Doubt being thrown at the accuracy of the KS2 tests. Again. Bearing in mind that these tests cost somewhere in the region of £45-50 million a year to administer (plus the time, staffing and resources primary schools put in) surely there are better, cheaper ways of monitoring pupil progress? Secondary schools frequently ignore data coming from primary and SATs results only seem to have a use in the equally questionable activity of predicting GCSE outcomes.
As a parent of a Year 6 child, I’ve been horrified at the pressure put on children and then - once the SATs were over - hardly any teaching going on (my son barely had a maths lesson after the tests and his time at school filled with “fun” activities like watching movies). I’d prefer my son’s education to be focused on his learning, not some high-stakes test. And I’d like it to carry on to the point he left school.