Hi Wildlegends
There is no hard and fast answer to this as far as I am concerned I can see pro's and con's.
For keeping standard tests:-
Parents may be more aware of how their children are performing and be able to help them with their weaknesses and develop their strengths. It may spur on the parents who unfortunately don't support their children at home as much as they should.
It is a good way to track progress.
For abolishing the tests:-
Less administration for school staff (although children would still undergo teacher assessments at regular intervals)
Less pressure on the children. Although in my experience of Key Stage 1 the school staff do not pressure the children to achieve, however they do make them aware of what could be acieved. Some parents try to push their children beyond realistic goals and this is where a lot of the pressure comes from.
Anyway those are my views. I suppose I am on the fence with this one. As soon as I have posted this I will probably think of more pro's and con's.
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