Plans to test four-year-olds has been scrapped

"The government has ditched controversial plans to use testing of four-year-olds as a base to measure pupil progress. Picture: Department for Education."

"Reception baseline assessments were introduced in primary schools in England last year. Although they were not mandatory, the government encouraged schools to use them, and planned to use the results to track pupils' progress."

"However, a government-commissioned study has found that the three different tests available for schools to use `are not sufficiently comparable to create a fair starting point from which to measure pupils’ progress`."

"The baseline tests will still be available for schools to use, but the DfE said it has dropped plans to use the results to track progress."

" `The results cannot be used as the baseline for progress measures, as it would be inappropriate and unfair to schools,` a statement from the Department for Education (DfE) said."

"The early years sector has welcomed the U-turn, although the National Union of Teachers criticised the government for spending "millions" establishing a `flawed` system..."

"Christine Blower, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said the flaws in the scheme’s design were well known to early years educators, and were pointed out to the DfE when it first consulted on the scheme. "

- See more at: http://www.cypnow.co.uk/cyp/news/1156772/government-u-turns-on-testing-of-four-year-olds#sthash.MZPPaPe9.dpuf

Will Nicola Sturgeon now reflect on the wisdom of introducing testing into primary schools?