiably heavy. The provokes the discussions and aspirations of teachers and the the arguments that are an capacities of pupils are essential part of this campaign. frustrated by a system that is not fit for purpose.

It is essential that the troubles of primary education are exposed and debated. That is why the Kevin Courtney National Union of Teachers is General Secretary, pleased to publish this National Union of Teachers collection of articles. The Mismeasurement of Learning explains how primary education got into its present state; it draws from the experiences of teachers and researchers to make a detailed analysis of the way that assessment works; it opens the door to thinking about alternatives.

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CONTENTS Introduction by Kevin Courtney, General Secretary NUT

1. What this publication sets out to do: activists and academics together Jon Berry

2. How testing took centre stage Roger Murphy

3. Campbell’s Law... or how the language of numbers does a disservice to our children Richard Pring

4. Testing times and the thirst for data: for what? Alpesh Maisuria

5. Developmentally informed teaching: challenging premature targets in early learning Pam Jarvis

6. ‘Datafication’ in the early years Guy Roberts-Holmes and Alice Bradbury

7. An old and professional alternative to the present system Michael Bassey

8. Flawed arguments for phonics Margaret Clark

9. A focus group discussion with Teesside primary teachers

10. Mathematics: conceptual understanding or counting by the rules? Gawain Little

11. Primary arts are in trouble Pat Thomson

12. Assessment and testing in Wales David Egan

13. Everyone’s educational future is always in the making: Learning without Limits Patrick Yarker

14. Speeding up the treadmill: Primary tests and Secondary exams Terry Wrigley

15. Three assessment myths John Coe

16. ‘Since Christmas I have only taught Literacy and Numeracy’: what the 2016 SATs taught us Ken Jones

5 1. What this publication sets out to do: activists and academics together

Even though some strident understanding pedagogy and ‘miniature centres of voices would have us believe challenging poorly informed calculation’. Michael Bassey otherwise, there is a place in the opinion, teachers can go about offers a glimpse of the past in busy lives of teachers for theory. the business of educating the the form of case study There is also a case for looking whole child more confidently. observations of teachers carried carefully at evidence. It seems out in the 1970s. He shows real Roger Murphy provides the odd that such an obvious point and inspiring alternatives to historical context for the current even needs to be re-stated. But current methods, to promote situation, tracing the way in teachers, teacher educators the all-round development of which testing became conflated and, of course, students and every child. with false notions of parents, have been faced with a accountability. This became the Margaret Clark brings an barrage of policy that has been basis for a punitive surveillance expert’s eye to the myths about driven by dogma, ideology and system which is undermining phonics. She points to the lack good old-fashioned prejudice education. Richard Pring takes of evidence behind the for over twenty years. This up the point by looking at the Government’s insistence on pamphlet, along with its way in which the managerialist synthetic phonics as opposed predecessor, Reclaiming language of target-setting and to a judicious combination of Schools, attempts to recover delivery, adopted from the methods for teaching reading, some of that lost ground. business world, has distorted and to the deep flaws in the Of those voices which have teaching and learning. Alpesh ‘phonics check’. attempted to drown out Maisuria comments on the A focus group discussion with knowledge, expertise and inappropriate transfer of several Teesside primary experience, none has been methods from the natural teachers shows the devastating more important and influential sciences into education. He impact of the new KS2 tests on than that of Michael Gove. He asks the basic question about children in one of England’s claimed in 2011, with absolutely what the real purpose of our poorest areas. This is no evidence whatsoever, that obsession with data collection demoralising pupils and student-teachers found could be, thereby raising the narrowing the curriculum into university-based teacher ultimate, but often ignored idea test preparation. The KS2 education ‘too theoretical’. of what education is for! reading test is analysed to show He dubbed academics who Pam Jarvis shows how nursery how far removed the reading is opposed his curriculum plans and kindergarten approaches to from these children’s life as ‘the Blob’. This distrust of young children are being experience. Gawain Little knowledge later informed his eclipsed and the early years of demonstrates that there are Brexit campaign, when he education are being similar problems with Maths: confidently declared that ‘Britain ‘schoolified’ under pressure method is prized above has had enough of experts’. from early testing. Impossible conceptual understanding. The This publication gives space to targets are resulting in a question of curriculum experts. Its aim is to equip ‘tsunami of mental health narrowing is pursued by Pat teachers with some arguments problems’. Guy Roberts- Thomson, who points to the and research that will help them Holmes and Alice Bradbury virtual disappearance of arts in their daily arguments with draw on interviews with nursery education in many schools, school managers – or even and reception class teachers to whilst celebrating those schools colleagues – who seem to demonstrate the ‘datafication’ which still prioritise it. One of the believe that the regime of of the early years. They show consequences is that children testing and data collection is how inappropriate pressure miss out on vital cultural and inevitable or, worse still, the best from Ofsted is wiping out play, creative experiences unless way to ‘raise standards’. By and how children are becoming their parents can provide it.

6 David Egan’s article on Wales power of teachers and parents Further readings and shows that there are other, to remove an oppressive references: more productive approaches to system of measurement. Berry, J (2016) Teachers curriculum and assessment, Teachers are not opposed to undefeated: How global beyond the current horizons of assessment. We all need to education reform has failed to English policy-makers. Patrick know how children are crush the spirit of educators Yarker introduces the notion of progressing and, from time to (Trentham Books) ‘learning without limits’, which time, testing their knowledge challenges prevailing notions of Hutchings, M (2015) Exam and understanding is the right fixed ability and potential in factories? The impact of thing to do. The contributors to children. Terry Wrigley looks at accountability measures on the pamphlet, however, all the way the testing treadmill children and young people . argue that the emphasis on dominates our children’s lives, www.teachers.org.uk/files/ standardised, high-stakes from the early years to the end exam-factories.pdf testing is seriously of secondary school. His article disproportionate. We argue that The www.reclaimingschools.org points to real alternatives for it has had an adverse effect on blog for up-to-date analysis of curriculum and assessment. the ability of teachers to make curriculum and assessment, John Coe debunks some autonomous decisions that along with many other prevailing myths about the genuinely enhance learning. campaigning issues. An index of necessity and benefits of What is worse is the time- posts concerned with primary standardized tests, showing consuming drudgery that testing can be found at how more productive and testing and data–collection can http://tinyurl.com/jd54cv7 reliable feedback can be generate – time that could be provided by well-managed and better spent either preparing sensitive teacher assessment. better lessons or resources or He celebrates the parents’ even enjoying the benefits of actions on 3rd May 2016 as the rest and relaxation, helping opening of a new chapter – a teachers to save their energies demonstration that parents are for the classroom itself. no longer willing to accept a system which is damaging their The academic contributors to children. Finally, Ken Jones this publication are proud to be reports on a survey of 6000 associated with the National teachers, which vividly Union of Teachers. It is by demonstrates their sense that bringing together informed learning has been diminished, opinion with a campaigning and teachers’ work degraded, organisation that we can by the current system. continue to show the best way forward for our young people. This collection of short articles provides a sharp critique of the Dr Jon Berry, current test regime, University of Hertfordshire demonstrating that it is [email protected] destructive of education and destructive of children. The authors celebrate the deep professionalism of teachers who are finding ways to resist, and sustain a faith in the collective

7 2. How testing took centre stage

Regular national testing of all Education Authority control emerged in opposition to the state school pupils, which has involving more ‘freedom’ to TGAT recommendations. become such a controversial develop their own significant Where did it all go wrong? A matter in recent years, was not features; and the imposition of leaked letter from Margaret in evidence until the late 1980s. national testing of all pupils at 7, Thatcher to Kenneth Baker, a How did it come into being? Two 11, 14 and 16. It was a simple few weeks after he and many key factors certainly contributed. formula blending the carrot of others had warmly welcomed There was a heightened demand much more professional the TGAT proposals, was a for accountability in all public freedom for head teachers and significant factor. A row services, and that was schools with the stick of a between Thatcher and Baker combined with a political move tightly prescribed curriculum was reported widely in to apply the principles of aligned with regular testing for newspaper front page stories in marketization to school all pupils, to see what progress which Thatcher insisted that the education. they were making against TGAT proposals were “too centrally prescribed milestones. In the 1970s and 1980s several complicated, too costly, and too Local Education Authorities During the ensuing far removed from the traditional introduced a requirement for implementation process several externally devised written tests their schools to take some battles were fought over that she was hoping for” standardised tests – usually ‘off ‘national benchmark testing’. (Murphy, 1988). The rest as they the shelf’ commercially This was a particular shock for say is history. National Testing in produced tests of things like primary schools, which since ‘core subjects’ started in 1990 ‘cognitive ability’ and ‘general the demise of the Eleven Plus with tests for all 7 year olds and aptitude’. Finally in 1987 the exam had been largely spared has remained with us with some Conservative Party chose to the burden of preparing pupils modifications for the last 27 make the introduction of so for external tests. Kenneth years. called ‘benchmark tests’ a Baker, who was the Secretary Some may still believe that central part of its manifesto of State for Education at this national testing in the years pledge. time, set up a Task Group on from 1990-2016 has been a Assessment and Testing (TGAT) These were of course the good thing. However the giving it just three months to ‘Thatcher years’ and Margaret majority of people working in develop a practical approach to Thatcher undoubtedly played a education have become introducing the national key role in establishing national increasingly concerned about assessments. This group, standardised tests as part of the harsh backwash effects of a chaired by Professor Paul the educational landscape. The test-driven accountability Black, was acutely aware of the pitch to the electorate was system, which has disrupted dangers of crude national tests greater accountability of schools the broader aims of the National “which could be remote from through simple and accessible Curriculum. The system has teachers, the curriculum, and data, and an opening up of an also proved unwieldy at a regular classroom teaching” educational market with the practical level (with the US (Murphy, 1988). TGAT came up promise of more choice for Educational Testing Service with some imaginative parents and better value for dramatically losing its contract proposals including Standard money for taxpayers. The ‘Great for delivering the tests after Assessment Tasks (SATs), Education Reform Act’ of 1988 computer problems in 2008). involving teacher assessments marked the biggest change for Moreover the issue of of standard classroom learning schools since the 1944 Butler demonstrating comparable tasks (rather than tests). Act. This involved a National assessment results data over Ironically ‘SATs’ has been Curriculum; new opportunities time has caused major retained as a shorthand for the for schools to opt out of Local problems for Secretaries of national testing approach that

8 State and government quangos Many of us would argue that Professor Roger Murphy over the years. In the last year there is nothing intrinsically Emeritus Professor of the Gove reforms have wrong with occasional Education completely realigned the classroom-based tests or even, Nottingham University standard of the tests. for certain purposes, national [email protected] testing programmes. However, So, in a nutshell, the Thatcher many would also agree that government of 1987 gave us Further readings and such tests have limited value, national testing and no later references: can give a misleading and government has been minded to partial view of educational Murphy, R (1988) Great abolish it. Few people imagined, progress, and, if the scores are Education Reform Bill proposals however, that national testing or given too much value and for testing – a critique (Local GCSE results would provide the importance, they can lead to Government Studies , foundation for a punitive and all- dangerously distorted teaching 14 (1), 39-45) embracing surveillance system, and learning and seriously poor involving the publication of judgements about pupils, results, calculations of ‘value teachers, schools, and added’, ‘floor targets’, Ofsted localities/local authorities/types judgements, naming and of school. shaming, performance reviews and performance pay for This is how testing took centre teachers, and forced academies. stage – surely it is time now to look for an exit.

9 3. Campbell’s Law… or how the language of numbers does a disservice to our children

October 2016 marks the 40th those in government who were schools, and books only one – anniversary of Prime Minister increasingly adopting a much namely, in the section on Callaghan’s Ruskin College more managerial approach to Information Technology. The speech – the first occasion the control of public services following statement sums it up when a Prime Minister had which emerged in the 1980s – perfectly: spoken about standards and including, for example, through ‘It is only the workforce who can curriculum within our schools. the creation of a National deliver our [i.e. the Prior to that, the Minister of Curriculum with its key stage Government’s] ambition of Education, David Eccles, had testing, All this was explained in improved outcomes.’ bemoaned that the curriculum a series of Government White was a ‘secret garden’ and that Papers from HM Treasury and Such a language of public the Minister, therefore, was the Cabinet Office, starting with management requires targets unable to monitor the quality of Modern Public Services in which are sufficiently precise as the educational system and of Britain: Investing in Reform to be measurable. Therefore, individual schools within it. The (1988). there has arisen the range of Minister had neither the outcomes to which teachers Such a managerial approach knowledge of areas of should teach and on which they introduced a new language, one weakness, nor the powers to and their schools will be of ‘targets’ and their ‘delivery’, do anything even if he did have assessed and judged. of ‘performance indicators’ and that knowledge. How could the their ‘audits’. The aim was But, as ‘Campbell’s Law’ system as a whole and the clarified by the Labour 2008 stipulates performance of schools be Government’s White Paper, made more accountable? ‘the more any quantitative social 21st Century Schools: your indicator is used for social The initial answer involved child, your schools, our future: decision making, the more sample assessments. Guidance building a 21st century schools subject it will be to corruption was taken from the National system . As the Children’s pressures and the more apt it Assessment of Educational Minister declared: will be to distort and corrupt the Performance (NAEP) based in ‘It is fundamentally a deep social processes it was Denver Colorado, and the cultural change. It is about intended to monitor.’ Assessment of Performance changing boundaries of Unit (APU) was established to The American social scientist professional behaviour and provide a comprehensive and policy analyst Donald thinking in a completely different account of the quality of Campbell warned us, in a way.’ (DCSF, 2008) education in six broad areas of research paper of 1976, of the the curriculum, including So, what are the clues to the inevitable problems associated personal and social ‘deep cultural change’ which with undue weight and development. By adopting a create new ‘boundaries of emphasis on a single indicator model of light sampling, professional behaviour’? for monitoring complex social stratified and randomised, phenomena. In effect he This ‘deep cultural change’, as knowledge of standards and of warned us about the high- outlined, said nothing about their change over time could be stakes testing programmes education, but the language ascertained, without which now dominate our gave the clue. ‘Performance’ interference in the schools. The educational system in general and ‘performing’ were assessments of standards and primary schools in mentioned 121 times, could not themselves become particular. It is re-iterated by ‘outcomes’ 55 times, ‘delivery’ the shaper of the curriculum. what economists refer to as 57 times. Libraries get no Goodhart’s Law, namely That, however, could not satisfy mention in 21st century

10 ‘When a measure becomes a Therefore, in opposing the Further readings and target, it ceases to become a retrograde influence on primary references: good measure.’ school practice of widespread Mansell, W (2007) Education by testing, it is necessary to be Such ‘corruption’ lies in Numbers: the tyranny of testing. aware of this wider background ‘teaching to the test’, ‘being (Routledge). to the management of public selective of pupils who are likely services with its own distinctive to do well in the tests’, language drawn from the ‘concentrating on subjects in business world, and thereby to which pupils are to be tested’. question its relevance to what it Warwick Mansell, in his book means to teach and to educate. Education By numbers: The Tyranny of Testing gives an Professor Richard Pring account of the ‘games teachers Emeritus Professor, play’ and how the results of the Oxford University. test scores can affect parental [email protected] choice, head teachers’ pay, teacher promotion, and indeed closure or forced academisation.

11 4. Testing times and the thirst for data: for what?

The emphasis on tests has from humans. The idea is that the next time. The insatiable made teachers and pupils we provide a standardised demand for data through depressed, harm themselves, education for all and expect testing reduces the schooling and even turn suicidal. High- comparable outcomes. experience to a coercive stakes testing and an oppressive performance that is didactically- The problem is that the social data-driven accountability led and reduced to ‘benchmark world is highly unpredictable. In system de-humanise what knows best’. the context of schooling, tests should be an experience of do not account for the Learning through dialogue and enrichment, creativity and fun. multiplicity of factors that affect discussion becomes difficult in Schooling is being reconfigured engagement and subsequent the age of performativity. Child from being a public service to a performance. Tests only give a centred pedagogy is business, and business surface metric, rather than incompatible with the need for demands data through testing. deeper understanding of what comparable data. Perhaps the has been learnt , why learning final death knell was Gove’s Bad Science has taken place and how. In notching up of the high stakes ‘Almost half of pupils miss new short, we have a misplaced testing regime. Failing to reach Sats standard’ ran the headline trust in the accuracy of data a benchmark now means that on the BBC July 2016. But is it from standardised tests. the child is stigmatised, the the children and teachers that teacher penalised, and the are the problem or the SATs and Standardised tests, high- school sentenced to forced other tests? stakes examinations Academisation.

The philosophy behind testing The requirement for all students Imported from the USA, high in schools is a false application to take the same test and stakes examinations mean that of approaches used in some of perform against the same children in England, who are the natural sciences. In the benchmarks disregards each already among the most natural world, through pupil’s individuality and their frequently tested in Europe, experimentation, we can particular ways of coming to have the added pressure of observe and uncover the fixed and working with knowledge. trying to avoid the label ‘failure’. laws of nature. This has allowed Teachers, supposedly the This occurs as early as age 5 scientists to predict with a high experts, are equally (the phonics check) and, if it level of accuracy the outcome disempowered and their had not been withdrawn and regularity of what happens autonomy is compromised. following widespread in the natural world, for example The school’s management is opposition, was due to occur as the combination of two also negatively affected by the early as 4 years old through hydrogen atoms with an oxygen obsession with capturing data Baseline testing. Early testing atom will always result in water by tests. Rather than showing plants seeds of alienation from being created. This level of effective leadership and vision learning at the most important certainty and predictability does by taking creative and time in a child’s life, when not occur in open systems such considered risks, managers are learning through doing things as weather and climate, nor is it expected to bean-count, differently should ignite curiosity, appropriate when describing account, measure everything creativity and exploration. and explaining children’s and be as conservative and learning in schools. prudent as possible. The The classed-room A positivistic logic has been expectation is that they set Proponents claim that misappropriated and thus we further targets to be more standardisation negates mistakenly expect standard and conservative and prudent than inequality because all pupils predictable responses in tests the last time to get more for less have the same experience and

12 expectations of them. This too stratify schools as ‘good’ and Further readings and constitutes bad science ‘bad’, ‘gaming’ has penetrated references: because it disregards the school governance. Teachers Au, W (2009) Unequal by individuality of all children and and ‘school leaders’ are forced design: High-stakes testing and their position in an unequal to choose between what will the standardization of inequality society. The test data is reap the best advantages in (Routledge) supposed to capture learning league tables. Teachers and but the tests cannot account for ‘school leaders’ are forced to Cole-Malott, D-M and Malott, C the crucial impact of the pupils’ choose between offering a (2016) Testing and social access to resources of various broad and balanced curriculum studies in capitalist schooling kinds (for example toys/books, involving creative and critical (Monthly Review ) parental nurturing, activities and learning, and squeezing the http://tinyurl.com/js2my32 experiences, private tuition, curriculum to focus on a narrow medicine, healthy diet). band of learning that will gain Resources can also be cultural; the highest scores. tests are imbued with classed Some creative accounting, cultural norms that expect admitting fewer working class pupils to know particular ways pupils, immigrants and an of English middle class ‘being’ increase in managed exclusions (See for example the 2016 KS2 might also take place, which Reading test relating to a have become more evident garden party). The working since the introduction of class, especially immigrants, are academies. It seems no at a systemic disadvantage and coincidence that academies, tests track working class pupils with their business-leaning on a pathway labelled ‘failing’, competitive approach to despite the fact that many have governance, exclude five times travelled a long physical and as many pupils, 70% of them intellectual journey. registered with additional needs. Underperforming in tests means Relentless testing is linked to that life chances are restricted market positioning rather than and schooling reproduces the value of learning, or a inequalities rather than corrects learning resource useful for them. Schooling in this sense children. becomes a function of the We need to fight for less testing, neoliberal state to filter workers especially high stakes exams, for a particular position and level which should be abolished in the economy. Test results altogether for younger children. teach children to ‘know their The ultimate struggle is to place’, as the Victorians would maintain the reality of a public have said. school that serves the purpose of the common good and Gaming and markets correcting inequality. These are As part of the neoliberalisation testing times. of schooling, a markets rule rationality has entrenched the Dr Alpesh Maisuria way that schools are governed. University of East London Since testing data is used to [email protected]

13 5. Developmentally informed teaching: challenging premature targets in early learning

Compulsory mass state greater range of options’ . with teachers or child schooling was enshrined in Stage-based theories of human development experts. The legislation in 1880 to meet the cognition have also received ongoing strategy of the requirements of the industrial support through Department for Education has revolution. The starting age of neuropsychology. been a simplistic insistence that five was arbitrarily fixed by the the earlier children enter Despite a century of empirical government of the time, even education and the faster they and theoretical advances though many experts in are expected to learn, the better however, the state education education and psychology then the outcome will be. system has never become and since argued that the sufficiently informed about the In effect, education is viewed as ‘nursery’ or ‘kindergarten’ stage human developmental process. a ‘data dump’, based on an should extend to the age of Additionally, the school starting analogy which sees teachers as seven. Young children learn age has effectively become memory sticks and children as most effectively through a range earlier since children are now computers; there is no attempt of discovery and independent expected to enter school at the to understand the psychology play-based activities in which beginning of the school year and biology of human they interact with others, when they become 5, meaning development and learning. learning about ways in which that inevitably some are only Indeed, former journalist they can manipulate the physical just turned 4. Children are also Michael Gove (2010- 2014) world, share and collaborate. immediately subject to statutory announced his entrenched This prepares them cognitively, assessment, which means that opinion: that the nation ‘had socially and emotionally for more formal teaching, particularly in had enough of experts’. This formal education in the later literacy and numeracy, often philosophy underpinned his four stages of development. begins during the pre-school years at the helm of English In the early twentieth century, period. The Early Years education. For example, he Maria Montessori created a Foundation Stage (from birth to commented in 2013 that those developmental model that five) has 17 goals against which who opposed his ‘reforms’ were proposed ‘planes’ of a summative assessment must simply making excuses for ‘not development in which children’s be made at five; while the teaching poor children to add abilities to learn and theorise phonics check creates severe up’. His successor, corporate become progressively more downward pressure. lawyer Nicky Morgan, respected sophisticated, while Jean Piaget professional knowledge so little The unremitting schedule of specified four distinct stages, that she proposed to scrap tests puts children and teachers involving gradual development Qualified Teacher Status under considerable stress, since towards more abstract thought. altogether. data from these tests forms the Contemporary cognitive basis for evaluation of schools So what has the effect of such psychologist Professor Alison and potentially for them to be mismanagement been upon the Gopnik presents copious forcibly turned into academies. process of education and upon empirical data to support her the children themselves? view that formal instruction in So how has this happened? England’s ongoing education early childhood ‘leads children Since the early 1990s, the policy has created a situation to narrow in, and to consider Secretary of State for Education between teachers and pupils just the specific information a has exerted far-reaching powers which can most accurately be teacher provides. Without a and successive postholders, described as one of mutually teacher present children look for regardless of political assured destruction; impossible a much wider range of orientation, have refused to targets are set with teachers’ and information and consider a engage in productive discussion

14 head teachers’ future reconsidered, including nursery Further readings and employment prospects and education to age 7, firmly based references: salary depending upon pupils’ upon independent and For a fully referenced version of performance against these. collaborative discovery, to this article, please see Teachers are therefore put into a provide a strong foundation for Reclaiming Schools, Oct 2016 http://tinyurl.com/z7ycrl5 position where they feel later, more formal modes of compelled to drive children learning and for mental health Gray, P (2013) Free to learn (Basic Books) through a ‘too much, too soon’ within a society that functions for curriculum, inevitably based the good of all. Jarvis, P, Newman, S and Swiniarski, L (2014) On largely in highly pressurised rote Dr Pam Jarvis ‘becoming social’: the learning, or quit the profession. Leeds Trinity University importance of collaborative free Not surprisingly, many take the play in childhood (International latter option in order to protect [email protected] Journal of Play ) http://tinyurl.com/h87pfjx their own mental health and integrity. Robinson, K (2011) School kills creativity Children, however, cannot https://www.youtube.com/ escape. The result is a tsunami of watch?v=Z1yl0MFYzXc mental health problems: a doubling of juvenile depression between the 1980s and 2000s, and an explosion of self harmers, an increasing number of whom have to be hospitalised. Self- harming is a reaction to being placed under impossible mental pressure, as physical injury releases endorphins that counteract the stress response. A growing number of young people develop eating disorders and suicidal thoughts, with a doubling of numbers presenting to Accident and Emergency departments with psychiatric problems. Two successive UNICEF reports on children’s well-being in 2007 and 2013 indicated that English children have a very low sense of well-being.

In conclusion, the ‘too much, too soon’ approach and exposure to overwhelming competition puts children at severe risk of psychological harm. The entire system must be radically

15 6. ‘Datafication’ in the early years

The nursery and reception ‘The school’s outstanding “We ‘name and shame’ by teachers we interviewed status must be maintained’ showing all the school names. explained how they were The interviews showed how Some schools didn’t have any increasingly subjected to the heads came under pressure, children at ‘working above the demands of data production. and how this can distort good expected level’ so you say ‘well They were aware of the pitfalls, practice. your statistical neighbour has cynical about the purposes of this % so how come you data, and yet they found their “I should be in classrooms haven’t?’” (Local Authority working lives constrained by supporting colleagues but I advisor). exhaustive demands for the spend far too much time looking This is driving formal learning production and analysis of data. at assessment data and it is for proving to OFSTED that we are earlier and earlier, with a “The collection and analysing of great. But actually I would be far narrowing of learning to literacy data is just too overwhelming. It more effective if I were in class and numeracy. makes you constantly think of and the children would benefit how to improve it and what to more.” (Primary school deputy). The impact on teachers, do with this group and how to teaching and children The consequences of not plug this hole and that one.” Two responses were noticed producing the ‘right’ data for (Reception teacher, primary among headteachers. Thus Ofsted are severe, so that the school). whilst one head told her early data driven ‘regimes of truth’ years staff to be more formal in “We have constant meetings such as ‘tracking progress’, their teaching, another tried ‘to looking at the data. It has ‘reducing the gap’ and ‘value protect’ the holistic early years become very clinical and added’ took precedence over pedagogy. In this latter school, children have just become her time. numbers…” (Reception teacher) the nursery teacher confidently Even enlightened forms of stated that he ‘did the phonics, Interviews with teachers show assessment are subverted and but then tucked it away to get the exaggerated emphasis distorted by this environment. on with the real business of placed on literacy and The school’s own ‘in-house’ being with the children’. numeracy, rather than the holistic baseline, which However, other early years broader foundations that measures children’s progress teachers felt obliged to cynically children need. The constant against Development Matters in comply. need to show progress involved the Autumn term, is sent to the “Formal learning is now coming the production of ever more Local Authority who data mine it down from Year 1, through complex grids, charts, graphs and predict where the children Reception and into the Nursery and tables with acronyms could be for their summative class with the three year olds related to a colour-coded, age- Good Levels of Development that I teach…. We were based system of points the (GLD) at the end of Reception. children can attain. explicitly asked by our Data production, exchange, headteacher to make nursery Teachers contrast high stakes mining and prediction had ‘more formal’ which means ‘compliance’ data with the more become central within the more direct teaching of maths useful data in the form of relationship between the LA and and phonics… The philosophy narrative and formative the school. Data packs were and values of the EYFS are assessments based on used to compare and rank, being eroded.” (Nursery teachers’ observations. locally and nationally, with the Teacher). intention of ‘naming and shaming’.

16 Ofsted, in its role in the policy Failure and children’s Teachers are struggling to make transmission process, involved identities sense of their deeply held child- criticising the nursery school Williamson (2014, p12) argues centred values espoused by the because there was ‘not enough that databases reinvent EYFS principles, curriculum and teaching to emphasise the teachers and children ‘into data pedagogies and at the same sounds that letters make and to that can be measured, time perform to the datafication extend children’s understanding compared, assessed and acted requirements of the school of number and mathematical upon’ and suggests that readiness assessment regime. language’ in the early years (a children become reconfigured Guy Roberts-Holmes and direct quotation from the as ‘miniature centres of Alice Bradbury, school’s inspection report). The calculation’.There is a sense of Senior Lecturers, inspector’s report, which young children being reduced UCL Institute of Education included observations of three to the school’s statistical ‘raw year old children who had been materials’ that are mined and [email protected] in school for just two weeks , exploited for their maximum [email protected] mentioned ‘phonics’ and productivity gains. ‘teaching letter sounds’ seven Further readings and times. This was given as the Even very young children are references: reason for grading the school being labeled as ‘failing’, and ‘good’ (the most common indeed headteachers are Bradbury, A and Roberts- grade) rather than ‘outstanding’, required to notify parents Holmes, G (2016) They are which, for private providers, can whether their child has passed children… not robots, not have serious financial or failed the Year 1 phonics test. machines (NUT and ATL) consequences. One Reception teacher http://tinyurl.com/zj6zfg7 mentioned that some of the Moss, P ed. (2012) Early One primary school Reception lower attainers were labelled Childhood and Compulsory teacher wanted the children to Special Educational Needs Education :Reconceptualising play with maths construction (SEN) so as not to harm the the relationship (Routledge) equipment but the Head teacher’s performance data teacher wanted more ‘formal (Roberts-Holmes, 2015). Roberts-Holmes, G (2015) The maths input because sacrifices ‘datafication’ of early years The detrimental effects upon had to be made to ensure that pedagogy (Journal of Education children’s well-being were the school’s outstanding status Policy, 30/3) be maintained.’ Here the wealth demonstrated by one teacher’s of research demonstrating the comments: TACTYC (2014) Early years policy advice: Play and value of play based approaches “I am now pushing information pedagogy to learning was ‘sacrificed’ at into three-year-olds rather than http://tinyurl.com/jgd7ndx the altar of ‘outstanding’ developing meaningful grading. In another Reception relationships. Even in the Williamson, B (2014) class, following pressure from nursery I now feel that pressure. Reassembling children as data the head, the main activity If a child doesn’t recognize a doppelgangers: How databases during both mornings and number or a letter I go are making education machine- afternoons was teaching maths ‘aggghhh’ and hold my breath. I readabl e and phonics in both whole class have to remind myself the child http://tinyurl.com/z8tzjwv and ability groups. is three and not yet ready for it.” (Reception teacher, primary school).

17 7. An old and professional alternative to the present system

Today’s political discussions of I also made several detailed produced nothing. A potato education assume that case studies of different kept in the dark was examined; imposing a fact-heavy national classroom routines, three of beans in jam jars had made curriculum and rigorous testing them republished in Case Study some shoots and two onions will raise the standard of Research in Educational had produced long roots and education. Those of us who Settings (1999). These case the water smelt strongly. were active in primary schools studies illustrate: A couple of minutes were spent before the 1988 Education Act ‘that before the Education revising work on the calendar should speak out and Reform Act of 1988 and the and then, at 9.29, Mrs W stood demonstrate that there were subsequent and continuing and within three minutes had excellent teachers guided by interference of the state in organised the children’s work their professionalism long classrooms, there were for the morning. Four children before the politicians made their dedicated and competent would work on Our Book of forays. teachers fully committed to the Faces ; another four would start As a young tutor at Trent needs of the children in their making shapes with clay; the Polytechnic, Nottingham, in care who were quite able to ‘big children’ had special work what we then called ‘teacher work effectively without official books and Michelle got hers education ’ (not ‘training’), monitoring and state that day. coupled with a research brief, I harassment.’ “I want to hear the boys read set out to encapsulate good Extracts from one study today. So, Mark and Simon get practice in local primary illustrate why I was, and still am, your books out first and sit in schools. The resulting report polemical about the ‘state the corner. Just sit down until Nine Hundred Primary School harassment’ of primary schools. everybody else is busy. Now Teachers (1978) described the The class teacher, Mrs W, aged don’t forget, everybody. You’ve results of a massive study of 29, had been teaching for 8 got some writing to do and classrooms carried out with a years. There were 30 children you’ve got some number work team of 30 research assistants. aged 5 to 6 in her class. She to do. Best thing is not to leave Lady Plowden, in her Foreword, worked to ‘the integrated day’. it all till the afternoon. Plan your wrote: It was Monday 3rd February day and decide when you are ‘This most comprehensive 1975. going to do it. Right, everybody report on the practices of busy please.” By 9.15 the children had arrived primary education in in class, taken coats off, some The children moved quickly. Nottinghamshire gives a great chatted briefly with Mrs W, There was a rush for the Wendy deal of information about the others looked at the plants corner, but only four stayed – day by day work of a large which had grown from seeds they knew the rule of how many. number of teachers. … There sown last week, all answered to For 45 minutes the children does not seem to be any the register, paid their dinner were all busy, individually or in danger of the schools in money and sat quietly on the groups. In the Wendy corner Nottinghamshire moving into carpet. Mrs W sat on her they were playing co-operatively the so-called ‘progressive rocking chair by the carpet, the in response to what looked like methods’ in which ‘children do children turned towards her and giant’s feet coming through the as they please’. … I believe that for ten minutes they discussed ceiling. Four were cutting faces a national survey would similarly what had come from the seeds. out of magazines, pasting them show that throughout the into the book and discussing it. country teachers are in general Gerbil and budgie food had Of the clay children one made a responsibly structuring produced long green shoots like coiled pot, one a ‘footballer’ children’s experience in the thick grass, but the tomato, from rolled pieces laid flat, the classroom.’ apple and orange pips had

18 other two made patterns. Ten Rather than destroy all this, the Further readings and children sat at the ‘writing political task should have been references: tables’, some writing about to find ways of bringing all Anning, A, Cullen, J and Fleer, dinosaurs, others about the teachers to this high level of M (2009) Early childhood plants growing from their seeds professional excellence. This education: society and culture (at various levels from tracing required a recognition that, (SAGE) letters to writing using their own beyond the traditional 3 Rs, word books), others were there should be, as Mrs W Bassey, M (1978) Nine hundred responding to number work knew, concern for the primary school teachers (NFER) cards (made by Mrs W) like emotional, social, creative and Hewitt, D and Tarrant, S (2015) “You have 6 sweets and you eat physical all-round development Innovative teaching and learning 3. How many are left?” Another of every child. in primary schools (SAGE) four were building something Emeritus Professor Michael with bricks, and two were in the Bassey reading corner. I missed what Nottingham Trent University the others were doing – but I’m sure Mrs W knew! During this [email protected] time she:

‘heard boys read, responded to children who queued for help with writing or to show completed writing or number work (entered in her ‘tick’ book) and moved around the room to help here, encouraged there, resolved a quarrel, etc.’

There is not space to describe the rest of the day nor how Mrs W organised number work, writing and reading. But this is evidence that her concern was for the ‘whole’ child, and that this was appropriately assessed:

‘Each half-term Mrs W makes notes on each child’s emotional and social development and puts in their record scrapbook a sample of their written work and number work. She also keeps in diary form the major events of the half-term: the interests that arose, how they developed and what they led to.’

19 8. Flawed arguments for phonics

Even in a class where no child with these words that a grasp of pseudo words and 20 real can yet read, there will be wide phonics will assist. However, the words) has been administered differences in their evidence is that this is better to all Year 1 children in state understanding of the critical practised in context, not in schools in England. The claim features of print. A few children isolation. Time spent in some was that this would ‘identify entering school can already read schools on practising pseudo pupils with below expected silently and with understanding, words for the phonics check progress in phonic decoding’. but most still need support to could surely be better spent Those pupils who failed to master written language in this studying other features of real achieve the pass mark of 32 new disembedded medium. written English, especially as were to receive intervention, many children are learning to and retake the test the following Many current discussions in read in a language that is not year. DfE made available a large England around learning to read their mother tongue. sum of money for matched appear simplistic, failing to take funding from which schools account of the complexity of The powerful place of could purchase only synthetics English orthography. The English commercial interests in phonics materials and training language does not have a one- determining government from a recommended list of to-one visual representation of all policies, the materials providers. the sounds we speak, making it recommended, and even the a difficult code for young children supplementary funding for the The DfE has ignored two key to break. Many words are easy teaching of reading is issues: to represent in writing, but some disturbing. Since 2010 the i) The large difference in pass of the commonest words are not government and Ofsted have rate each year between the phonically regular. Evidence insisted that the method of oldest and youngest suggests that the teaching of teaching reading should be children’s results. Indeed both reading and writing is most synthetic phonics, claiming this twice as many August-born effective when the teaching is is backed by research. In fact, children (i.e. the youngest) systematic, taking into account systematic reviews of existing as September-born children the linguistic probabilities of the evidence support only the (the oldest) are labelled English language and the child’s following claims: failures early in their school needs. There is an important • There is benefit from the career, particularly boys. place for assessment, provided inclusion of phonics within ii) Starting the test with 12 it is diagnostic and leads to the early instruction in pseudo words confuses monitoring of progress and learning to read in English, many children. Children appropriate action. within a broad programme. who can already read A hundred key words account • There is not evidence to attempt to make these into for about half the total words in support phonics in isolation real words. There are written English, and many of as the one best method. children, including some them are phonically irregular. • There is not evidence for autism spectrum conditions Children need to recognise the synthetic phonics rather children, who refuse to whole word in a variety of than analytic or a mixture of attempt pseudo words, but meaningful contexts, yet this approaches. read all the real words has a low profile in current correctly, thus failing the policy. It is also essential to be Synthetic phonics teaches the check. Some teachers, able to decode speedily the sound-symbol relationships in obeying ambiguous words that appear much less isolation, rather than inferring instructions, stop the test frequently, accounting for over these from sets of words or real without giving children the 90 per cent of the different texts. Since June 2012 a opportunity to try the real words in written English. It is phonics check of 40 words (20 words.

20 The dictates from DfE and So far there is only anecdotal Further readings and Ofsted, and the pressure on evidence of the effect on young references: schools for a high and children`s experiences of and Clark, M M (2016) Learning to increasing pass rate, are having attitudes towards literacy. How be literate: insights from a major impact on practice in will this greater emphasis on research for policy and practice schools as well as impacting on synthetic phonics in the early (Routledge) teacher training. This has stages, the disconnected nature removed the professional of much of the tuition, the new Phonics fanatics: politicians freedom for teachers to adopt emphasis on pseudo words and who think they know best the approaches they think preparing for the test, influence http://wp.me/p5izk8-jp appropriate for individual children’s understanding of the The phonics check: what does children. nature of literacy and their it prove? http://wp.me/p5izk8-iI attitude to reading? How does it The phonics check costs influence parents` ideas on how around £260,000 a year to to help their young children? We administer (printing, distribution, need evidence from the collation of resuls), not to children, including those who mention teachers’ time, and passed the check, those who substantial payments to could read but failed the check, commercial organisations such and those required to re-sit the as Ruth Miskin Training for following year. promoting a particular teaching method. According to the Margaret M Clark OBE government’s own evaluation Emeritus Professor, (nfer.ac.uk/publications/YOPC0 University of Birmingham 2) the phonics check has Visiting Professor, Newman brought no benefits: University

‘There were no improvements in [email protected] attainment or in progress that could be clearly attributed to the introduction of the check, nor any identifiable impact on pupil progress in literacy for learners with different levels of prior attainment.’ (p. 67)

Despite this, the Government is even considering making children who fail the phonics check in Years 1 and 2 retake it in Year 3. The assumption that the needs of those who fail to reach the arbitrary pass mark on this test may still be met by a continuing focus on synthetic phonics as the solution to their problems seems naive.

21 9. A focus group discussion with Teesside primary teachers

The benefit of focus groups actually some of the words I’ve it’d be more English. They over individual interviews is that never even come across... like would have one topic lesson participants can build on one there was tolerance, tolerant, per week, one hour per week, another’s experience and and tolerancy. I’ve never heard because the rest of the time it understandings to form a of tolerancy . And these are was just drilling, drilling, drilling. coherent picture. Here an NUT children who can’t spell always The mental strain on those organiser and a Reclaiming and also. I think the demands of children! They were producing Schools researcher meet with the new curriculum, certainly on fabulous writing before that. It three primary teachers in my Year 5s, who came to me at had composition and effect, Teesside. a very low level, who have got high level punctuation, it was child protection issues, who amazing what they were writing, What has been the impact of have been in and out of care, the stories were really really this year’s tests on your who have had extreme trauma good. However because we’ve children? in their lives... it’s difficult to get got to get parenthesis in, them to come into the T1: It was Easter, just before the coordinating conjunctions, and classroom and sit down and be testing, and I saw a Year 2 boy all the rest, all their composition ready to learn in the first place. I crying, very bright little boy, but effect went out the window think Year 6 SATs for them is he was in the playground because we were trying to going to be absolutely crying. I teach year 6, but I went shoehorn extra words from the horrendous. I’ve had children in to see what the problem was. spelling lists that they wouldn’t tears. He said he was going to fail his normally use, we were tests because he couldn’t read shoehorning all these extra How have the new tests the words. He was an subordinating conjunctions, so affected the children’ absolutely fantastic reader, he we’d get them in but it didn’t curriculum? could tell you all about what had flow. So yes we’d tick the boxes gone on, but he was going to T1: In the lead up to SATs the to say they’d got this, this, this fail his tests because they were curriculum became so narrow. I and this, but their creativity had too hard, and he was just sat had children absolutely beside gone, and it was just socially rocking and crying in the corner themselves. Our school has got demoralising. of the playground. That’s what 70% free school meals, it’s a the tests are doing to our very poor area, and these T3: And you know we’re doing children. children have to come in and practice assessments every half offload what’s happened to term, and there are two reading T2: On a personal level, my them the night before they can comprehension papers, a son’s taking his SATs next year. even start to learn, so they’re spelling test, a grammar test, He’s currently in Year 5 and he’s already at a disadvantage then they’re doing a maths already said to me “I’m going to mentally. We get them ready so paper, an assessed big write, fail my SATs.” He’s in Year 5, he they go into maths. At 11 and because my children hasn’t even hit Year 6 yet, and o’clock, they’ve had their break struggle with the grammar he’s already thinking about his but they’d already had guided features at Year 5 they’re SATs and how he’s going to fail reading first. They’d go into getting really poor results. None them. English lesson, and they’d have of my children are reaching T3: I’m in Year 5, teaching lower their lunch and they come back national expectations in ability, and we follow a particular and they do an hour’s grammar anything except one or two in system the school uses to lesson, and then if they’re really PE. The curriculum is setting assess children. They’re trying lucky they’d get to do their our children up to fail. Only the to teach the spelling rules you science rehearsals for the very brightest children are going need to know in Year 5, but science assessment, otherwise to be able to succeed.

22 T2: Particularly the creativity... children live on council estates, T: The question, ‘What does every child has the right to their parents are on very low rehabilitate the image of the reach their full potential, and incomes, they don’t the space dodo mean?’ And they’re given they’re not getting that right. to go and explore like it says in four options: restore a painting there. ‘Going away to explore’ of the dodo, rebuild the Is there any one particular sounds like it’s a park or reputation of the dodo, repair a test you found that you had somewhere like that. They don’t model of the dodo or review an issue with? have the opportunity, so already accounts of the dodo. That’s T1: The KS2 reading test was that first paragraph is turning way beyond their experience aimed far too high. The majority them off the whole passage. and their range of expression. of them did not complete it. We T3: And children in a boat, the Who do you hold are set in our school. We have a picture, that’s quite antiquated responsible? three-class intake, so we’ve got isn’t it? Swallows and Amazons, a high, a middle and a low, and isn’t it? How many children T2: The Government. then we’ve got other children have the chance to get into a T3: Yeah, I think they’re using who are given extra time. This boat and row to an island? our children as guinea pigs and was the high group that I’m they’re trying all these new talking about now. T1: ‘Maria explained there was a secret monument on the things out, and they’re not I felt they were being tripped up island of her ancestors.’ I just working. They’re not benefitting with some of the questions. I don’t think that represents their our children at all. don’t think the questions were lives at all. Everything in that T1: They’re using us as political fair. The text, it’s more wordy paper is not something that pawns. I think they want us to than they’ve ever had before. they would have experienced. fail. They want the children to The language that was used fail so they can academise our was way, way beyond a level 4A. T2: I taught year 3 last year, and I pulled up a picture book about schools. The children felt demoralised a polar bear, and one of my lads when they’d finished it, – both parents dependent, especially because that was the been in and out of care – called very first test of the SATs week. out “It’s a sheep!” Absolutely no So when they got that, they concept. And we went on a were in a panic about what the school trip and we were looking next lot of tests were going to out the windows, and he was be about. absolutely astonished to see [The group look at the question cows. And now our school has paper.] cut free school trips for our kids. We used to use the fund. If we T2: The very first words: ‘Maria don’t give the experiences, they and Oliver are attending a party don’t get them, do they? in the garden of a house that used to belong to Maria’s T3: Looking at the third family.’ A party in the garden of passage now, the dodo, it a house? ‘They sneak away to doesn’t look as if there’s explore the grounds.’ anything that the children can relate to. ‘Discovery is helping None of our children are likely to to rehabilitate the image of this have their own home, and if much ridiculed bird.’ That they do, it’s not likely to be question really threw the anything like that. A lot of our children.

23 10. Mathematics: conceptual understanding or counting by the rules?

‘A high-quality mathematics same thing (Hutchings 2015). education [should provide] a Not only does this test-driven foundation for understanding approach leave little time for the world, the ability to reason enjoyment, curiosity or mathematically, an appreciation appreciating the beauty and of the beauty and power of power of mathematics, it mathematics, and a sense of This latter method, no longer undermines the building of enjoyment and curiosity about taught in many classrooms conceptual understanding the subject.’ because of the emphasis on which depends on ‘standard’ methods, is more These laudable aims appear in interconnections and using intuitive and provides an ideal the preamble to the Maths number flexibly. pictorial representation of the programme of study of the If we fail to emphasise these mental process, helping children 2014 primary curriculum. It interconnections, we are at risk to develop stronger mental goes on to emphasize the of our children becoming ‘so calculation skills. It also provides importance of solving problems focused on remembering their a basis for investigation to and the development of different methods, and stacking develop conceptual conceptual understanding (DfE one new method on top of the understanding of the 2014). next, that they [are] not thinking multiplication process. Sadly none of this is carried about the bigger concepts and Along with the scrapping of the through into the main compressing the mathematics calculator paper and the document. Where the preamble they [are] learning’. (Boaler proposed introduction of a talks about ‘a highly 2009). times tables test, this change interconnected discipline’ , the The emphasis on set sends a very clear signal to main body of the document is a procedures is heavily reinforced children that mathematics is list of disparate skills and by the design of the new KS2 about memorising facts and knowledge. Each is preceded test, including the replacement using ‘standard’ written by ‘pupils should be taught to’ , of the mental maths methods, with pencil and paper, with few links drawn across assessment with a written for computation and not about different areas of mathematics arithmetic paper. There is a conceptual understanding, and no emphasis on exploration renewed focus on ‘standard’ mathematical reasoning or or understanding. Significantly, formal written procedures, with solving problems. the word ‘understand’ appears marks only given for working if only twice in the whole The problem is that the recall of ‘standard’ methods have been document. facts so beloved of the Right is used (DfE 2014). itself a function of conceptual This fragmentation of For example, if a pupil used a understanding. ‘Once you really Mathematics is reinforced by standard ‘long multiplication’ understand [a process or idea] the regime of high-stakes method but made a mistake in and have the mental perspective testing. Indeed, according to the calculation (4x7 should to see it as a whole… you can OFSTED (2012), ‘too much equal 28, not 24) and arrived at file it away, recall it quickly and teaching concentrates on the the wrong answer, they would completely when you need it, acquisition of disparate skills get one mark out of two. and use it as just one step in that enable pupils to pass tests However, the following some other mental process’ and examinations but do not calculation, making the same (Thurston 1990). equip them for the next stage of calculation error, would receive education, work and life.’ Whilst Similarly, the focus on problem no marks because a non- we might have reason to solving and mathematical standard method has been mistrust OFSTED’s judgements, reasoning in the preamble goes used. teachers themselves report the

24 almost completely unrealised in Both relate to the same area of Gawain Little, the curriculum itself. Whilst maths, but the second contains primary school teacher there are several references to far more cognitive challenge, Oxfordshire problem solving, these seem to makes the transferable nature of [email protected] have been added almost as an the skills employed more afterthought, with phrases such explicit, and elicits far more Further readings and as ‘solve problems that involve information about a child’s references: all of the above’ dropped in at understanding of the process. the end of each section. The difficulty is that this problem Boaler, J (2009) The elephant in would be more suited to an on- the classroom: Helping children In the test, the problems tend to going discussion rather than a learn and love maths (London: be over-simplified and require written test. This opens up a Souvenir Press) numerical answers only. real question about how we Questions are generally limited to DfE (2014) The National assess Mathematics. If one, or at most two, domains Curriculum in England: assessment is really about only, and only one question (1 Framework Document learning and understanding, not mark out of 110) on the 2016 about ranking teachers and Hutchings, M (2015) Exam paper required an explanation in schools, surely we would be Factories? The impact of response. better off using a combination accountability measures on For example, contrast the two of coursework or controlled children and young people problems below. The first is assessment with on-going (NUT) taken from the 2016 test. teacher assessment. www.teachers.org.uk/files/ exam-factories.pdf This is not to suggest that developing deep conceptual OFSTED (2012) Mathematics: understanding, mathematical Made to Measure reasoning and problem solving http://tinyurl.com/jrckxwd is impossible under the current Thurston, W (1990) arrangements: simply that it is Mathematical education made more difficult. My own (Notices of the AMS, 37, 844- school spent two years 850) developing and implementing a curriculum based on these principles, yet implementation The second uses questioning to was hardest in year 2 and years encourage the learner to reflect 5/6. In the words of one on the structure of the problem. colleague, ‘I know this is a better way to teach and, as a professional, it is what I want to do. It’s just that I know they will be assessed at the end of the year on how they can apply that narrow range of skills, not on their conceptual understanding, and I will be held accountable for those result.’

25 11. Primary arts are in trouble

The national curriculum communication skills, to This is an alarming picture. It guidelines affirm the value of exercise responsible leadership, suggests that in many schools cultural education for all to learn and practice team work across the country children are children. The arts – including art and to take initiative (Thomson missing out on foundational and design, music, dance, et al. 2014). Research also cultural learning experiences. drama and media arts, design suggests that primary schools This places the onus on and technology – are an integral with robust cultural education parents. But research shows part of the national curriculum programmes have improved that lower income parents up to age 14. The guidelines for attendance and established a struggle to provide extra- art, craft and design for more positive school ethos; curricular arts activities for their example begin by stating that teachers and students alike children (Sutton Trust 2014), these subjects ‘embody some have a greater sense of well- and that parents with higher of the highest forms of human being. qualifications are much more creativity’ and that a ‘high- likely to ensure that their There seems every reason for quality art and design education children spend more than three primary schools to embrace the should engage, inspire and hours a week engaged in arts enthusiastically. Cultural challenge pupils, equipping cultural activities outside of education is part of what they them with the knowledge and school (SQW Consulting 2013). are meant to do, and has well skills to experiment, invent and This is clearly an unacceptable evidenced positive benefits. Yet create their own works of art, situation – leaving engagement a comprehensive primary craft and design’ . in cultural education to parent’s cultural education offer is not capacity to pay is a recipe for a The four domains of cultural the reality. geography of cultural inequity. education – knowledge, the The regime of national tests, Parents with lower income development of analytic and with their overwhelming depend on their children’s critical skills, skills based in emphasis on particular types of school to ensure the entitlement particular arts forms, and the literacy acquisition, makes it to arts education as described development of personal very difficult for schools and in the national curriculum. creativity – are to be fostered teachers to offer the broad and through a formal school Some primary schools of balanced cultural learning programme, as well as informal course have not reduced their experiences envisaged in the opportunities. Influential arts emphasis on cultural education. national curriculum and by advocates John Sorrell, Paul They make sure that time for cultural education advocates. Roberts and Darren Henley the arts is not eroded by test The most recent survey by the (2014) argue that a commitment preparation. They employ a National Society for Art and to cultural education also primary arts specialist as part of Design Education (2016) for means that all children should, their core staff complement. example showed that for instance, engage with They use Arts Mark as a artists, visit a wide range of ‘89% of primary teacher framework to manage time cultural institutions, enjoy extra- respondents in all state schools spent on creative and cultural curricular arts activities and indicated that in the last five education, commissioning experience the pleasures of years, and in the two terms artists and arts organisations to being audience, participant and before key stage 2 National work in partnership with them. producer. curriculum tests (year 6), the They might employ arts time allocated for art and design specialists to provide There is research which shows had reduced.’ programmes which then release that cultural education offers teachers for planning time. They even more than subject-based In KS2 nearly a third of state use their pupil premium funding learning. The arts support primary schools devote only an to ensure that children from low children to build a wide range of hour a week to art and design.

26 income homes are able to Professor Pat Thomson, Further readings and participate in extra-curricular University of Nottingham references: activities and excursions. They [email protected] k For a fully referenced version of are in regions or cities where this article, please see there is additional support for Reclaiming Schools, Oct 2016 cultural and creative education, http://tinyurl.com/j79lvbp perhaps one of the 50 Cultural Education Partnerships recently National Society for Art and established by Arts Council Design Education. (2016) England. NSEAD Survey Report 2015- 2016. But cultural education should www.nsead.org/downloads/ not be left to accidents of survey.pdf geography or the commitment of individual schools, governors Sorrell, J, Roberts, P, & Henley, and teachers, any more than it D (2014) The virtuous circle: should be the gift of parents Why creativity and culture who can afford it. Education count. (London: Elliott policy-makers in England must &Thompson) do better and do more to ensure SQW Consulting & Ipsos that all children, regardless of MORI (2013) Evaluation of their situation, are able to the Find Your Talent ‘participate fully in cultural and programme: overview report artistic life’ . This means, as http://tinyurl.com/zzbcn27 Article 31 of the UN Convention on the of the Child puts it, that Sutton Trust (2014) Research government must take brief: Extra-curricular inequality deliberate steps to ‘encourage http://tinyurl.com/zaez4z9 the provision of appropriate and Thomson, P, Coles, R, equal opportunities for cultural, Hallewell, M, & Keane, J (2014) artistic, recreational and leisure A critical review of the activity’ . Creative Partnerships archive: The national curriculum is how was cultural value supposed to express the understood, researched and learning that is important for the evidenced? (AHRC) next generation. It is intended to http://tinyurl.com/z65h77v spell out the kinds of learnings that are fundamental to our society and are an entitlement for all children. Policy-makers must do more than set out guidelines – they must make the outcomes achievable. Testing regimes and careless policy are currently pushing schools away from ensuring that cultural and creative education is available to everyone. This is both inequitable and unacceptable.

27 12. Assessment and testing in Wales

Devolution of power to the The combined effect of this The work now being done in Welsh Assembly in 1999 has change in policy has developing the new curriculum enabled Wales to set its own undoubtedly contributed – led by a group of schools educational direction. In the negatively to extremely designated Pioneer Schools – is main this has been a distinctive worrying levels of mental health based on the greater use of and highly progressive journey. issues among young people, teacher assessment where We have eschewed the low morale and poor recruitment again testing can be the servant marketization of education; we and retention of teachers. not the master of student and don’t have any grammar teacher experience of the The impact of this on the schools, academies or free curriculum. He has called for development of our highly schools; we do have a tiny external standardised testing to progressive early years private sector but a very large be kept to a minimum, for more programme for 3 to 7 year olds, comprehensive one, including innovation in assessment and the Foundation Phase, has many bilingual schools. for Assessment for Learning been particularly concerning. (formative assessment) to be at The Learning Country Teachers and those evaluating the heart of the assessment published by the Welsh the programme have noticed system. Government in 2001 signalled how the creative approaches to that schools and teachers learning and pedagogy in place These developments offer would be at the heart of for 3-5 year olds are being hope for the future and along education policy and this replaced by more formal with other changes currently continued to be the case for the approaches to teaching literacy taking place they mark a return next decade. In relation to and numeracy introduced in to respecting the testing and assessment this Years 1 and 2, because of the professionalism of teachers and saw an increasing move fear of the national tests at age their wellbeing. As ever the towards respecting teacher seven. This has affected the ‘proof of the pudding will be in professionalism through relying quality of outcomes as well as the eating’. We know from the upon teacher assessment. undermined teacher experience of Scotland, which National testing for 7 year olds professionalism in introducing is a strong influence on was ended in 2000 and for 11 the new curriculum. developments in Wales, that and 14 year olds in 2004/05. these changes take time to In 2015 Graham Donaldson bring about and if they are to be In 2010, however, some published his innovative report done properly require disappointing PISA results for on the curriculum and considerable investment in Wales led the relatively new assessment arrangements in teacher professional learning education Minister to turn his Wales. In it he noted that the and development. back on this approach. curriculum in primary schools Eventually a Literacy and had become increasingly In the meantime, we will soon Numeracy Framework was subverted by national testing have the results of the next introduced accompanied by and in secondary schools by PISA tests. Like all assessment national tests each year in national examinations. This was information they will need to be reading and numeracy for pupils one of the reasons why he looked at with interest and from Year 2 to Year 9. This was designated the curriculum as respect. It is to be hoped, that part of a heightened not being ‘fit for purpose’ . In the Welsh Government will not accountability agenda including relation to assessment over-react to these tests as they Estyn inspections and regular arrangements he described the did in 2010. We know that ‘challenge’ processes for bewildering use of scores, levels increasingly the tests are schools from their local and grades being used, such challenged in relation to their authorities. that there was a lack of reliability and that too often they coherence and consistency. are used as part of the

28 international movement to Professor David Egan, Further readings and increase accountability and Cardiff Metropolitan references: control over schools. University Donaldson, D (2015) Successful So the Wales devolution journey [email protected] futures (Welsh Government) has been a mixed one. We have http://tinyurl.com/zlwak4s used the opportunity to Furlong, J (2015) Teaching strengthen our public education tomorrow’s teachers system and to develop http://tinyurl.com/jzs2klp progressive policies such as the Foundation Phase and the Welsh Bac. On the other hand, we have also fallen under the neoliberal-inspired juggernaut that uses testing and accountability in an attempt to improve ‘scores on the doors’, with scant respect for the quality of education experienced by students and the professionalism of teachers. Watch this space! 13. Everyone’s educational future is always in the making: Learning without Limits

‘Learning without limits’ is an reflect real learning, and is the belief that children come in emergent movement to statistically unreliable. It leads to kinds. Each child can, and challenge the ways in which flawed statements about must, be categorised as soon assumptions are often made ‘expected progress’ and school as possible into the bright, the that children have a fixed effectiveness. average, and the less-able, or amount of ‘ability’ or ‘potential’. (as with the renewed clamour The score also works to It rejects the placement of for grammar schools) encourage fixed ability thinking young children in ‘ability groups’ segregated into ‘academic’ and about pupils. The view of the which can so easily become a ‘non-academic’. It is asserted child as having a given amount self-fulfilling prophecy by that different kinds of children of ‘ability’ has practical placing a ceiling on children’s require different kinds of consequences. Children are opportunities to learn. Early curriculum, supposedly tailored routinely grouped by ‘ability’ in testing tends to encourage to their essentially-different classrooms, and then presented such assumptions that ‘ability’ needs. Scores play a vital part with differentiated curricula or and ‘potential’ are measurable in this sorting and sifting, for ‘levels of challenge’, response and fixed. they enable crude comparisons to which tends to re-confirm the and ranking of children. The A child is more than a level, given ‘ability’ label. Designation radical difference which is grade or score. So obvious a by ‘ability’ can affect the ways enshrined in the name of each truth should not need stating. teachers respond to individuals child is trumped by the The need to keep re-stating it or groups of children, and give equivalence implied in a system reveals how far the policies rise to inequitable treatment. of numbers. Rosa and Rajiv which intensify high-stakes Designation by ‘ability’ is also both attain at level 3, so they testing and penalise schools for likely to reproduce structural are comparable, of a kind. not meeting imposed exam inequalities of social class, targets have reconstructed our gender and ethnicity. But children do not come in education system. Education kinds. Each child is unique: an How the teacher thinks of the has been shifted away from other utterly different from all learner significantly affects how concern with the child as a others. the learner learns. Thinking of whole person towards a the child as of a fixed ‘ability’ A more educationally productive disproportionate focus on impels what has been called way of thinking about the attainment in particular public ‘prophetic pedagogy’. learner would not only tests. Prophetic pedagogy knows recognise the learner as unique, Teachers, whatever their everything beforehand and but would see him or her as reservations, are constrained by would banish uncertainty. It always capable of remaking the system to acknowledge the speaks the language of target (and not merely receiving) child’s test-score (from phonics grades, predicted grades, and knowledge and culture provided and SATs through to GCSEs) as next steps. It purports not only conditions are right. It would a proxy for the child’s learning. to know the proper future for acknowledge that everyone’s The given level or grade, a each child, but to ensure that educational future remains reductive abstraction, comes to just such a future comes into unwritten, unpredictable, open stand in for the dynamic multi- being. Sometimes it even claims to change, and that the teacher faceted reality of the learner. to do this in the name of social has power to affect that future justice. for the better by actions and The testing system is built on decisions undertaken here and untenable assumptions of What animates fixed ability now. smooth and evenly calibrated thinking, and the prophetic linear progress. This does not pedagogy associated with it, is

30 It is from this basis that • the ethic of ‘everybody’, Further readings and Learning without Limits which requires that choices references: operates. are made in the interests of Hart, S, Dixon, A, Drummond, everybody, and not just of It is based on respect for the M and McIntyre, D (2004) some people. complexity and unpredictability Learning without Limits (Open of the classroom, and the multi- Fixed ability thinking has University Press) faceted nature of the teacher’s become naturalised in our Marks, R (2016) Ability grouping role. It acknowledges the power education system. It appears as in primary schools: Case of the teacher to change professional ‘common sense’ studies and critical debates patterns of response and rather than as domestication by (Norwich: Critical Publishing) achievement. Fixed ability an ideology. It endures even thinking sees each pupil as when learners perform in ways Swann, M, Peacock, A, Hart, limited to a greater or lesser which give the lie to their S and Drummond, M (2012) degree, and so sets limits on designated ability label. Creating learning without limits the teacher’s efficacy too. The Alternatives to fixed ability (Open University Press) best that may be hoped under a thinking must go beyond ‘mixed http://learningwithoutlimits. fixed ability regime is that the ability’ grouping (which still educ.cam.ac.uk/ teacher helps the pupil reach assumes an individual’s fixed Forum special issue 55(1) This his or her ‘full potential’. But the innate ability) to encompass a way out: teachers and pupils pupil doesn’t have potential – re-consideration of pedagogic escaping from fixed-ability some innate, given, principles, renewed teaching. (All 15 articles can be unsurpassable entity. The pupil understanding of the power of downloaded at is potential: undetermined the teacher to affect the www.wwwords.co.uk/forum/ power, a continuing possibility. educational future of every child, content/pdfs/55/issue55_1.as Seen this way, the role of the and a recuperated view of the p ) teacher in enabling learning child as a learner untrammelled takes on a different cast. by fixed innate limits.

Learning without Limits Dr Patrick Yarker approaches offer a pedagogy of University of East Anglia principle, not of pragmatics and [email protected] compliance, for it is principles that inform and inspire teachers’ work. Teachers opposed to a determinist or prophetic pedagogy, and to fixed ability thinking, might wish to base their practice on three inter- related principles that characterise Learning without Limits approaches. These are:

• trust in everybody’s capacity to learn;

• co-agency, or harnessing the power of the teacher to young people’s power as learners;

31 14. Speeding up the treadmill: primary tests and secondary exams

Schools in England and Wales • National Identity: planning, ‘By making GCSEs more are dominated by tests and filming and presenting a demanding, more fulfilling, and exams to an extraordinary documentary based on more stretching we can give our degree. In one sense this isn’t research and interviews young people the broad, deep new: the upper years of with people from different and balanced education which secondary school have been cultural backgrounds. will equip them to win in the devoted to exam preparation for global race.’ (11 June 2013) Even in Britain, beyond the a century, though for most of world of schools, professional It is unclear how ‘more that time without the anxieties qualifications have a balance stretching’ equates with ‘more generated by Ofsted and league between exams, portfolios and fulfilling’, or who exactly will win tables. practical tasks. The final in this ‘global race’. The rhetoric Hardly any other European challenge for doctors qualifying assumes a benefit to all young country beyond the British Isles for General Practice is a people, but in reality only a shares this obsession. Most simulation in which actors small elite are likely to take the have school leaving certificates present their ‘symptoms’ for prizes. The assumption is that based on coursework, or only diagnosis. Would education educational supremacy will use external exams in one or ministers dare to suggest this is somehow lead to economic two subjects to moderate ‘dumbing down’? supremacy, a tenuous neoliberal teacher judgements. Time is not proposition. Gove’s reforms, however, wasted practising past papers, attempted to make GCSEs as Every stage of schooling is seen second-guessing potential artificial as possible, reflecting his in terms of readying pupils for exam questions or memorising prejudice against coursework the next stage, with no regard content “in case it comes up” . and practical tests and his desire to what is appropriate at a There are many forms of to notch up levels of difficulty. particular age. The irony is that assessment which distort Indeed, much of the new speeding up the treadmill in learning far less than exams, grading and scoring system primary school is likely to and which are more authentic seems to be built on the premise undermine the real foundations and indeed more challenging. of larger numbers of students of later development. Consider for instance Rich getting low grades or failing. Firstly, many pupils are Tasks , a form of authentic The unrealistic pressures now experiencing a very narrow assessment developed in placed on children and young curriculum, with little beyond Queensland, Australia: people are undermining the maths and a distorted version of challenges carried out for a quality of engagement and English. Children in more genuine purpose, presented to relationship that real education disadvantaged areas suffer a real audience, and drawing on depends on. We can only even more from this reduced knowledge and skills from speculate what the full impact experience, due to the greater different subjects. Two of the new primary tests will be pressure placed on their examples: as children get older. schools. • Improving Health and The purpose is always Secondly, an increasing number Wellbring: students expressed in terms of economic of young children will investigate the local competitiveness. Even the experience the stigmatising situation through books, expansion of nursery education impact of failure. This kicks in as statistics and interviews, is spuriously justified by a early as the phonics test in Year acquiring medical and ‘global race’ for educational 1, when parents are told scientific knowledge before supremacy. As Gove expressed whether their child has passed presenting practical it when speaking of his changes or failed. The elaborate recommendations. to secondary school exams: nonsense of the KS2 grammar

32 test represents a final blow: a ideas to their experience, lives Further readings and signal that children are and activity.’ (Open letter, 19 references: incompetent in their own March 2013) https://primarycharter.files. language because they cannot We should return to the wordpress.com/2013/03/ label the parts! Charter for Primary Education primary-charter.pdf The 2014 National Curriculum as a compass to re-orientate Further analysis of curriculum was designed (if we can use us towards a meaningful, and assessment can be found at that word) by aggregating sustainable education through https://reclaimingschools.org/ targets from the top-scoring secondary school and into curriculum/ with frequent countries in the PISA adult life. updates in the blog. international tests and pushing ‘Successful learning and them down the years. English development takes time. Good seven-year-olds are now primary teachers... pay heed to expected to acquire the maths children’s existing knowledge and science of nine-year-olds in and understanding and cultural Singapore or Finland. The backgrounds. Learning never resulting frustration could do takes place in a vacuum. lasting intellectual and Learning in symbolic forms emotional damage. (abstract language, Finally, as 100 academics mathematical symbols, scientific argued in their open letter Too rules etc.) should build upon Much Too Young, the expected and work with the child’s acceleration of learning in experience, use of the senses, primary schools pressures and creative and experimental teachers to drill children through activity... Children have the right the required knowledge. to a broad and balanced Experience is bleached out, curriculum that allows them to leaving empty verbiage. Instead develop their talents in all of going through experiences areas.’ which, in conjunction with key Assessment needs to reflect ideas, will establish a secure this. framework of understanding, children are struggling to Dr Terry Wrigley memorise a miscellany of inert Visiting Professor, facts. Northumbria University

‘The proposed curriculum [email protected] consists of endless lists of spellings, facts and rules. This mountain of data will not develop children’s ability to think, including problem-solving, critical understanding and creativity...The learner is largely ignored. Little account is taken of children’s potential interests and capacities, or that young children need to relate abstract

33 15. Three assessment myths

On the 3rd May 2016 a new you pitch the level of difficulty so only that there is progress in chapter was opened in the story far above the heads of the dealing with tests. Furthermore of state education. On that day, children that half of them fail, the results are expressed in up and down the country, you separate assessment from figures, a score, and figures thousands of parents and carers the act of learning itself. In this imply a level of accuracy which kept their children out of school. way you distort school life and is spurious since assessment They had not been prompted by reduce it to mere preparation can only be approximate. teachers, it was entirely for the next test. True standards A test is only a snapshot of spontaneous and needed no of achievement are lowered by performance at a particular more than a Facebook page to such testing. Hard pressed moment, and the snapshot is of generate action. The message teachers, fearful of the future of what is inherently measureable . sent loud and clear to the their schools and perhaps their Testing reveals only limited government was enough is own jobs, ditch their initial aspects of human development enough, stop the incessant training and their professional because performance in a test testing which is hurting our knowledge of what is best for cannot show how far children and find another way of their pupils and coach them to knowledge and skill are assessing their progress. meet the demands of the tests. embedded in the individual and Beyond question the education This coaching is not good drawn upon in real activity. For a of our children will never be the teaching because the more accurate measure of same again because in a techniques are quickly forgotten educational progress, we must democracy governments have once the test is over. No turn away from the performance to listen to such strong wonder secondary schools snapshot and trust the expressions of concern. It will don’t trust SAT’s results! judgements of those closest to also strengthen teachers’ the children – teachers working In fact this myth is a cover for resolve to resist and end this in partnership with parents. the political intention to narrow system. The Secretary of State down the work of primary Teacher assessments can’t be for Education will never admit it schools so that only elementary trusted. This particular myth but it was not simply a teaching is provided. This is reflects the more general lack of coincidence that within weeks why national testing is confined trust in the profession of the parents’ strike the next to English and mathematics: the evidenced by politicians as they test lined up for imposition on concern is merely to prepare use children’s test results as a the schools, this time of children with the ‘basics’ in means of holding schools multiplication tables, was quietly readiness for secondary accountable. In fact we can adjourned. education. It diminishes primary trust teacher assessments a As we join parents in attacking education, and turns the clock good deal more than we can the testing blight upon children’s back to Victorian times. trust the scores achieved in learning we have to expose the ‘one shot’ tests of children Test results are accurate as a three myths about assessment coached to perform and then, measure of progress through assiduously promoted by inevitably, forget. primary school. This is largely government. These are so nonsense. In good schools Of course we have to be frequently advanced as truths children learn so much beyond cautious in one important that even Guardian readers are the core skills and we need to respect. The closer we are to persuaded – and perhaps too judge progress over the whole the children – and that many teachers as well. field of children’s development . closeness is one of the Harder tests raise standards of For too many schools coaching strengths of primary teaching – achievement. Not so: the for improved test performance the greater the danger that our absolute reverse is true. When provides results which indicate assessment of progress will be

34 coloured by the relationship we John Coe Further readings and have with them. We must guard National Association for references: against bias which might well Primary Education Alexander, R et al (2010) be unconscious on our part. We [email protected] Children, their World, their have two effective ways of Education: the final report and dealing with this professionally. recommendations of the Our assessments can be Cambridge Primary Review, reinforced and evidenced by Chapters 16 and 17 (Routledge) portfolios of children’s work begun in the early years and Sahlberg, P (2015) Finnish carried forward with the children Lessons (Teachers’ College through the primary years. As Press) you turn the pages of the portfolio you can see real and incontrovertible evidence of progress laid out before you. Secondly, we must share and if necessary review our assessments with colleagues who can discuss the child and the evidence of their growth and learning with greater objectivity.

In conclusion, from now on we must work with parents and carers as they recoil from the damage done to their children’s lives by the current testing regime. With them we will find a better way, kinder and more accurate as we judge children’s progress. We do not share the arrogance of politicians and will always be aware of the impossibility of absolute accuracy when we assess and be appropriately modest and respectful of the young lives we judge. We choose to teach young children and are fortunate in receiving all the human rewards which such work brings, yet when we assess we have to reach into the mind of the child and see him or her more dispassionately. It is indeed a formidable professional challenge and we will not fail.

35 16. ‘Since Christmas, I have only taught Literacy and Numeracy’ : what the 2016 SATs taught us

It’s by now a 25-year story: than 100 times. “Chaos”, feel like they’re failures” , and teachers’ work has become “fiasco”, “farce” and “disgrace” children with SEN were being more intense. Their autonomy were frequently employed “cut adrift as they are has diminished. Pedagogy, terms. Ever-changing and bombarded with SATs curriculum and assessment are contradictory guidelines, late preparation. Self-confidence; determined centrally, and communications, leaked test demoralising; self-esteem; what underpinned by a system of papers, and very high demands future?” accountability that is on teacher workload were all On the back of these increasingly precise and repeatedly mentioned. judgments, it is not surprising demanding. Teachers’ concerns went that 90% thought that the new In 2016 the introduction of a beyond the question of system was having a negative new primary assessment management. 97% of them impact on children’s school system has meant that all these agreed or strongly agreed that experience. As one teacher tendencies have taken a sharp preparation for the SATs had wrote, ‘many of the children upward turn, and schools have had a negative impact on who previously enjoyed school been pushed towards what children’s access to a broad now detest education. This is a many teachers see as a and balanced curriculum. crime and a shame because, in breaking point. In May, at the Respondents report a situation its incompetence, the end of the SATs week for Key in which the time taken to Government is willingly and Stage 2 pupils, the NUT asked prepare children for tests in knowingly making children hate its members in primary schools Maths and English, or to learning with a passion, rather to complete a survey on their provide work for teacher than harbour an environment of experience of primary assessment in these subjects, lifelong learning.’ assessment. The results were has squeezed out other As for teachers, the pressures immediate and striking. In just a subjects and activities. “Since of a performance-driven system few days, more than 6000 Christmas, I have only taught were felt almost everywhere. teachers replied, including literacy and numeracy,” wrote 86% agreed or strongly agreed nearly a thousand who identified one teacher. Another wrote, that changes to primary themselves as heads and senior “When asked their favourite assessment had led to a leaders. As well as answers to subject [my pupils] say English significant increase in their tick-box questions, they or Maths because they don’t workload. Some reported a supplied more than 5000 write- know anything else.” working week of over 70 hours; in comments – a vast and 91% of teachers agreed or others said that “working passionate spreadsheet of strongly agreed that the beyond midnight” was experience. ‘Expected Standard” stipulated considered the norm. Behind The survey scores indicated a by the DfE in its guidance to this driven state of being lay a high level of agreement about schools was beyond the reach fear of failure: “I am worried that key features of the new system of the majority of students – a my results will not be good and the manner of its view that was confirmed on 5th enough and will trigger an introduction. 97% disagreed or July, when the DfE published Ofsted. It will be another way to strongly disagreed with the figures showing that 47% of place blame on the teachers statement that primary pupils had not met the and try to convert more school assessment arrangements have expected standard in reading, into academies.” been well managed by the DfE. writing and maths. In these The depth of teachers’ concern Their ‘write-in’ comments were conditions, teachers feared their is unmistakeable. Along with strongly worded. “Shambles” or pupils would become further their pupils, they are paying the “shambolic” were used more demotivated: “Even bright kids

36 price of policies which in the Further readings and name of raising standards, references: actually decrease the quality of Ball, S. (2013) The Education education, and degrade the Debate (Policy) educational environment. Ministers, and members of Jones, K. (2015) Education in think-tanks and working Britain (Polity) groups, like to think of reform as Lawn, M. (1996) Modern Times: a process that is now ‘owned’ work, professionalism and by schools which are ready to citizenship in teaching innovate and self-improve to (Routledge) deliver a better education. In reality, schools are constrained, and damaged, by an assessment system which is ever more demanding, and ever more unjustifiable.

The problems of the system were foretold in the 1990s; few could have imagined they would reach such an acute and critical state. If the Government are incapable of untangling the mess, only concerted action from parents and teachers will stop further damage to children and their education.

A version of this article was published on the website of the British Educational Research Association, August 2016. Ken Jones Senior Policy Officer, NUT Emeritus Professor, Goldsmiths, University of London [email protected]

37 Useful links contained in the articles

Artsmark framework: http://www.artsmark.org.uk/media/585

Charter for Primary Education: https://primarycharter.wordpress.com/

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child: http://www.unicef.org.uk/Documents/Publication-pdfs/UNCRC_PRESS200910web.pdf

Arts Council England Cultural Education Challenge: http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/children-and-young-people/cultural-education-challenge

Learning without Limits: http://learningwithoutlimits.educ.cam.ac.uk/

Rich Tasks assessment (Queensland, Australia): http://www.fairtest.org/queensland-australia-rich-tasks-assessment-program

Artwork reproduced with kind permission from a campaign by NUT members in the northern region called ‘Keeping Schools Creative’ https://twitter.com/SchoolsCreative

38

This pamphlet is the work of Reclaiming Schools , a network of academics and researchers supporting the NUT’s campaigns. Their website www.reclaimingschools.org provides further evidence and regular analysis.

Resources and news about the NUT’s primary assessment campaign are available at www.teachers.org.uk/campaigns/primary-assessment

www.teachers.org.uk/expertview www.teachers.org.uk/edufacts

Designed and published by the Communications Department of The National Union of Teachers – www.teachers.org.uk Origination by Paragraphics – www.paragraphics.co.uk Printed by College Hill Press – www.collegehillpress.co.uk – 10827/11/16