THE FATE of Scotland’s P1 tests will be decided by an “independent, evidence-based review”, the Scottish Government has said.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney told MSPs yesterday that this new evaluation would consider if the assessments were useful for teachers, parents and could help close the attainment gap.
He also made clear that the review could recommended the assessments be scrapped.
READ MORE: Letters Special: P1 testing should not be politicised
That, however, didn’t go far enough for opposition MSPs, who accused the minister of ignoring the will of Parliament.
Last month Tory, Labour, LibDem and Green MSPs voted 63 to 61 on motion calling for the tests to be halted.
The largely symbolic motion did not bind the Government to any action, but Swinney said he would “reflect” on the defeat.
Yesterday, the Education Minister told Parliament he stood by the tests, saying that “P1 assessment should be reformed not abolished”.
“The primary purpose of standardised assessments is to provide an effective additional tool to support teacher professional judgement and provide consistent evidence to identify next steps in a child’s learning,” he said.
Swinney added: “I have listened to a range of views from within the profession and those charged with delivering education.”
The review will consider how compatible the assessments are with early levels of Curriculum for Excellence, how useful the information provided by the tests are to teachers and how it supports their professional judgement.
It will also consider the future of the assessments, in particular whether they carry on in the same way, whether they should be changed or if, as the opposition parties believe, they should be stopped entirely.
The LibDems said they were worried Swinney’s new review – which will publish its findings in May next year – must not be a “whitewash”.
The party’s education spokesperson Tavish Scott said: “Fifty-eight days ago John Swinney published what he said was an evidence-based review and it was a whitewash. Now he wants another review. Teachers say national testing of five-year-old boys and girls adds nothing to their knowledge or the child’s progress.
“So why are primary school teachers, parents and even the Government’s educational advisors wrong and John Swinney is right?”
Labour education spokesperson Iain Gray said Swinney’s “pride and hubris” was stopping him from listening to teachers, and parents.
“John Swinney began his statement by saying he wishes to address the intent of the parliamentary motion.
“But that is just not true. The intent of the motion, and the will of this Parliament could not be clearer – it is that the national tests stop for primary 1.
“This whole statement is his justification for refusing to respect the motion and defying this Parliament.”
Scottish Green education spokesman Ross Greer said it was “a missed opportunity for a government whose approach to education is not working.”
He added: “They could have called a halt to these tests.”
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