Greens respond to tests for 4-year-olds

23 April 2015

Reception baseline testing for 4-year old children in reception classes is set to be introduced in 2016, under the claim that it will allow schools to measure children’s progress throughout the primary education stage. The six private companies approved to produce this test have this week been marketing themselves on Twitter using the hashtag #receptionbaseline in an attempt to court attention from education professionals before the deadline for signing up schools to passes at the end of April.

The Green Party’s Spokesperson for Schools, Samantha Pancheri, said:

“The Green Party believes that children’s learning is precious and our schools must be protected from the profit motive of private companies. That’s why we are opposed to the introduction of tests for reception children. Such tests introduce early pressures, demands, and competition into the lives of our children when they should be learning in an exploratory and fun manner.

“Furthermore, the use of private companies to develop and dispense these tests is yet another example of the Conservatives’ fervour for privatisation in schools. The full cost of these tests is not yet known, but estimates put it at around £5million a year. This is money which could, and should, be invested in schools to support children in their education, not churn them through an exam factory at the earliest age possible.”

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