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The Data Doctor: A decision on how we measure progress in primary schools is needed but are the current proposals swapping one set of problems for another?

‘Measure more and more often’ has regrettably become the mantra of our education system, and teachers are now struggling with the workload generated by an over-reliance on data, says school data consultant James Pembroke. Here, he sets out his blueprint for how schools can transform their approach to data – by focusing only on the assessment that really makes a difference, they will ease the burden on their staff

The DfE needs to re-think how it identifies ‘coasting’ schools, says the Tes Data Doctor

Many tracking systems are meant to improve schools, but instead their demands lead to teachers leaving

The difference between a school receiving an ‘above average’ or ‘average’ rating can be one pupil losing a mark in a test because she was distracted by wildlife outside of the window

We must stop using teacher assessment for anything other than formative purposes because it’s impossible without reinventing levels, says Tes’ resident data expert