The Department for Education (DfE) has said that schools’ preparation for key stage 2 Sats should not come at the expense of pupils’ wellbeing.
But it has also said that Sats, which were sat by Year 6 pupils this week, are “designed to be challenging” and to “stretch” even the most capable.
The statement from the DfE comes after the school leaders’ union NAHT said it was “very concerned” by reports relating to the Sats reading paper this week, which left even the most able pupils “broken” and in tears.
After concerns were raised about the difficulty of the reading test, a DfE spokesperson responded, saying that the development of the tests “takes many years, with questions rigorously trialled with Year 6 pupils and reviewed by education and inclusion experts to ensure appropriateness”.
“The tests are designed to be challenging in order to measure attainment across the ability range, including stretching the most able children.”
The DfE told Tes that this year’s reading paper went through the same process as others in the past.
“Schools should always encourage pupils to do their best but preparing for primary assessments should not be at the expense of children’s wellbeing,” the spokesperson added.
And while the DfE did not provide further details, Tes was told that the feedback during pre-testing was positive.
The NAHT said that after a backlash across the sector about the reported difficulty of the Sats reading test, the union would be raising concerns with the Standards and Testing Agency and the regulator Ofqual.
