PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
National Curriculum Tests (23 June 2021)

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the More Than A Score report, Drop the SATs for Good, published in 2021, whether he plans to implement any of the recommendations of that report.

Asked by:
Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat)

Assessment is a crucial part of a child’s schooling and fundamental in a high performing education system. Statutory assessments at primary school are an essential part of ensuring that all pupils master the basics of reading, writing and Mathematics to prepare them for secondary school. Assessment data also enables parents, schools, and the Department to understand the impact of lost time in education and recovery initiatives. As such, the Department has no plans to cancel the statutory implementation of the Reception Baseline Assessment in September 2021, and the Department continues to plan for a return to a full programme of primary assessments in the 2021/22 academic year.

In 2017, the Government carried out a consultation into primary assessment in England. The consultation received over 4,000 responses from a diverse range of backgrounds and specialisms, providing a broad and informed range of views that informed policy on the current primary assessment system. In addition, the Department engages with relevant stakeholders on a regular basis to understand their views on primary assessment.

Answered by:
Nick Gibb (Conservative)
28 June 2021