Pupil stress and standard assessment tasks (SATs) An update

Abstract

Abstract This article is a follow-up to another in 2001 which highlighted the risk of stress among children taking the SATs at ages 7 and 11. Using a largely similar sample of schools, it was possible again to identify a small group of children with clear symptoms of stress during the following round of tests. Implications are set out, with some questions about children with special needs and about implementing the principle of mainstream inclusion in an atmosphere of some anxiety over perceived school effectiveness, published SATs data, and league tables.