NE schools sign up to Baseline Assessment pilot – survey
Almost 62% of schools responding to a Schools North East survey confirmed they have signed up to take part in the new Reception Baseline Assessment pilot.
Of the 152 respondents, the majority said they had chosen to take part in the pilot, with a large proportion of those citing the reason as wanting to be prepared for the tests being made statutory.
A third said they were engaging in the pilot because they expect the tests to become statutory and wanted to prepare. A minority suggested that they wanted to give feedback and shape the development of the assessments, with most feeling that the statutory introduction of the tests were ‘inevitable’, and so choosing to prepare staff early.
However, even of those schools who chose to take part, a proportion expressed disagreement in principle, but still felt it was better to be prepared. Of schools who chose not to be involved, a majority disagreed with the testing of 4-5 year olds.
Further reading:
DfE – Reception Baseline Assessment
TES – Baseline pilot snubbed by more than 7,000 schools
Schools Week – 9,600 schools sign up to baseline assessment pilot