ABOUT

We are an alliance of early years organisations and teaching unions that came together in 2015 to oppose the introduction of Baseline Assessment. Despite almost universal expert opposition to the idea, and against the recommendations of parliamentary consultation, the government continues to support the idea. We believe that this was both a dangerous and undemocratic situation and that it betrayed a woeful lack of governmental concern about the best interests of the child. Although in 2016 government decided against proceeding into a second year of its baseline assessment pilot on the grounds that the schemes chosen were not comparable, they had not accepted that the idea was wrong in principle.  ​In March 2017, another consultation on primary assessment was issued, once again proposing the introduction of baseline assessment in reception.  In September 2017, government announced plans for another attempt at introducing a baseline assessment at the start of Reception.  See our news page for the latest update on our campaign.

Sector condemns government proposal to introduce baseline assessment

On 14 September, the government announced its plans for the future of primary assessment in England, including the introduction of a baseline assessment within the first few weeks of Reception.  The Better Without Baseline campaign responded as follows:

We are disappointed that government has not listened to the views of early years practitioners and researchers and seems set to repeat its costly and misguided attempts to reintroduce a commercially run baseline assessment scheme in reception. Early labelling of children based on flawed data is deeply damaging to children's progress. Reception teachers across the country who are busy helping new children settle in this year will dread repeating the experience of last year's pilots, which gave them no additional helpful knowledge about their children's starting points, and took up days of teacher time. Headteachers should be concerned that they will be held to account with dodgy data - the government has not provided satisfactory evidence that a reliable and valid baseline measure can be conducted with 4-year-olds that will show progress achieved with KS2 results. It is vital that any proposed scheme is piloted to show that it can address these concerns, and that the benefits outweigh the human and monetary costs. ​

Sector responses to the recent consultation

See our news page for a selection of responses to the Primary Assessment Consultation from the campaign and our members.

30 March 2017 - Government launches rehashed proposals for baseline assessment in reception

Today the Department of Education has released a consultation on its latest proposals for Primary Assessment, including another attempt to reintroduce a “baseline assessment” in the Reception Year.  Read our latest press release here.

8th April, 2016 - Government U-Turn

Who is against the introduction?

Save Childhood Movement (SCM) Too Much Too Soon Campaign, TACTYC: Association for Professional Development in Early Years , Cambridge Primary Review Trust (CPRT), British Association for Early Childhood Education (Early Education), Pre-School Learning Alliance (PSLA), The Primary Charter, Early Childhood Forum (ECF), The National Union of Teachers (NUT),  Association of Teacher and Lecturers (ATL), Professional Association for Childcare and the Early Years (PACEY), National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA), London Early Years Foundation (LEYF),  Unison Education and Children's Services, University of Sheffield School of Education, The UK Assessment Reform Group, The Association of Teachers of Mathematics (ATM), The Mathematical Association (MA), The British Educational Research Association (BERA), National Association for Primary Education (NAPE), Mothers at Home Matter (MAHM), What about the Children? (WATCH)

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BWB submission on Primary Assessment to the Education Select Committee​ Nov 2016

BWB Submission to the 2015 Consultation on Primary Assessment
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BWB Media pack 

See the results of the 2015 NUT/ATL/IOE Research (and the full report)

 The Education Journal 

April 2016 Position Statement

29th April, 2016 Open Letter
 11th April 2016 Open Letter

Cathy Nutbrown's article in the Conversation

11th April Press Release

February 2016 Newman University Research Seminar Papers