Standardised Testing (Hansard, 23 April 1991)

§ 2. Mr. Amos
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the introduction of standardised testing in schools.

§ The Minister of State, Department of Education and Science (Mr. Tim Eggar)
Seven-year-olds will be tested nationally in English, mathematics and science for the first time this summer. Tests in other subjects and for other age groups will be phased in over the coming years.

§ Mr. Amos
As many parents do not take seriously their responsibility in bringing up their young children, does my hon. Friend agree that standardised testing at the age of seven years will give schools the opportunity to monitor and identify pupils' achievements in relation to their ability? Does he accept that that will be of enormous value in channelling more assistance to those who are in need, 885 and that the tests are nothing to do with pass or fail? Instead, they relate to identifying needs and channelling help to where it is needed.

§ Mr. Eggar
I much agree with my hon. Friend. It is extremely important that the results of the assessments and tests should be passed on to parents in a readily understandable way through annual reports. We shall be publishing a leaflet to accompany the reports, which we hope will help parents understand the results of the reporting mechanism.

§ Mr. Rees
If one of the tests shows a particularly low grade for a seven-year-old child, who will be responsible, within the school, for testing further to ascertain whether there are special disabilities such as dyslexia? If there is such a problem, what power does the Secretary of State have to tell local authorities to provide remedial classes—it would be no use for parents to take that course—in such cases? I am extremely dissatisfied for personal reasons, but I am not making a political point. I think that we have forgotten that something may be wrong, and that not enough has been done for those who suffer from dyslexia.

§ Mr. Eggar
I understand and share the right hon. Gentleman's concern about dyslexia. In 1981, I initiated the first Adjournment debate on dyslexia. The results of national curriculum testing, especially in English, will enable teachers to identify children who are working towards level 1—in other words, those who have not attained that level. I would expect teachers and head teachers to get together to try to identify why a particular child had not achieved level 1 and then to formulate a system of help and assistance for that child. Outside help from the school, such as that from a child psychology support, may be needed.

§ Mr. Straw
Statementing?

§ Mr. Eggar
As the hon. Member for Blackburn (Mr. Straw) says, it might be appropriate to go towards statementing. Each individual child will have to be dealt with, however, as an individual, depending on the result of the tests.

§ Mrs. Ann Winterton
Does my hon. Friend accept that the majority of parents in my constituency are much in favour of tests at the age of seven years? Will he accept also that we all believe that bureaucracy should be kept to a minimum so that teachers can spend the maximum time with children rather than going through procedures that at present are rather tortuous?

§ Mr. Eggar
I agree that we must continue to work towards reducing bureaucracy. I intend, as a result of the national pilot of tests of seven-year-olds, to ascertain whether we can simplify the procedures.

§ Mr. Straw
Is the Minister aware that, while teachers are showing a high level of professional dedication and commitment in administering the tests, there is great anxiety among teachers and, I think, parents about the amount of curriculum time that has to be devoted to the tests? For example, at a school that I visited yesterday in Peterborough, every half day between now and half term is being devoted to the administration of the tests and that is disrupting the teaching of children. As the Minister referred to this year's tests as a national pilot, may we take 886 it that Ministers will examine carefully the experience of the standard assessment tasks to ascertain whether they can be slimmed down further so that they serve a purpose without over-burdening teachers or disrupting teaching?

§ Mr. Eggar
I have no hesitation in agreeing with the hon. Gentleman. We must examine carefully the results of the national tests to determine whether the right balance has been struck between manageability on the one hand and fairness to the child on the other. We shall examine that. If the hon. Gentleman wishes to give us his views, I shall be delighted to take them into account.