Pupils being harmed by schools ‘gaming’ the system to climb league tables
Children’s education is being put at risk by a system that encourages schools to “game” the system and drill pupils to pass tests, a new study warns.
It says the quality of education in many schools is being damaged due to an accountability system that puts pressure on headteachers to produce good results.
The report, published by the RSA today, argues that action is needed to tackle the issue, such as providing more data about schools, making it harder to “teach to the test” and changing school performance tables.
While the current system of holding schools to account for pupils’ progress and results has helped to raise standards in the last 25 years, this has come at a cost, the study, by Julian Astle, a former adviser to former Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, says.
Read the full article in the Tes.