Teachers question accuracy of baseline assessment

The test used to assess four-years old in reception class when they start school does not accurately reflect children's ability at this age, according to research carried out by UCL for the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) and the National Union of Teachers (NUT). Teachers believe that valuable information about their new pupils is not provided by the assessment and that it disrupts pupils' start to school when many are in education for the first time. The research, which was conducted by Dr Guy Robert-Holmes and Dr Alice Bradbury (UCL Institute of Education) in autumn 2015, involved an online survey of over 1,000 ATL and NUT members and's with staff and parents from five primary schools in England. Research showed that 60% of teachers and school leaders did not think the baseline assessments, which were introduced into primary schools in England in September 2015, accurately reflect children's attainment. They felt four-year-olds are too young for testing, particularly in their first six weeks of school when children are getting used to new routines and meeting new teachers. Only 8% thought baseline assessment is a fair and accurate way to assess children. In addition, only 7% thought baseline assessment is a good way to measure a school's performance because of the problems of accurately assessing four-year-olds and the variability of children's patterns of progress and development.