5/13/2008 8:04:00 AM
The Independent; 13 May
Teaching to national curriculum tests is ruining pupils' futures and leaving them unprepared for the world of work, says a report released today by a group of MPs. The Labour-dominated Commons Select Committee for Children, Schools and Families warns that the "inappropriate focus" by teachers on test results could rob pupils of a well-balanced education. "We received substantial evidence that teaching to the test, to an extent which narrows the curriculum and puts sustained learning at risk, is widespread," the MPs state. "The way that many teachers have responded to the Government's approach to accountability has meant that test results are pursued at the expense of a rounded education for children. "One serious consequence of teaching to the test is that it tends to lead to shallow learning and short-term retention of knowledge." The report adds: "In the worst cases, teachers may resort to dull and boring methods of teaching, using the looming threat of examinations to motivate pupils rather than inspiring them to learn." The result of this has been a "disproportionate focus" on the core subjects of English, maths and science and "those aspects of these subjects which are likely to be tested in an examination" than all others.Independent
Curriculum / Quality Assurance
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