Exams fail to show how well Send children can perform at school
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Letters to the editor: our readers share their views. Please send your letters to letters@independent.co.uk. As the headteacher of a primary school, I am writing with a heartfelt plea that we reform how pupils are assessed. The current system is rigid and one-size-fits-all, deeply impacting our ability to provide the best for our Send children – those with special educational needs and disabilities (“Lack of support for Send children is ‘timebomb’ for public services, MPs told”, Thursday 12 December).
Despite the exceptional progress many of our Send children make, the system fails to reflect their growth accurately and fairly. In our current Year 6 cohort, we have eight children with education, health and care (EHC) plans. These children have made tremendous strides since Key Stage 1, but it is highly unlikely that they will meet the national expected standard at Key Stage 2; some will also not sit the tests. This is not due to a lack of effort, or a failing on their part.
Yet, their results – even those who do not sit – will still be included in our overall published school outcomes, distorting the true picture of their progress. As a school leader, I am often called to explain and justify why our outcomes fall short, and this process is often punitive and interrogative. It’s a demoralising cycle that undermines the hard work and dedication of our teachers and staff, and the aspirations of our families.
