Despite the fact that, according to news reports, about 5,000 test papers from 460 schools have yet to be returned, Schools Minister Jim Knight said today that he has confidence in England’s Key Stage 2 SATs results. Who is he kidding?
SATs may not seem very important to those of us in the world of work, but the 11 year olds who took the exams are the same people who join the workforce in a few years time. And judging by the results, employers may have a few problems with staff who seem unable to grasp the ‘3 R’s’.
The number of children who reached their expected standard was up slightly this time, but was again below the Government’s target levels.
A major concern must be the poor English results, with only 67% of pupils reaching the expected standard in written English. And if you look at the highest level (Level 5) things look pretty grim. Only 23% of boys and 36% of girls reached Level 5.
It will not be long before we get this year’s GCSE and A level results. Given that SATS have been part of the education system for years, it will be interesting to see if all the additional testing and monitoring has had any real effect on the exam results that really matter.
I read recently that an estimated five million people in this country have difficulty with reading and writing. So much for having a workforce equipped to face the challenges of the 21st century! Or am I just an out-of-touch cynic?
Visit the Fuse Learning website at: www.fuselearning.co.uk
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