THE Scottish Government needs to reassure to teachers, pupils and parents that new standardised assessments in schools are not “high stakes”, Holyrood’s Education and Skills Committee has claimed.
MSPs have been looking into the the evidence used to justify the introduction of the Scottish National Standardised Assessments (SNSAs) in 2017. The tests are completed by school pupils in P1, P4, P7 and S3.
In their final report, the committee said it was concerned over the “differing views amongst stakeholders regarding the original purpose of the assessments”.
The MSPs said witnesses to the inquiry often complained of being confused about why the tests needed to be carried out and what data was being provided.
The committee has asked the Scottish Government to “give clearer guidance as to the role of the assessments as well as reassuring parents, pupils and indeed teachers, that the SNSAs are not high stakes”.
The committee’s convener, Clare Adamson said the inquiry had also looked into why the Scottish Government scrapped the Scottish Survey of Literacy and Numeracy (SSLN).
“There has been a lot of media and political attention regarding the introduction of SNSA and our Committee agreed to undertake an inquiry on the evidence base for their introduction as well as exploring why the decision was taken to move away from the Scottish Survey of Literacy and Numeracy.
“We also wanted to explore international comparisons to understand similar and differing approaches used elsewhere.
“We heard differing evidence from stakeholders as to their understanding of the purpose and reason for introduction and have asked the Government to clarify their intended use in Scottish Education.”
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “We will consider the recommendations in full and respond in due course.”
Meanwhile, reports yesterday suggested comprehensive schools in Scotland are cutting the number of exams pupils are allowed to sit.
Research by think tank Reform Scotland discovered that only a “minority” of Scottish state schools allow pupils to sit more than six exams, with some only offering five subjects, compared to independent schools who offer eight or nine.
Reform Scotland’s Chris Deerin said the schools cutting back on exams were often based in deprived communities: “We are in real danger of opening up a new type of attainment gap in Scotland - one where children who are allowed to sit eight or nine National 4s or 5s will have a distinct advantage over those restricted to five or six, regardless of the latter’s ability.”
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