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A Gazette Publication Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Primary School League Tables 2008. . . . . . . .
BLACKPOOL
Delays and controversy THEY are the most talked about exams and league tables ever – but for all the wrong reasons.
Despite many Fylde coast schools showing improvements in their Key Stage Two tests (the tests for 11-year-olds) headteachers have spoken of their mistrust of the entire system.
They say the results give only a “snapshot” of a child’s development rather than a true picture of their progress. One former headteacher even went as far as to say this year’s league tables were “not worth the paper they are written on” after well documented problems in marking last summer’s Sats exams. The league tables – which were due to be published in December – are based on the results of controversial key stage two tests in English, maths and science. An overwhelming number of tests were sent back for re-marking after teaching staff questioned their quality – delaying the publication of league tables by four months. Following the marking delays, ETS Europe, the private outsourcing company hired to administer the tests had its contract terminated. Dr Ken Boston, head of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, was the next to go. He stepped down as an inquiry into the chaos was launched. In the months which followed, the Key Stage Three Sats for 14-year-olds were abolished but the Key Stage Two exams are set to remain for the time being.
Last week teaching unions threatened to boycott the 2010 tests unless an urgent review is carried out. The National Association of Head Teachers and the NUT teaching union say the tests taken by seven and 11-yearolds damage children and schools. They want assessments by teachers instead and an end to league tables based on the 11-year-olds’ results Les Turner, NAHT rep for Lancashire has launched a stinging attack on results. The former head of Freckleton Primary School said: “Any education professional will tell you this year’s league tables are a sham, a ridiculous waste of taxpayer’s money, and not even worth the paper they are written on. “After the disaster last summer with some schools not getting papers back at all, others getting the wrong results and the amount of appeals – the reason they have chosen to publish is beyond me. “Ed Balls, school secretary says that parents’ want them and schools have to be accountable which I can’t disagree with, but what parents need is accurate, valid information about their child’s progress, not this flawed snapshot. “It is a shame this Government will be remembered more for their bombardment of initiatives and the fiasco with the Sats results than their commitment to improving schools and ploughing money into education. “The day Sats and league tables are finally scrapped I will raise a glass of champagne to the politician who has the guts to carry it out.”
ANGRY CRITICISM: Former headteacher Les Turner at Freckleton CE Primary School
Scrap archaic system, says headteacher
ANCHORSHOLME Primary continues to top Blackpool league tables – but the news is being taken with hefty pinch of salt by the school’s head. Figures from the school’s Key Stage Two results show a slight decrease from 2007 with an aggregate point score of 288, down from 291. The figures are based on the performance of children in the Sats tests in maths, English and science, which were taken last summer. The aggregate score, by which schools are ranked, is taken from the percentages of children reaching Level Four in each of the three subjects. The three percentages are then added together to give the score.
Aggregate score out of 300 adding the percentages attained in English, maths and science
Assessment
Despite Anchorsholme’s headteacher Graeme Dow’s continued success in keeping standards high at the Eastpines Drive school, he believes the league table system which he has branded “archaic and inappropriate” should be scrapped in favour of “thorough and accurate” teacher assessment. He said: “I’m very proud of the hard work our children, and children from across the schools in Blackpool, commit to their learning. “Having been head of three Blackpool schools, I know how dedicated the teachers and staff are in our area. “I’m more than happy for schools to be held to account for their effectiveness in the development of children’s learning, but this must reflect the wider achievements of children and not merely scores generated by a fundamentally flawed system of national testing.
Blackpool Top 10
GOOD RESULTS: Megan McCandless, Jordan Stimpson, Cobi Barber and Annie Bradshaw Picture: ROB LOCK “The whole of their achievement is valued, and their schools labelled, by how well they perform in a series of tests taken during a pollen-saturated week in May. “Not only is this system a poor measure of our children’s achievements, but it starves our children of a broad curriculum. “In an effort to jump up the league tables, schools offer a narrow curriculum to cram for the Sats tests.” The school’s contextual value added (CVA) score has also
dropped slightly from last year, showing 99.4 a drop from 100.9. The value of the CVA score is also accepted with some reluctance by the Anchorsholme head however. He said: “CVA does not recognise the significant progress that is made by children who fall below the so called “national standards”. “The contexts themselves are generated by statistics and not real impacts on education, such as high levels of transience.” Mr Dow also delivered a stinging criticism on the administra-
tion of this year’s Sats and branded the marking which “highly inconsistent”. He said: “All of our writing papers had to be re-marked, with a huge majority of marks being increased, some by as much as two levels. “We didn’t receive final marks for English and maths until November and final science marks were not confirmed until February. “Following the debacle, how will anyone be able to trust the validity of the results for 2008 and the subsequent league tables?”
School 2008 Anchorsholme Primary 288 St Bernadette’s RC 285 Kincraig Primary 283 St Nicholas CE 279 Christ The King RC 279 Westcliff Primary 275 Our Lady of the Assumption 274 Norbreck Primary 272 Bispham Endowed CE 269 Hawes Side Primary 269
2007 291 273 272 255 191 276 250 255 273 244
STORIES BY LISA ETTRIDGE AND JULIA BENNETT COMMENT ON THE RESULTS AT www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk
FRONT COVER: Sacred Heart Thornton pupils (from left) Jordan CornallSaunders, Saul Harvey, Molly Moss and Katie Robinson celebrate their success Picture: MARTIN BOSTOCK