ASCL comment on primary school performance tables

Commenting on today’s publication of primary school performance tables, Julie McCulloch, Director of Policy at the Association of School and College Leaders, said:

“Schools will be glad to see the back of the floor and coasting standards which the Education Secretary has himself described as confusing and intends to replace. These complex performance measures are based entirely on data which, in primary schools, boils down to the results of SATs taken by Year 6 pupils over one week each May after seven years of education. They cannot possibly tell the whole story of a school and far too much weight has been placed on them.

“We are pleased the Department for Education has made it clear that the floor and coasting standards will this year be used solely to identify schools that might benefit from support and will not be a trigger for an academy order or a warning notice. And we look forward to working with the department on a new system which we hope will take a broader and more nuanced view of school performance.

“This is an opportunity to move towards a system of accountability which is more supportive and less punitive. Such an approach would be a better way of securing sustainable school improvement to the benefit of pupils, parents and communities.”