Alliance comment on NUT plans to boycott reception baseline tests

22nd April 2014

Commenting on the news that the National Union of Teachers may call for a boycott on new reception baseline tests, Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Pre-school Learning Alliance, said:

“We are very pleased to hear that the NUT shares our concerns about the introduction of reception baseline testing. The government has made it clear that the purpose of these assessments is not to help ensure practitioners and teachers are able to provide the best individual support and care for young children, but rather, to provide a mechanism through which schools themselves can be ranked and compared — once again, the needs of the child have been disregarded.

“The fact that the NUT feels it may have no other choice but to boycott these assessments shows what little faith there is in the government’s ability to engage with and listen to the views of sector professionals — let’s not forget that only a third of those who responded to the consultation on these plans actually supported them.

“We will continue to support the excellent work of the Too Much, Too Soon campaign in challenging these ill-thought-out proposals. The government must start engaging with parents and educational professionals to work out the best way of ensuring that children are adequately supported at the start of — and throughout — their educational journey.”

For further information, please .

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Notes for editors

  1. Our previous press release on the baseline assessment proposals
  2. The Pre-school Learning Alliance is the largest voluntary sector provider of quality affordable childcare and education in England.
  3. Through direct provision and its membership of 14,000 nurseries, sessional pre-schools and parent and toddler groups, the Alliance supports over 800,000 children and their families in England. The Alliance also develops and runs family learning programmes, offers information and advice, runs acclaimed training and accreditation programmes and campaigns to influence early years policy and practice.
  4. For information about the Pre-school Learning Alliance, visit our website:

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