[Taf]

Our twins, and many of their peers, left Infant school with very poor skills. Ditto Junior school. Ditto Secondary school.

Each stage blamed the previous one for not teaching to the necessary standards, but nothing was done to remedy this. They just plodded on and on with more and more pupils falling further and further behind.

Testing at set stages might have stopped this situation arising. But teachers don't like it as it can highlight poor teachers, and schools don't like it as it can highlight poor schools!

I think the mistake that's being made is making the testing too formal and rigid, raising anxiety and fear amongst students.