NEU comments on British Educational Research Association report on primary assessment

Commenting on the BERA report ‘High Standards not High Stakes’, Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union, said:

"This is a serious, coherent and moderate proposal for reform of our broken system of primary assessment. BERA’s alternative would give us more knowledge about pupils’ learning, more understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of our schools and a better basis for conversation about how to respond to them.

'Most of those who work in schools will welcome BERA’s plan. But our politicians are either committed come what may to the present system or fear that support for reform will leave them branded as anti-assessment.

'This has to change. We will not move our school system forward without engaging in serious thought about its problems. BERA's report is an opportunity to do that. Politicians must give it their full attention."

ENDS

Editor’s Note

https://www.bera.ac.uk/publication/high-standards-not-high-stakes-an-alternative-to-sats