TESTING OF PUPILS AT 11 YEARS AND SOCIAL MOBILITY

Early day motion 867, tabled 24 February 2009 by David Chaytor (Labour). Signed by 44 members.

That this House welcomes the Government's White Paper, New Opportunities: Fair Chances for the Future and the recent report of the Independent Commission on Social Mobility commissioned by the Liberal Democrats; further welcomes the recognition by the Conservative Shadow Minister for Innovation, Universities and Skills that selective schools entrench privilege; notes the cross-party political consensus on the importance of equality of access to good schools in improving children's life chances; notes with concern, however, the extent of overt and covert selection still permitted by the School Admissions Code; notes the evidence linking selective school admission policies with growing social segregation; believes that public tests designed to fail the majority of children are incompatible with the spirit and purpose of the Every Child Matters agenda; further believes that the Government's arguments in support of the abolition of Key Stage 3 tests apply equally to Key Stage 2 tests; and therefore calls on the Government to announce its intention to end external KS2 tests and 11 plus tests, thus ensuring that no child starts their secondary school career publicly labelled as a failure.

Signatures by party: Labour 27, Liberal Democrat 14, Independent 2, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.