New national tests risk a move back to unhealthy league-tables
Responding to publication of details of the national standardised assessments for primary and secondary schools, Ross Greer MSP, Education spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, said:
"In pressing ahead with these national assessments, the Scottish Government is ignoring the concerns of parents, teachers and students, as well as evidence from education experts. What really matters is that teachers have time to teach and that means investment in staffing, particularly a reverse to the cuts to Additional Support Needs. These are the priorities we should be pursuing if we're trying to close the attainment gap, as well as measures outside school such as better wages and affordable housing.
"Progress in a child's education is well understood by individual teachers who already communicate with parents and carers. National tests won't help support teachers who already have unsustainable workloads and there’s a danger we move back to an unhealthy league-table approach to school achievement."