From 2016 all schools that wish to show progress for accountability purposes will need to adopt an approved baseline assessment scheme. In order for the DeF (Department for Eductaion) to track the progress of pupils form an early age, the government introduced baseline assessments. This is where an assessment is carried out on each child at the earliest school age, so usually within a few weeks of them starting reception.  At the end of Key Stage 1 another assessment will be carried out to check their learning progress. A test (SATS) is done to help the teacher identify which level the student is currently at. The levels as they were are now being changed and no longer are set in to 2,3,4 etc the levels this year are more likely to be based on if they meet the standard expected for a child of that age, excel it or are below it. It is also much harder for a child to reach the expected level they need to be at this year than previous.

At the end of Key Stage 2 (year 6) the children will undergo another test and this will then be sent away to be marked. This again will form part of their overall assessment for the level they are at academically.

Many parents and teachers are pushing for the government to look in to the number of exams and tests that young people have to endure. The exams are not only getting more frequent but also more intense and pass rates are often dropping due to the percentage of questions that must be answer correctly to pass increasing.

Exams can cause a lot of students stress and some simply do not cope well with exam situations although they may work well in class. Many subjects are now made up of part practice and part written or part course work to allow the students who struggle with exams to do well.

Teachers often have to spend too much time teaching children how to pass exams rather than teaching them the skills and experience they need in the working world. With children being tested as young as 5 is there call for a change in the education system?