EDUCATION: GREENS REITERATE CONCERNS ABOUT NATIONAL TESTING
Isla O'Reilly, Education, Children and Young People spokesperson for the Scottish Greens and MSP candidate for Highlands and Islands, today reiterated concerns about national testing in primary and secondary schools in light of plans announced by the First Minister.
Local authorities will test reading, writing and numeracy in P1, P4, P7 and S3 with results published nationally each year.
Isla O'Reilly, Education, Children and Young People spokesperson for the Scottish Greens and MSP candidate for Highlands and Islands, said:
"Class sizes are the largest they've been since 2007, teachers are overworked and additional support needs provision has been cut. Tackling these issues should be the priorities if we are to improve the chances of children from poorer backgrounds.
"Standardised testing is recognised by many experts as causing anxiety for pupils and staff, and it's simply not credible for ministers to hope that the data won't result in the kind of league table culture that causes stress for families. Scotland can have a better education system that gives all young people the opportunities they deserve, but more testing isn't the answer.
"Providing more teaching staff would ease the burden on our already overworked teachers. Allowing teachers the time to get to know pupils and their circumstances would be more effective at closing the attainment gap than introducing tests. It's clear from these issues that more Green voices at Holyrood are vital."