Since last September I have worked across England with nearly 3,000 Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 practitioners. They are unanimous in their dislike of the tests and cite good reasons - the tests narrow (ie dumb down) the curriculum for five- to seven-year-olds; the targets are set in order to get 'good' test results and put pressure on the Foundation Stage to be too formal; classroom assistants and teachers talk about the growing number of children disaffected by the age of six (particularly boys and children with special needs); and the pressure of preparing for the tests lowers staff morale.
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here
