Government Uncertainty Surrounds Future of Primary School Sats Amid Curriculum Review

Education minister refrains from confirming the fate of SATs as criticisms mount over their impact on student stress and learning.

The UK Government has not ruled out abolishing standard assessment tests (Sats) for primary school students, as it evaluates the curriculum and assessment methods for young learners.

Education Minister Catherine McKinnell acknowledged the role of assessments in primary education but did not provide a definitive answer when Conservative MP Nick Timothy inquired about the continuation of Sats.

Critics, including teaching unions, point out that these tests, administered to children aged six or seven in Year 2 and 10 or 11 in Year 6, can induce significant stress.

The exams have faced opposition in the past; in 2010, several headteachers participated in a boycott, and an increasing number of parents have opted to withdraw their children from testing.

McKinnell stated, “Assessment clearly has an important role to play in supporting achievement and supporting development within schools also.

We will consider how the reformed curriculum and assessment will affect schools and we recognise the importance of supporting schools with any changes that come forward.”

The review of the curriculum and assessment is chaired by Professor Becky Francis, who leads a charitable organization focused on enhancing educational outcomes for underprivileged students.

Recommendations from the review are expected to be released later this year.

In a related discussion, Conservative MP Richard Holden called for Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson's resignation should England's performance decline in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) league tables for reading.

In the 2022 assessment, England ranked 13th globally, trailing behind nations such as Ireland, Estonia, Canada, and Japan.

The PISA evaluations occur once every three years.

Holden remarked: “Great teaching and great policies saw children in England soar up the international league tables under the last government.” He urged accountability from the current Education Secretary, suggesting that if standards do not improve, she should resign.

Phillipson responded, criticizing the assertion of progress, stating, “one in three children are not school ready, one in five children are regularly out of schools, and our scores were dropping.” She highlighted ongoing challenges concerning educational standards, particularly gaps in achievement among disadvantaged students, asserting that the current Labour government is striving to address these issues.

The Education Secretary also faced scrutiny regarding the government’s allocation of £90 million for advertising while canceling the £4 million Latin Excellence Programme, which aimed to expand access to Latin in state schools.

Conservative shadow education secretary Laura Trott questioned the government's priorities, emphasizing the disparity between spending on media contracts and cuts to educational programs deemed important for improving standards.

Phillipson defended her decisions by referencing the financial context inherited from the previous administration, noting prevalent challenges such as teacher recruitment and retention.

She acknowledged collaborations with classics organizations to continue providing Latin education opportunities for children in state schools despite the program's termination designed by the former government.