Alliance comments on primary assessment announcement
3rd November 2015
Commenting on today’s primary announcement by education secretary Nicky Morgan, Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Pre-school Learning Alliance, said:
“Given that both the early years sector and teaching unions have voiced such strong opposition to reception baseline tests, and the majority of those that responded to the original consultation on primary assessments were against the proposals, it’s disappointing that the government has chosen not to take this opportunity to review these much-maligned plans, which will subject children to needless tests during the crucial settling-in period.
“The government’s continued obsession with rigid testing, as exemplified by today’s proposals to introduce formal tests for seven-year-olds, is deeply misguided. Such a narrow view of attainment does a disservice to young children, and reduces opportunities for genuine learning to little more than a tick-box approach to education. As such, we urge government to reconsider taking such a regressive step.”
For further information or to interview, Neil Leitch, Chief Executive of the Pre-school Learning Alliance please contact:
Shannon Hawthorne
Pre-school Learning Alliance
T: 020 7697 2503
E: Shannon Hawthorne
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Notes for editors
- The Pre-school Learning Alliance is the largest voluntary sector provider of quality affordable childcare and education in England.
- 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.
- For information about the Pre-school Learning Alliance, visit our website: