Anonymous Teacher Reacts To: Phonics Test
Hmm… what?
A test for 5 and 6 year olds is too basic? Really? Excessive? Yes. Ridiculous? Yes.
Completely and utterly unnecessary? Absolutely. The phonics test was introduced in 2012 to much criticism (criticism which was deserved in my view).
Why can’t teachers be trusted to assess the progress of pupils in all subjects? It is entirely possible, and fairly straightforward, to ensure that a child is moving to where they ought to be without forcing them into a stressful situation.
A child could have been unable to speak clearly when he arrived at school the previous year, yet he is expected to achieve the same score as everyone else to ‘pass’.
How are we even saying that children can pass or fail at this age? It’s simply ridiculous.
I’d much rather see children praised for their efforts and look at their starting points and current position than compare to everyone else – leave that for GCSEs and A levels!
