SCOTTISH Education Secretary John Swinney told teachers that the Edinburgh government will impose new standardised assessments despite widespread opposition and fears that they will add to the burden on teachers and students.

Speaking at the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) AGM in Dundee, Mr Swinney vowed to close the attainment gap within 10 years, and said that the new assessments were vital to “encourage and drive educational achievement.”

Delegates booed Mr Swinney when he claimed that the assessments would not add to teacher workload and would be marked electronically.

He said: “In one of my first interviews as Education Secretary, I was asked whether the assessments will be internally or externally marked. I wasn’t ready to give an answer then. I am now. My answer is this: that’s the wrong question and it fundamentally misunderstands what we are doing.

“You all know, because schools already use these systems, that assessment can be delivered using modern technology that provides the results automatically. No additional workload, no highstakes, externally marked tests. It’s not internal or external. It’s automatic.”

He claimed the new tests were “the modern approach to sensible, proportionate, teacherled assessment that we need and that is exactly what we will work with you to deliver.” Mr Swinney also pledged to “take forward a sustained programme of intervention to reduce teacher workload by maintaining dialogue with Education Scotland, the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and schools.”

The Scottish government will issue a tender later this week to buy an online system that would conduct the assessments contained within the new National Improvement Framework.

EIS general secretary Larry Flanagan welcomed Mr Swinney’s “comments on the need to tackle excessive workload and cut bureaucracy as a means to freeing up teacher time to support the raising attainment initiatives,” as well as his “commitment to investing in education.”

However, Mr Flanagan warned: “Delegates in the hall made clear their very real concerns over the Scottish government’s plans for national standardised assessments within the National Improvement Framework.

“Mr Swinney was left in no doubt that any return to a target-setting, league-table approach to education would be fiercely resisted by teachers.”

What delegates thought

There was no real analysis of what has caused the attainment gap. Are we going to bridge that gap or are we going to be told it’s not that far and we can sink or swim? I think the latter - Pat Carroll

He talked about having a different narrative, but I didn’t see any change. He didn’t really address the issue of teacher workload - Anon

The bottom line boils down to him delivering changes. There are reasonable signs there, but he seems likely not to shift on national standardised assessments - Anon