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- What curriculum do young people need? July 23, 2020
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Tag Archives: early education
The Rose Report on phonics: playing fast and loose with ‘the evidence’
Agitation about synthetic phonics and the Clackmannanshire experiment by Nick Gibb, then an opposition MP, had two outcomes: a systematic review of research (led by Carole Torgerson) and a committee of enquiry (chaired by Jim Rose). Torgerson’s research review came … Continue reading
The Scottish phonics miracle: myths and evidence
A major trigger for politicians insisting that synthetic phonics is the only good way to teach reading came from an experiment in Clackmannanshire, Scotland. The work of Sue Ellis at Strathclyde University reveals serious exaggeration by politicians and the press. Gains in … Continue reading
Developmentally informed educational excellence everywhere?
by Dr Pam Jarvis, Leeds Trinity University At the beginning of April 2016, the Government finally accepted the overwhelming evidence against ‘baseline’ testing young children. The inadvisability of this measure was obvious to me, not only because baseline testing … Continue reading
Posted in Curriculum
Tagged accountability pressures, baseline tests, early education, literacy, PISA, play
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A great victory – let’s make it the first of many
We have just learnt that the government has abandoned baseline testing for 4 year olds. This was to have served as the starting line for “holding primary schools to account”. The plan was a mess from the start, and showed … Continue reading
The datafication of childhood
A recent blog post reported on a new study for the NUT and ATL of the impact of baseline assessment. It focused on the way in which premature testing was changing children and the way they are seen, as well … Continue reading
Posted in Curriculum
Tagged accountability pressures, baseline tests, early education, testing
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They are children not robots: baseline research
Earlier blog posts on baseline assessment have focused heavily on the damage done by false predictions of children’s potential. This post looks at another consequence – how testing is changing children, education and teachers. * * * In a book … Continue reading
The delusions of baseline testing
This post updates our earlier analysis of baseline testing, following a successful Freedom of Information request. It is clear that baseline tests are likely to make correct predictions of a child’s later achievement in about 4 cases out of every 10. … Continue reading
A few anomalies? No, baseline is flawed from start to finish
In the pilot year of baseline assessment, the most popular provider Early Excellence has already had to apologise to its 12,000 schools for faulty scores resulting from “a few anomalies” (see Schools Week). Even this apology is economical with the … Continue reading
Posted in Accountability
Tagged accountability pressures, baseline tests, early education, Ofsted
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Baseline testing: science or fantasy?
There’s nothing hidden in your head The Sorting Hat can’t see, So try me on and I will tell you Where you ought to be. The new Baseline Assessments are a new model of Sorting Hat imposed by the government on … Continue reading
Posted in Accountability, Curriculum, GERM
Tagged accountability pressures, baseline tests, disadvantage, early education, streaming and setting, testing
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Labour’s manifesto for education
a comment by Terry Wrigley Teachers’ votes on Thursday will be influenced by various factors. Many will vote on social justice principles to remove the most vicious features of Austerity politics. In the absence of proportional representation, many people (in England … Continue reading
Reclaiming Schools 