Councillor calls for less testing of kids

CAMDEN’S education boss has called for the testing of children to be overhauled as schools celebrate top results.
Cllr Janet Grauberg, member for children and young people, Camden Council, questioned whether or not Key Stage 2 exams were a useful method of evaluating pupils’ progress.
Cllr Grauberg said: “There is widespread support for the view that children today are tested too much.
“I am pleased that Camden children’s results continue to improve, which is a testament to their hard work and to the schools. But I think there are questions over whether this testing is the right approach to a well-rounded appraisal of children’s abilities.
“The removal of the Key Stage 3 tests shows that the time is right for a wider review over whether this is the best approach.”
The call came as provisional figures showed an increase in the percentage of Camden’s 11-year-olds achieving ‘expected’ standards in English, maths and science.
As last year, the pupils’ results exceed the comparative national figures, with the gap extended to 3 per cent in each subject area.
Camden’s executive member for schools, Cllr Andrew Mennear, said: “It is fantastic news that our 11-year-olds are bucking the national trend and continuing to improve year-on-year.
Maths and science show the biggest improvement, with the percentage of Camden pupils achieving expected targets leaping from 80 to 82 per cent and 89 to 91 per cent respectively.
English and combined English and maths show more modest improvements – 82 to 83 per cent and 74 to 75 per cent respectively – while national performance in these subjects has declined by 1 per cent.
There is still plenty of cause for Camden schoolchildren to celebrate as the rise in standards in the borough over the last three years is also greater compared to the national rise.
Cllr Mennear added: “This is a testament to the hard work and dedication of their teachers and all the Camden schools staff and I would like to both thank and congratulate everyone on this significant achievement.
Finalised results will be published by the Department for Children, Schools and Families later this autumn.