Education Policy Thoughts Part 2:

Mr Luxon stated, “We will introduce standardised assessment twice a year, every year in reading, writing and maths.”

This will lead to a narrowed curriculum and teaching to the test. I have seen first-hand the horrific outcomes of this approach in the United States. It is a state-wide, national-wide approach in the USA. Not just standardised textbooks in every classroom, but the same lesson taught the same way to all third graders (for example) on the same day at the same time. 

This was in place 15 years ago when I visited several states and was still in place when I visited again four years ago. 

Despite incredibly high-stakes funding models - school funding is directly tied to test results, their results have gone backwards.

I saw schools where all the playground equipment had been removed. All extra-curricular options were removed, and a programme of reading, writing maths - break time - reading writing maths - lunchtime - reading writing maths - home time - was implemented.

It was beyond conscionable, beyond sad and appears to have led to many frustrated young people turning to subculture anti-social groups as a result.