Plans to scrap tests rejected

The government has rejected an attempt by a local education authority to scrap tests for its primary school pupils.

Birmingham City Council, which has 350 primary schools, wants to replace national exams for 11 year olds with performance checks by teachers.

But the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) said there was "no question" of anyone being allowed to avoid the tests or school league tables.

Birmingham's chief education officer Tony Howell has requested permission to end testing under the so-called "power to innovate" clause in the 2002 Education Act.

'Skewed curriculum'

He has asked the DfES to let him alter the curriculum for five to seven year olds to make it more like the "foundation stage" for three to five-year-olds, under which children cover "areas of learning" rather than specific subjects.

At seven, they would get a "profile" showing what they had achieved, instead of having to take a test.

From age eight to 11, teachers would assess pupils' progress using a portfolio of their work, which would include the results of tests taken along the way.

Birmingham LEA said that if it got the go-ahead from the DfES, 11 year olds would not be sitting the national tests set by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority next May.

Mr Howell told The Times Educational Supplement: "We want to look at the way in which teachers gather evidence of achievement and use that with some aspects of assessment in the classroom to validate children's performance.

"I think the tests skew the curriculum, which results in teaching to the test, and do not tell teachers or children anything they do not already know.

"A validated teacher assessment scheme would still provide information to parents about how their child and the school were doing."

Mr Howells added: "We need to change things quite radically. The children who are already doing well will continue to do well but this will produce opportunities for children who fail under the current system."

The government has already acknowledged opposition to testing at age seven by promising to experiment with a new approach next year.

Tests will be incorporated into teacher's assessment of their pupils' progress over the previous two years, rather than used as the sole indicator of achievement.

Ministers have rejected calls to do the same for 11 year olds, although the National Union of Teachers could cause disruption next year if it goes ahead with a threatened boycott.

A DfES spokeswoman said schools were legally obliged to put their pupils in for the tests.

She added: "The wide-ranging proposals from Birmingham LEA will of course be considered.

"However, performance tables and national tests are absolutely central to the government's standards agenda.

"They ensure that every child is supported and none left behind. There is no question of departing from these central requirements on schools, for Birmingham or anyone else."