Blog Post April 2017

Posted on 19/04/2017

The Department for Education is proposing the ending of SATS testing for seven year olds in Primary schools. One side of the argument says that we need tests so that we make sure that schools are performing and the other side of the argument says that it overburdens the teachers and increases the pressure on the children. Whilst we need something to ensure that each child receives a good education and therefore can make a successful transition into the world of work, I welcome your ideas on what pacifies both sides of the argument. As an employer looking for new staff I want someone who is a good team player, is dedicated to our ethos and is reliable with a good standard of maths and English. Everything else is “learnt on the job” so is built into staff training and development. I know that Primary School children rarely say, “When I grow up I want to work for a charity” but, I am sure that many other employers agree with me. So perhaps it would be better to create a test that suggests to the child their individual skills and qualities and what they are best suited to in the future. This would create for the child a positive goal for the future rather than a dreaded test which may stamp “failure” on their forehead before they enter the world the schools are ultimately preparing the children for.

Andrea Maddocks MBE