Hanafin reduces lofty aims to mere rhetoric

IN response to the ideas of Mary Hanafin on standardised tests at primary level, it might help to reflect on the experiences of our colleagues in England.

They tell many worrying tales about the Standardised Assessment Tests (SATs). Many of these focus on how creativity is crushed in Key Stage 2 as children prepare to sit their SATs.

Exploration, dialogue and critical thinking are exchanged for the transmission of English and maths skills in an attempt to raise the scores of the tests for publication in league tables.