How wonderful it was to hear that we have a “listening government”.

The U-turn on academisation, we are told, has happened because Nicky Morgan and her team are listening to the professionals who run education (us), and also to the local government politicians who have reacted with alarm to this suggestion. They may also have listened to parents, who of course vote and who have also demonstrated their concern.

Since we apparently now have an education secretary who is willing to listen, may I offer some suggestions on things she might like to hear.

Major embarrassment

This year, the assessment of our children has been nothing short of a fiasco, with the U-turn over baseline; leaked details of the key stage 1 Spag test, which led to it being withdrawn; Sats papers for KS2 that are proving deplorably difficult; and another leak of part of the KS2 paper.

If I were responsible for such a catalogue of mistakes, I am sure my job would be on the line. So, listening government, is now not the time to totally revamp an assessment system that is proving a major embarrassment, and certainly fails to support our pupils?

As professionals, it is nearly universally acknowledged that we are part of an “exam factory” system. A data-driven system feeds our schools accountability, and in doing so has created schools with a limited and somewhat boring curriculum.

Do we truly need test-driven assessment dominating every stage of a child’s school life? Could we not for once use teacher assessment, which is far superior to what we are doing now?

Bullied by the system

As part of this overhaul, might we start considering children as rounded individuals? This important part of school life is being overlooked. Of course we want our children to be resilient, but do we want them being bullied?

No, I hear you say: but at the moment that’s exactly what is happening. Children are without doubt being bullied from on high. Bullied to attempt tests some can’t succeed in, to accept our boring, results-driven drivel, and therefore to be the pawns in what has become political mud-slinging. What a sad indictment this is. What about school being the best days of our lives? The teachers can still deliver this, but, listening government, do you want it?

Teachers need this government to understand and appreciate that they work with individuals who need to both learn and be supported, who need to be encouraged to develop positive attitudes to learning and most importantly want to succeed.

Wouldn’t it be great if this so-called “listening government” actually did so for once?

Colin Harris is headteacher of Warren Park Primary School in Havant, Hampshire 

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