Tests for pupils aged seven get thumbs up from the Conservative leader for education at HCC.
…..… but not from the Lib Dem Spokesperson for Children
Cllr Edgar is quoted in a story that says councillors are giving their backing to plans to re-introduce formal testing for seven-year-olds. Education Secretary Nicky Morgan has announced a package of measures aimed at tackling underachievement. Cllr Edgar said they would be looking at the small print to see what is happening. “Any reform must drive up standards, but we mustn’t forget that children only learn and retain their learning when they are motivated. Any testing has got to be appropriate and in the most motivational atmosphere,” he said.

Cllr Jackie Porter, Lib Dem Spokesperson for Children says,’’I am really surprised by this press release because in my conversations with Cllr Edgar, he has told me that he rejects the idea that testing raises standards. There’s an old Farmer’s saying which is…’’You can’t improve a pig by counting it. Well you won’t improve a child by testing him or her either!’’

Jackie continues: Our children are the most precious resource that we have – and we need to spend every minute of the school day helping them to enjoy school, and get the most out of the teaching that teachers can give. Preparing for SATS at year 6 is bad enough. Too much time is spent on revising and preparation at many schools.

Parents often make decisions on which school to attend from these results so this adds pressure on children and teaching staff.
I disagree completely with testing at seven.
We know that children aged seven are at different stages of development if they are summer born- and 40% of Hampshire’s children are conceived in the Autumn- resulting in Summer babies. We shouldn’t put pressure on them so young.

Testing creates jobs for outside bodies, costs a huge sum to administer, and judges children on a form, rather than by their teacher’s assessment of their ability. Good schools track children’s progress and tackle problems as they go along. Parents want to see steady progress throughout their child’s school days.
I have heard Nicky Morgan say that it makes life easier for teachers. It won’t.
Tory MP Nicky Morgan can relieve the stress on teachers by managing the school curriculum better, and offering funding that would have been spent on tests for more specialist services, holiday schemes and out of school clubs that can offer challenge, support and new opportunities. That is what will raise the standards- not testing

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