Tiffnie Harris, Primary and Data Specialist at the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on analysis from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), which shows that disadvantaged pupils are nearly three times less likely to achieve the highest marks in Sats.
“We welcome this report and recommendations. There are significant issues with key stage 2 tests both in terms of the pressure they place on pupils and the disproportionate way in which they are used to judge the performance of schools.
“Modern technology provides the opportunity to develop a more adaptive and humane style of testing than the current one-size-fits-all approach. This would allow questions to be tailored according to the ability of each child, allowing them to demonstrate their knowledge without being confronted with the stress of questions they cannot answer. We would also like to see a more nuanced approach to judging school performance in which test results are only one consideration within a wider picture of what schools do.
“Improving outcomes for disadvantaged pupils is of critical importance, and schools work extremely hard to support all their learners, often while operating under severe funding constraints. However, many of the factors behind educational gaps are linked to issues beyond the school gates, often emerging early in life, and widening due to the significant socioeconomic challenges facing many families. Action is needed on a number of fronts to ensure all families have access to excellent early years education and to the wider support they require. The government must also ensure that schools are sufficiently funded to provide the level of support these young people need.”