Details of school tests plan to be unveiled

Nicola Sturgeon will today reveal details of her plans to introduce standardised testing in schools in Scotland.

The new National Improvement Framework will see pupils tested for literacy and numeracy in P1, P4, P7 and S3.

Concerns have been raised that the plans may see a return to a league table of primary schools and ‘teaching to the test’, but the Scottish Government is expected to reassure teaching unions the data will be used to drive improvement.

The Scottish Government hopes the National Improvement Framework will help narrow the attainment gap between the least and most deprived children.

Most councils already use some form of assessment, but in a speech today the First Minister will argue for a more consistent approach.

“There is currently a lack of information about overall performance at both a national and local level,” she will say.

Details of the plans are expected to receive a cautious welcome from teachers’ unions