Experiences of P1 pupil assessments sought in review

Opposition parties and teaching unions have said action towards implementing the Scottish Government’s independent review into the controversial primary 1 assessments is “long overdue”.

The Scottish Government announced yesterday that its independent review team wanted to hear from parent groups, teachers, councils and professional associations.

Education secretary John Swinney announced the review in October following strong criticism of the online numeracy and literacy tests.

Many parents and teachers have said the tests are leaving young children highly stressed. However, Mr Swinney refused to rule out the possibility the review might lead to the tests being retained, but in a different format.

A report is expected to be submitted to Education Secretary and Deputy First Minister John Swinney by the end of May. Picture: John Devlin

Last night the Scottish Conservatives said the review into the “botched” literacy and numeracy tests, to be led by education expert David Reedy, was a climb down for Mr Swinney.

The Scottish National Standardised Assessments (SNSAs) were introduced in 2017 to gather data about what stage children had reached in their education, with literacy and numeracy tests carried out at P1, P4, P7 and S3 level.

• READ MORE: P1 pupils in Scotland being used ‘to score political points’

Mr Reedy, who has served as co-director of the Cambridge Primary Review Trust from 2013-17 and as both general secretary and president of the United Kingdom Literacy Association, said: “I encourage anyone with an interest to get in touch with the review, particularly those with experience of the assessments during the 2018-19 academic session.”

Mr Swinney, who is also the Deputy First Minister, said he would consider the review panel’s recommendations later this year.

“It is crucial that we have the appropriate approach to assessment in our schools and that is why I commissioned this independent review into the use of P1 assessments,” he said.

“The review will consider the evidence gathered and be led by what is best for pupils. I look forward to receiving the review’s conclusions later this year.”

A spokeswoman from the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) teaching union said: “The EIS welcomes the review of the use of standardised assessments in Primary 1.

“The EIS has previously fed back the views of our members on SNSAs to the Scottish Government and made clear the many concerns that have been expressed by teachers across Scotland. EIS members have serious reservations over the educational value of SNSAs at all stages, but particularly in relation to testing of four and five-year-old children.”