Government abolishes Key Stage 2 Science Sats
On 7 May 2009 the Government
abolished Key Stage 2 Science Sats. Listed below are the
responses from SCORE and the individual SCORE partners following
the announcement.
SCORE
During the past few months, SCORE has been considering the
primary curriculum and its assessment. SCORE believes that science
has an important place in the primary curriculum. Science provides
learners with opportunities to satisfy their natural curiosity in
the world around them. The primary curriculum can allow children to
develop an enthusiasm for the sciences and see that it can provide
satisfactory and rational explanations for phenomena that they
observe and experience.
The current high stakes testing at the end of Key Stage 2 is
having a detrimental effect on teaching and learning in the primary
phase. This is due not least to pressures on curriculum time caused
by the national tests. SCORE welcomes a move from national testing
at Key Stage 2 and towards a teacher assessment model. A successful
model would enable teachers to give children a broader range of
scientific experiences and free them from focussing on assessed
outcomes.
SCORE would welcome the opportunity to work with DCSF, QCA,
Ofqual and others to ensure that the teacher assessment tools and
reporting methods for primary science are fit for
purpose.
Association for Science Education
The Association for Science Education welcomes the proposal to
end testing in science at the end of Key Stage 2 from 2010
The ASE welcomes the proposal of the Expert Group on Assessment
to end the current system of testing in science at the end of Key
Stage 2 in England from 2010. We agree that they are not the best
measure of 11-year-olds' scientific ability and risk putting
children off science.
Overwhelming evidence gathered over the past decade shows that
end-of-KS 2 testing has restricted the curriculum and methods of
teaching science not only in Year 6, but also in the earlier years
of primary school. This has undoubtedly diminished students'
interest in pursuing scientific activities.
Science remains a central subject in the primary curriculum
following the Rose report and ASE welcomes a new approach to the
curriculum which will see a focus on the skills that underpin good
science teaching and learning. Response continues
here.
Society of Biology
The Society of Biology supports the move away from SATS to
teacher assessment and look forward to working with the DCSF to
develop the assessment tasks and the national sampling.
Royal Society
Statement regarding removal of Science SATs at Key Stage 2 and
introduction of Assessing Pupil Progress
Sir Martin Taylor, Vice-President of the Royal Society,
said:
'The Royal Society is delighted that SATS in science for 10 and
11 year olds are to be abandoned. As we have said before, this
type of testing was stopping teachers from inspiring children with
the wonder and excitement of science . At a time when
developing future generations of scientists could not be more
important to the UK's economy, engaging students at the very start
of their education is fundamentally important.
We believe that the Government has recognised the problems
associated with science SATs. We expect science to lead the
way in the new teacher-led assessments, putting the subject at the
heart of plans for a new approach to primary education. We
hope that assessment in its current form at Key Stage 2 for
mathematics will also be modified and that appropriate resources,
training and specialist teachers are provided to ensure that
science and mathematics primary education in the UK continues to be
world-class.
The Expert Group on Education has stated that science remains
central to the curriculum for primary children and this dramatic
improvement in the assessment process is warmly welcomed by all
those whose priority is science education.'
Royal Society of Chemistry
Of the announcement to abolish Sats for science at Key Stage 2,
Dr Richard Pike , Chief Executive of the Royal Society of
Chemistry, said today:
"While we welcome the plans to drop national examination of
science at KS2, it's important that science is not seen as the
"poor relation" compared with formally-assessed English and maths
education.
"The removal of Sats at this level means teachers should be free
from "teaching to the test" and will give them further opportunity
to deliver inspirational practical science lessons."