Education: Assessment and Testing (Hansard, 13 November 1989)

§ Viscount Davidson
My Lords, my right honourable friend the then Secretary of State for Education and Science announced on 7th June 1988 that in the light of the TGAT report the Government had decided to adopt the main principles set out in that statement. Full details of how these should be translated into practice are under consideration by the Schools Examinations and Assessment Council. These and related matters will be set out in statutory orders to be made under Section 4 of the Education Reform Act, the first of which will be issued next year.

§ Baroness Blackstone
My Lords, I thank the Minister for his reply. However, is he aware that the DES guide for parents on the national curriculum states quite clearly that children's progress will be measured partly by teachers' assessment and partly by national tests known as standard assessment tests? Is he aware that in spite of this commitment on the part of the DES, the Schools Examinations and Assessment Council has done very little to support teachers' assessment, whereas it has already spent nearly £20 million on the development of standard assessment tasks? In the light of that, can the noble Viscount say how the system of moderation will take 1082 into account the need for more formative assessment by teachers?

§ Viscount Davidson
My Lords, the Schools Examinations and Assessment Council has offered interim advice on the assessment system, which was welcomed by the Secretary of State. Further advice is expected shortly which will form the basis for assessment orders to be made next year under Section 4 of the Education Reform Act. I understand the anxieties expressed by the noble Baroness, and I assure her that for the moment I am explaining the council's interim advice; but its comprehensive advice will be received by the end of the year.

§ Lord Ritchie of Dundee
My Lords, does the Minister agree that the present situation For teachers is confused and confusing? They are faced with assessing on a day by day basis their pupils from the age of five in 10 different subjects against 17 attainment targets at 10 levels. At the ages of seven, 11, 14 and 16 the children are faced with standard attainment targets as well as further assessments —of which, incidentally, the teachers know nothing —not to mention the records of achievement that are to be brought in at the age of 16-plus and the GCSE. Does the Minister not agree that this is a formidable situation for teachers? One wonders whether there will be any time left for teaching. What can be done to clarify and ease the position for those teachers who are faced with this situation?

§ Viscount Davidson
My Lords, as I said, I am fully aware of the anxiety which has been expressed. I assure the noble Lord that these matters will be taken into account by my right honourable friend.

§ Lord Dormand of Easington
My Lords, will the Government give special attention to the recommendation in the report that assessment tasks be reviewed regularly for evidence of bias, particularly in respect of gender and race? Is the Minister aware that this is not as straightforward as it sounds? For example, girls will tend to score higher than boys at certain ages and in certain areas of study, and vice versa. In those circumstances, does the Minister accept that these are difficulties which require a great deal of work, and perhaps more importantly very considerable resources, if the whole edifice on which the Government's testing is based is not to fail?

§ Viscount Davidson
My Lords, I accept entirely what the noble Lord says. I am sure that at certain ages girls score better than boys.

§ Lord Peston
My Lords, I had better not follow that remark! The Government are surely fully committed to teacher assessment. There have been statements made on that topic by the noble Baroness, Lady Hooper, in this House, and by the former Secretary of State. Am I right in understanding that, whatever else the Minister was saying, the Government remain fully committed to teacher assessment as part of the assessment procedure? It is impossible to see how anything can take place without the teachers. Will he not then draw to the 1083 attention of the Schools Examinations and Assessment Council the Government's commitment to teacher assessment? That appears to be the one group which does not understand the commitment to teachers in this matter.

§ Viscount Davidson
My Lords, I affirm that the Government are committed to teacher assessment. As I said earlier, the council's advice at the moment is only interim. Its comprehensive advice will be received by the end of the year, when I believe the noble Lord will be satisfied.

§ Lord Orr-Ewing
My Lords, can my noble friend say whether or not he has studied the American practice, which appears to be effective, whereby not only teachers assess pupils, but pupils assess teachers at the end of each term? This throws up in respect of the staff the really effective teachers in the classroom, which is as important as pupil assessment by teachers.

§ Viscount Davidson
My Lords, I can only tell my noble friend that when I was at school I should never have dared to do that.

§ Baroness Blackstone
My Lords, I am most grateful that the noble Lord has reaffirmed the Government's commitment to teacher assessment. In the light of that, is he prepared to ask the Schools Examinations and Assessment Council if it can prepare much more in the way of in-service training for those teachers who will be involved in assessment? That is 100 per cent. of them.

§ Viscount Davidson
My Lords, I shall certainly pass the comments of the noble Baroness to the board.

Viscount St. Davids
My Lords, I wonder whether there are any teachers here who have done what I used to do in class, which was to allow the young to get up, put their hands up and say, "Sir, you are being boring".

§ Viscount Davidson
My Lords, I have just had an idea!