Statement Of The Obvious For Today
Excessive testing hurts children. You don’t say.
A report on assessment by the all-party children, schools and families committee will condemn the way the results of national exams are used both as political capital and to compare how good schools are without taking account of their intake.
Because so much rides on them, tests are distorting education, with schools forced to narrow the curriculum and spend months cramming pupils. (The Telegraph)
Surely this is just common sense? Excessive testing, such as is currently carried out in our schools, massively limits the educational opportunities on offer. Way too much time is spent focusing on the tests - both their specific curriculum and “how to take a test” - which restricts the amount of time that can be spent actually on real education and expanding the minds of the students - ie. stopping teachers doing their jobs.
Of course, tests cannot be totally removed from education. But they can and must be restricted to their proper place, or we’ll have a generation of people who know nothing beyond how to take tests. Grade As and A*s across the board - but no knwoledge to back it up.
The harmful tyranny of tests must end. Or we’ll all suffer.
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